By Hillary Lau

Welcoming our Fall NEU PT Students!

Welcome Jevin!

We asked Jevin to share some thoughts about what made him decide to go into the physical therapy field as well as why he wanted to do his co-op here in Hawaii.

What school did you attend in high school and what's your current college?
I attended Ridgepoint High School in Missouri Texas, I graduated from the University of Houston with my bachelors. I am currently a student at Northeastern University in Boston enrolled in the DPT program.

What drew you to physical therapy?
I was drawn to physical therapy because it's a profession where you can help others, weather it's through tough injuries or tough times in their lives. With that being said, PT is a rewarding profession, meaning the work environment is friendly and welcoming. I have the ability to interact with patients on a personal level, to create a bond that will help in the process of improving individuals through their impairments and struggles. Most importantly going through physical therapy myself, I have experienced 1st hand the impact physical therapy has on individuals in a positive way and that is what drives me to continue pursuing a DPT. 

Why did you want to do your co-op in Hawaii?
Coming on vacation, I loved the culture and atmosphere. To live here for 6 months is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Also having many family friends in Hawaii, I am not fully alone here and that has made the move easier for myself. Most importantly, compared to the co-ops that were offered on the mainland, Fukuji and Lum I felt in the interview, valued our presence as students as much as I as a student value learning from the staff.

Why did you want to do your co-op in Hawaii?
Coming on vacation, I loved the culture and atmosphere. To live here for 6 months is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Also having many family friends in Hawaii, I am not fully alone here and that has made the move easier for myself. Most importantly, compared to the co-ops that were offered on the mainland, Fukuji and Lum I felt in the interview, valued our presence as students as much as I as a student value learning from the staff.

What has been your experience like so far?
After a month the experience has been great. I love the working environment and the staff at F & L. Everyone has been very welcoming and has treated me as one of their own since day 1 and makes work sometimes not feel like work. As for living, I think just being surrounded by nature has been very calming and beautiful. The only issue I've come across is the time difference so keeping in touch with friends and family has been an obstacle I have had to figure out. 

What's the strangest thing that you've eaten since arriving?
I do not think I have eaten anything strange yet, but this could change in the next 5 months.

What is on your to-do list while here?
During my 6 months in Hawaii, I want to visit all the islands, do as much hiking as possible, and learn how to surf. Most importantly learn more about the culture in Hawaii and what makes life here so unique to anywhere else in the world.

What kind of therapist do you hope to be?
I hope to be a therapist that is compassionate, understanding, and makes the patients feel comfortable and that they matter in each session. Building trust with the patient in a quick manner in order to have the best results for each patient that I will treat in the future. Overall provide a environment for the patients to want to come in and get better, and not just have to come because they have too. 

Who is your greatest influence in your life?
My mom is the greatest influence for me. Seeing how much she has accomplished coming to the United States from Vietnam, not knowing english or a high educational background. For her to be successful in everything she does, whether it is parenting, work, or even just taking care of our family. She inspires me to continue to push for my dreams and strive for success in whatever I pursue in life. Lastly, no matter how successful my mom is, she never loses sight of her values and continues to be a caring, compassionate individual who can accomplish anything in life. I hope one day I can be like her.  

Happy at Work Learning with Aloha
By Hillary Lau

Welcoming our Fall NEU PT Students!

Aloha Clare!

 

For the next 6 months, Clare and her NEU PT classmates will be working and learning at F&L. Please be sure to welcome her when you see her at our Kailua clinic and Kokokahi pool.

What school did you attend in high school and what is your current college?
I grew up in Madison, Connecticut which is a small town by the beach and went to a high school a few towns
over called Sacred Heart Academy. I went on to earn my undergraduate degree at Sacred Heart University,
where I majored in Biology and minored in Chemistry. There I was also part of the club tennis team and actively
involved in many other campus activities. I took a gap year after graduating to work as a PT Aide and gain
experience in the field before continuing on with post-baccalaureate education at Northeastern University in
their DPT Program.

What drew you to physical therapy?
During my time in undergrad I became very interested in physical health and wellness after taking Anatomy &
Physiology as part of my courses, as well as other courses focused on health and nutrition. This interest led me
to shadow at a PT clinic, which I continued to do throughout undergrad. After graduation I worked as a PT aide
full time and the experience only solidified my interest in Physical Therapy as a career. I enjoyed the time spent
getting to know patients one on one, the relationships that were built, and the many life long benefits that
physical therapy could provide.

Why did you want to do your co-op in Hawaii?
The opportunity to do this co-operative experience in Hawaii was so unique that it immediately interested me.
The chance to live and work in a place that had such a reputation for beautiful scenery and culture as well as a
work experience that was focused on treating the whole person not just the injury was too good to pass up. I
knew this would be the experience of a lifetime that would allow me to grow both personally and academically.

