Happy Tuesday y’all! I told you I had some great guests lined up for this series this month, so get ready to learn more about my sweet friend Dr. V!

Alright friends, let’s meet Veronica Velasquez, PT, DPT!

Veronica is an Acute Care physical therapist in Compton, California. She graduated with her DPT in 2019, and has recently been working with COVID patients over the past few months. She uses her online platform to educate others about the profession, and is an advocate for equity in healthcare.

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

It was actually a long path to finally decide onto a career in physical therapy. I had many previous career choices which included: medicine (my parents wanted me to become a medical doctor), a psychologist, a career in politics. But ultimately, my final decision landed on physical therapy because it was the career that most aligned with my values, my personal needs from a career, and my lifestyle. I wanted a career that gave me plenty of human connection and interaction, a career with job stability, and a career with variety. Physical therapy was exactly that. I love using my knowledge of the human body to improve my patient’s quality of life. It’s incredibly fulfilling, which is an added bonus. I am a baby physical therapy. I have only been working for 10 months in an acute care physical therapy position (sub 1 year). 

What was your favorite part of PT school?

The connections I made with my classmates and faculty. I certainly met lifelong friends. With the incredible rigors and difficulties of PT school, it is normal to get extremely close with your cohort. One of my best friends from PT school will most likely be a bridesmaid in my future wedding. That’s the incredible connections you can create within 3 years of graduate school. Additionally, I am still in contact with a number of faculty that I continually seek guidance and mentorship from. The teacher-to-student bond will always remain after PT school, which I am eternally grateful for as a new graduate physical therapy. You can never have enough mentors in your career.

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

I am an acute care physical therapist in a small community hospital in Compton, CA. I love this position because everyday is different. In my hospital, I go to every single floor from MedSurg/Tele, Labor and Delivery/Postpartum, PACU, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Emergency Department. And even most recently, I now provide physical therapy treatments on the COVID floors of my hospital. On a typical 8 hour day, I see anywhere from 7-9 patients a day. I complete all my chart reviews of patients in the beginning of the day– which often takes me about an hour. Then I spend the rest of my day running all around the hospital to complete evaluations and treatments. It includes bed mobility training, transfer training, equipment training, gait training, DME prescription, and balance training. 

Do you have any specialty certifications?

Currently, I do not hold certifications. I do hope to improve my neuro skills, so I do plan on completing a PWR certification training.

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

My absolute favorite part of this job is the patients. I am so lucky to be in a career that constantly introduces me to new people and patients. I love spending the quality therapeutic time with each patient because every piece of training, every word of education, and every sound of encouragement can improve a patient’s life. It’s the best feeling ever to have patients grateful for you and your work. It’s such a fulfilling profession. I find myself so lucky to have this job!

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

In light of the current state of our civil affairs– with white supremacy, racism, and the Black Lives Matter movement– I would encourage future and current students to take the extra time and effort to educate. Educate ourselves and educate others. The fact is that healthcare is extremely influenced by systemic racism. It is our duty as future and current providers to fight for the rights of our patients, notably our patients of color. I would definitely encourage students to research, listen, and advocate. The time is certainly now and it’s never too early to begin in a healthcare revolution.

If there is anything else you would like to touch on or add, please do so below!

Mentorship is so important for us all to make it through and climb our professional ladders. If you are a current student or future student, please do not hesitate to contact me for advice or guidance. My email is thisptlife@gmail.com.

A big thank you to Veronica for sharing her story! I am so glad that Instagram has connected us; I have learned so much from her already. To keep up with Veronica, her email is above, and her Instagram is @thisptlife!

If you are a practicing PT and would like to be featured in my next post, please email me any time at hello@thecurlyclinician.com! If you missed the last “Life as a PT” post, feel free to check that out! Be on the lookout for the PT that will be featured next week!