Physical Therapy at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue

Published: Dec. 31, 2020, 11 a.m.

b'Drew Contreras is a retired Lieutenant colonel US Army physical therapist, former White House PT to the 44th\\xa0POTUS, and VP of the Federal Section of the APTA.\\n\\n\\n\\nDrews tells his story on deciding physical therapy as a career and becoming a federal/Army PT. He served for 21 years in the US Army as a physical therapist.\\n\\n\\n\\nHe gives the comparison of his experience as a US Army PT compared to civilian PTs. He refers to himself as a \\u201cphysician extender\\u201d with increased autonomy in the Army.\\n\\n\\n\\nDuring the Obama presidency, increased physical therapy services were needed. With Drew\\u2019s experience in the Army and conveniently located working in the Pentagon, he was called to perform for the White House. Drew was the in-house PT for the Obama administration for 7 years.\\n\\n\\n\\nDrew dives into federal physical therapy and how PTs can make a difference on the federal level. If interested in federal physical therapy, check out the Federal Section of the ATPA here:\\xa0https://federalpt.org/\\n\\n\\n\\nDrew discusses the increased need for physical therapy in the military and he sees the future of PTs traveling with their assigned units.\\n\\n\\n\\nQUOTES\\xa0\\n\\n\\n\\n\\u201cI always try to treat all my military patients the same regardless of rank.\\u201d \\u2013 DREW\\n\\n\\n\\n\\u201cNothing is a problem until it is a problem.\\u201d \\u2013 DREW\\n\\n\\n\\n\\u201cTo have them (the government) say we want a physical therapist with every functional unit. That is pretty validating for our profession.\\u201d \\u2013 JIMMY\\n\\n\\n\\n\\u201cPeople expect a certain level of performance out of you or a certain level of capability. You should be able to deliver that.\\u201d \\u2013 DREW\\n\\n\\n\\nPARTING SHOT\\n\\n\\n\\n\\u201cYou can do whatever you want on your last day.\\u201d \\u2013 DREW'