What has been your experience like so far?
I have felt extremely welcomed by the community since being here, from coworkers to patients I have
interacted with and other locals I have met. It has been great getting to know the people while at the same time
experiencing hikes with amazing views, hidden waterfalls in the mountains, snorkeling with turtles, and all the
local food. All in all I would say the experience has been exciting and adventurous!

What's the strangest thing that you've eaten since arriving?
The strangest thing I have eaten since arriving would have to be fresh caught sea urchin! My first weekend
here I was invited to go to the West side of the island to go snorkeling at Electric Beach. While there, a local
caught a sea urchin and I was able to try some of it fresh right on the beach!

What is on your to-do list while here?
While I definitely plan on going on as many hikes and adventures as possible while here, one thing in particular
I want to experience while here is skydiving. The views are incredible from the top of a mountain after a hike,
but I look forward to seeing them from even higher!

What kind of therapist do you hope to be?
I think it is important have a holistic approach to treatment, and to be able to be creative and empathetic in
order to treat the individual and not just the injury. I try to approach patient interactions in this way now, and
hope to continue to practice once I become a fully licensed Physical Therapist.

Who is your greatest influence in your life?
The people who are the greatest influence in my life are definitely my parents, who work tirelessly to give
myself and my siblings the best opportunities possible and who inspire me to do the same!

Happy at Work Learning with Aloha
By Hillary Lau

Welcoming our Fall NEU PT Students!

Welcome Melissa!

Let's give a warm welcome to Melissa, one of four NEU PT students, who will be working with us this fall semester. We appreciate her being a guest blogger for our website as she shares her story of what drew her to Hawaii and why she wants to become a physical therapist.

What school did you attend in high school and what's your current college?
I grew up in Upstate New York in the Albany area and attended Shenendehowa High School. I then continued and received my Bachelor’s degree in Health and Human Physiological Sciences (a fancy name for exercise science) from Skidmore College. And now I am currently in Northeastern University’s DPT program.

What drew you to physical therapy?
Long story short, sports have always been a big part of my life. I started playing soccer when I was 5 and was fortunate enough to play in college. I also ran track and field throughout middle and high school. Through these years I experienced PT as the patient and spent a lot of time in the athletic training room. I didn’t officially know that I wanted to do PT until I worked/shadowed in a PT clinic during my Junior year of college. This clinic was a very welcoming environment to both their faculty and their patients. I was able to see patients from their first evaluation to their discharge. What I have grown to love about physical therapy is the ability of the therapist to build a relationship with their patients while also educating them and allowing them to be active participants in their own health.

 

Why did you want to do your co-op in Hawaii?
I wanted to do my co-op in Hawaii because I have stayed in the northeast my entire life and I think it was time for me to experience something else. I was planning on going abroad my junior year but covid unfortunately didn’t allow me to, so I thought Hawaii was far enough from home to count! Northeastern also had a panel of previous co-op students that came to talk about their experience and the previous students that went to F&L had nothing but great things to say. They talked a lot about how they were treated as family when they came and how it was a very welcoming environment, which is exactly what I wanted in my co-op experience.

What has been your experience like so far?
Everything that I expected and more! I have been keeping my word and doing as many hikes as I can, trying new foods, snorkeling, and going to the beach whenever I have free time. My favorite thing that I have done so far is that I did the Moanalua/Kamananui Valley trail hike and it was the best and most challenging hike I have ever done! The clinic is also so amazing! I feel like I am going to grow so much as a student and take away so many valuable lessons over the next 6 months.

What's the strangest thing that you've eaten since arriving?
I honestly haven’t tried anything that strange since getting here. The first week that I got here I went to a luau with my Dad and brother and I tried poi for the first time. It was definitely an interesting taste and I honestly don’t know if I would try it again. But I would say I am adventurous and will try almost anything at least once!

What is on your to-do list while here?
There’s a never ending list to do here in the 6 months of me living here. But I definitely want to go horseback riding, visit the other islands, and go to the observatory on the Big Island to see the stars above the clouds.

What kind of therapist do you hope to be?
I don’t exactly know what setting I want to work in when I graduate. But I hope that I am able to treat my patients as an individual and not just some injury that I am trying to fix. In the last year, we have learned that there are a lot of elements that come together to make someone “healthy”. I hope that I can be there for my patients as a guide to help improve their health, whether it is physical or mental.

Who is your greatest influence in your life?
It is so hard to pick a single person that has been the greatest influence in my life. I think there are a lot of people in my life that have taught me valuable lessons on how to be the best version of myself. But if I had to narrow it down, I would have to say that my parents have been an enormous influence on my life. They have supported me and taught me to treat others with kindness and that you never know what someone is going through.

