Wow! I can’t believe that it has been almost 8 months since I’ve done a Life as a PT post. And it also looks a lot different around here (#newsitewhodis). This first semester of school has been pretty hectic, but things are finally starting to wind down a bit (and then they’ll pick right back up in 2 weeks for finals…yikessss). I am on Thanksgiving break right now though, so I figured I’d bring you guys a new feature!

Alright, let’s meet Dr. Amanda Brimmage!

Amanda Brimmage is a physical therapist and blogger. She graduated from Hampton University this past spring, and currently works in a neurological outpatient clinic. She loves blogging about her travels, physical therapy, and her other life experiences! She has been featured in Huffington Post, Shut Up and Go, Melanin Majority, Soapbox, and Black Man M.D.

How did you decide that you wanted to pursue a career in physical therapy?

As a freshman in college I was unsure of the career I wanted to pursue. The only thing I knew for sure was my love for sports so I initially thought I wanted to be an athletic trainer. After speaking with a Physical Therapist at the church I was attending at the time, she sparked my interest in PT. I did my research and fell in love with everything about the profession. I had the opportunity to shadow some amazing PTs in undergrad, which solidified my decision to pursue this career. 

What was your favorite part of PT school?

The diversity. When I look around at other physical therapy programs I don’t see many people that look like me. At Hampton, our classes were filled with people from all different backgrounds, ages, ethnic/racial groups, sexual orientations, and religious beliefs. Representation matters!

I also loved that my school required us to complete 5 clinical rotations.  I was never the best test taker in school, but I would always excel in my practicals so I was excited to put everything I’ve learned in the classroom into practice. All 5 of my clinicals were in different settings so I had the opportunity to learn so much and figure out where I truly wanted to work upon graduation. I went into PT school thinking I wanted to work with athletes and I graduated knowing I wanted to work with the neurological population. Now, I’m currently working at my 4^th clinical site.

What type of setting do you work in/What does a typical day look like?

I work in an outpatient clinic and my caseload is (technically) 75% neurological and 25% orthopedic, but most days my schedule is 100% neuro, which I love! The majority of the neurological population that I treat are patients who have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease or who have had a CVA. 

I treat patients M-F for 40-60 minute sessions. One day out of the week I work alongside a neurology physician, physician assistant, occupational therapist, and speech therapist in a Parkinson’s Clinic. The purpose of this clinic is for each of us to provide each patient education and to address their individual needs in order to maximize their function and condition management. We can also order equipment and referrals for PT, OT, or speech therapy as needed. I think it’s an awesome multidisciplinary approach to care. I am currently certified in LSVT BIG for Parkinson’s disease and I plan to be certified in PWR! Moves next year. 

What is your favorite thing about the PT profession/your job?

Helping my patients reach their goals! It’s such an awesome feeling to know you were a part of their healing process. I always tell people it would be the most perfect job in the world if we weren’t required to do documentation haha.

What advice do you have for pre-PT or current DPT students?

I wrote some of my application tips for pre-PT students on my blog.

As for current DPT students, stay humble and never stop learning. I have been working for about 6 months now and I still find myself asking coworkers questions about topics I am uncertain of every week. I have no shame at all. I realize I learned a lot in PT school, but there is still so much to learn. 

Thank you so much to Amanda for giving us a little insight into her PT journey, and her life as a new grad! For more on physical therapy, traveling, or lifestyle (and LOTS of food), you can connect with her through her blog, or on Instagram @ptpassages. Her pictures are to die for, and her and her boyfriend (who is also a new-grad PT, they met at Hampton *gushes*) are the cutest!

If you are a practicing PT and would like to be featured in my next post (or if you happen to know any PTs that would be interested), feel free to email me at thecurlyclinician@gmail.com! If you missed the last “Life as a PT” post, don’t forget to check that out! Keep your eyes peeled for the next PT that will be featured!