We recently connected with Dr. Loretta M. West and have shared our conversation below.
Dr. Loretta M., thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you share an anecdote or story from your schooling/training that you feel illustrates what the overall experience was like?
My Physical Therapy (PT) education was challenging. It still is for most students. Twenty years ago, physical therapy was one of the HOT careers, and was a highly sought after profession. There were so many schools, but not enough educators. This created the problem where PT programs offered limited slots (30-40 max) for student acceptance into these programs. The next problem was applicants had to have near perfect scores/GPA. My scores were not perfect, and therefore this system set me up for 2-3 years of scrambling to find ways to make myself a more competitive applicant. After 2 years of applying, getting rejected, and re-applying, I finally received my opportunity. Once I got in, no games were played. I successfully graduated from my physical therapy program with honors. I have been working as an outpatient orthopedic physical therapist for 21 years. In regards to physical therapy education, the best advice I share with my mentees is the importance of establishing focused and disciplined study habits early on. The sooner you have a grasp on being intentional and disciplined to get the studying completed DAILY, you place yourself in the best position to land the spot.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My initial interest in physical therapy came from volunteer work as a “candy stripper” at my local hospital while I was a sophomore in high school. I never waivered in my decision to become a physical therapist. I did my best to study hard, get accepted into a program, and successfully graduate with my degree in Physical Therapy. As a new graduate clinician, I worked four years before the realization I desired additional education. I researched Doctorate programs for a concentration on the neurophysiology of healing tissues. I enrolled in the Doctorate of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy program at the Ola Grimsby Institute in San Diego, California, and graduated 2010. In addition, I completed my Residency and Fellowship for this program and became a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Physical Therapy that same year. I have been a clinician for 21 years and have worked in Outpatient Orthopedics the entire time. My specialty is Manual Physical Therapy, and I utilize a therapeutic approach of providing the tissue in lesion (Collagen: tendons, ligaments, muscle, nerve, fascia, bone) the optimal stimulus of repair for appropriate healing. In addition, Medical Exercise Training (MET) with proper dosing to increase load tolerance of the pathological tissues. I provide rehabilitation services for all people with post-operative repairs, low back pain, joint pain, motor vehicle accident pain, worker’s compensation, generalized aches/pains, and weakness. I provide a niche service in that my treatment is very specific, protective to the surrounding joints and connective tissues. I am most proud of representing my community as an African-American female expert clinician at the highest level in the field of Physical Therapy.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
1. Providing a niche service: The Physical Therapy market is over-saturated with conventional services. As a manual physical therapist with residency training and Fellow status, our company provides more specific niche services than most conventional PT. 2. We are sure to educate our referral sources and community on why we are different, and on new innovative technologies we offer as treatment options. 3. We have established a long history of “Best Demonstrated Clinical Practice” evidenced by the latest medical literature. 4. Our company strives for excellent measurable outcomes we then share when marketing and acquiring new business. 5. WORD of MOUTH and success stories from past patients.
Any advice for managing a team?
In managing people and personalities, its important to lead by power and not by force. This requires me as a manager to always be willing to do whatever it takes for operations to move forward. For example: I will fold laundry, clean treatment rooms, and sweep the snow off the walkway if necessary for business to continue as usual. I never want my staff to have the perception I think I am above any task. In addition, our company has an established family style corporate culture where everyone is welcome. We have a full kitchen that stays stocked, a child care play room, separate living quarters with a full bath etc.
Contact Info:
- Facebook: Ortho Rehab & Specialty CTR’s