Happy at Work Learning with Aloha
By Hillary Lau

Welcoming our Fall NEU PT Students!

Aloha, Jenna!

We welcome Jenna and three of her classmates to join our F&L 'Ohana for the next six months. They are PT Coop students from Northeastern University and are here in Hawaii to learn more about outpatient physical therapy.

What school did you attend in high school and what's your current college?

I’m from a small(ish) town in Massachusetts called Natick where I graduated from Natick High School. After that, I went to the University of Massachusetts Amherst in Western MA and got my bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology. I’m now in Northeastern University’s DPT program in Boston, MA!

What drew you to physical therapy?

I attended physical therapy when I was younger and thought that was something I could do with my life. I went to undergrad for exercise science knowing that I wanted to pursue something that has to do with health and wellness, but I wasn’t always sure exactly what. I’ve always been passionate about the human body, and staying fit and healthy, so I thought physical therapy would be perfect for me.

Why did you want to do your co-op in Hawaii?

First of all, why wouldn’t I! I have never left Massachusetts prior to this co-op, so I figured this would be a great time to experience a new place. I wasn’t able to study abroad at UMass due to COVID, so this was an opportunity to make up for that. Past co-ops talked about their experience at Fukuji & Lum at a student panel, which completely sold me. They talked about how great the clinic is and how much they learned while here, both in and out of the clinic. There’s more to see in this world than just Boston!

What has been your experience like so far?

So far, it has been better than I could have imagined! Between eating, going to the beaches, hiking, and getting to know the patients and therapists at F&L, it’s been an incredibly easy transition. Everyone here is friendly and helpful, which has made the transition so much more comfortable. 

What's the strangest thing that you've eaten since arriving?

Probably uni straight from the ocean. Like I said, I like to eat, so I’ve already tried most “strange” things before. We went to Electric beach our first weekend, and someone caught sea urchin, cracked them open, and gave some to us right on the spot. Maybe not strange, but definitely salty (and really cool). 

 

What is on your to-do list while here?

Eat as much of the food as possible! I love the food here and I love trying new things, so my goal is to eat as many different foods as possible in my short 6 months! I’d also love to go island hopping while I’m here, maybe to Maui, the big island, or Kauai. 

What kind of therapist do you hope to be?

I hope to be the type of therapist that patients are excited to see. I don’t want people to dread or feel like they “have to” attend PT. I hope to be a reliable, knowledgeable, and compassionate therapist. Hopefully I’ll be able someone’s experience in PT meaningful, and set them up for success outside of the clinic.

Who is your greatest influence in your life?

The greatest influence in my life are my parents. They are both so supportive of me and have shown me what it is like to be passionate and successful. They have pushed me to be the best version of myself! I’m grateful to have them standing behind me in everything I do!

Happy at Work Learning with Aloha
By Deb Matsuura

My Co-op Experience in Hawaii – by Sarah B.

Sarah learns how PT is about trust and the willingness to take a chance.

Describe a favorite highlight or memory of your experiences in the clinic and outside of work? 

There were so many big and small moments during my six months in Hawaii with Fukuji and Lum that make picking just one favorite moment challenging in the best way. In the clinic, I would say my favorite memory in the clinic was when I was working at the pool. One of the patients was working with a PT in the water and the patient was working on gait training and walking. I am not exactly sure how it started but the forward, backward, and sideways walking transitioned into the patient and the PT doing the cha-cha slide in the water. The patient was still targeting the same muscles and completing the same exercises just in a way to keep the patient engaged and involved in the session. This was one of my favorite memories because whenever I think about it I can’t help but smile and it serves as a good reminder to not take everything so seriously and that gait training/PT can be made fun.

My favorite memory outside of work would be skydiving on Christmas eve (in our matching pajamas). From coming to Hawaii not really knowing the classmates I was with that well, to jumping out of a plane with them wearing the same outfits, I cannot think of a better way to wrap up the end of our crazy adventures together.

 

From this experience, what intentions will you have going forward with your career?

Everyone at Fukuji and Lum cares and strives to know their patients and it is evident the patients feel heard and cared for. Going forward I want to be able to take what I have seen here and get to know my patients to help build trust.

Who had the most impact on you during your time here?

I believe everyone you cross paths and interact with has an impact on you and your journey in some way, shape, or form, and I am very thankful for everyone I was able to meet during my time here! I have been able to meet such good people who are great PTs and PTAs who have all taught me so much in terms of patient interaction and the field as a whole.

If you had to choose one word about your experience, what word would you choose?

Willingness. My biggest take away from my time at Fukuji and Lum and Hawaii would be willingness to take a chance. Whether that was in a clinic where I was asked to take ROM measurements, or to describe gait deviations I was seeing, or help with an intervention I’ve only practiced in the lab, I learned throughout my time to trust in my skills and become more comfortable and confident in my abilities. Outside of the clinic, being willing to take a chance looked like adventures such as hiking trails, swimming with sharks, and jumping out of a plane. I have learned and grown so much throughout these past six months and am forever thankful for this experience!

Happy at Work Learning with Aloha
By Deb Matsuura

My Co-op Experience in Hawaii – by Sam T.

Sam discovers new passion for outpatient therapy.

What was one of the highlights in your co-op experience?

My favorite experience outside of the clinic was skydiving with my roommates. It was on our to-do list the whole time we were there, and we finally got to it on Christmas Eve, and it definitely lived up to all our expectations. In the clinic, it is hard to narrow it down to one highlight. Each day in the clinic I learned something new and had so much fun with the best coworkers.

 

What experience or person changed your belief about what physical therapy is?

Each therapist and each patient that I had the opportunity to work with reminded me why I chose this profession. Over the past 6 months, I got to see a few patients from beginning to end and seeing and being a part of the relationship that formed between the therapist and the patient was so rewarding. Seeing progress in the patients each week because of the knowledge and preparation of all of the therapists portrays what physical therapy is all about.

Who had the most impact on you during your time here?

Every person in the company had such a positive impact on my experience at Fukuji and Lum. Everyone was always so welcoming and encouraging and I truly looked forward to going to work every day. I owe everyone on the Kailua team the biggest thank you for being the most fun and supportive group of people. I got to spend a lot of time in the clinic with Dan and he was always so willing to teach and let me try some hands-on techniques. I am so thankful for all that he taught me over the past 6 months and would love to work with him again in the future.

What was the most surprising thing that you did not expect to learn?

Something that I was very interested in learning about were PRI exercises. I only got to observe them a couple of times, but it was awesome to see the amount of knowledge the therapists had to prescribe and instruct the exercises. The exercises highlight importance of breathing and proper technique and patients had great responses to them.

If you had to choose one word about your experience, what word would you choose?

Invaluable

From this experience, what intentions will you have going forward with your career?

Before coming into this experience, I thought I would want to go into inpatient physical therapy, but I now have a new passion for outpatient. Seeing a new patient for the first time and having to test and figure out the best way to help them was challenging and rewarding. The relationships created with patients and coworkers here were so fulfilling and I hope to come back here soon. Thank you to everyone at F & L, you are all amazing.

Happy at Work Learning with Aloha
By Deb Matsuura

My Co-op Experience in Hawaii – by Becky C.

Embracing the "Aloha Spirit"

Describe one highlight you experienced outside the clinic.

It is hard to choose a highlight outside of the clinic because the island has so much beauty and adventure to offer, but I would say one experience that has stuck out to me was watching the moonrise at Lanikai beach. I have been able to see many sunrises in my life, but I had never heard about a moonrise before. It was so surreal to be sitting in the complete darkness on the beach and then watching the moon slowly peak out from the water on the horizon. The moon emitted such a strong light and glowed up the entire beach. It was a magical experience that I will never forget.

 

What was the one highlight you experienced in the clinic?

In the clinic, my favorite experiences were forming relationships with patients with teaching them exercises and hearing their personal stories. I really enjoyed getting to know all the patients with their welcoming, enjoyable, and enthusiastic attitudes.

Who had the most impact on you during your time here?

The entire WORC clinic had such a large impact on me during my co-op. I spent most of my time at this clinic and the entire staff made me feel so welcomed! They were all willing to teach me something new whether that was the therapists, aides, or front office. I learned so much about different aspects within PT and about the operations of running a clinic. I will be forever grateful to the WORC family for making my experience so special and especially fun! There was never a day I didn’t laugh working in the clinic!

If you had to choose one word about your experience, what word would you choose?

One word that would describe my experience would be GROWTH. By working in the clinic, I gained confidence in my interpersonal and PT skills. I also feel I had personal growth and gained a new perspective on life with not stressing over the little things and having a deeper appreciation for my surroundings in the beautiful world we live in. I am so grateful to have had an incredible experience in clinic and out of clinic.

From this experience, what intentions will you have going forward with your career?

From this experience, I hope to carry forward the vast experiential knowledge gained from working in the clinic and the “Aloha Spirit”. I have enjoyed learning about a holistic approach to PT and hope to continue to do that in my future PT practice. What the “Aloha Spirit” means to me is being caring and empathetic towards others and being widely accepting of myself and others. I also hope to continue make genuine connections with my future coworkers and patients.

Happy at Work Learning with Aloha
By Deb Matsuura

Reflecting on the Co-Op Experience

Megumi describes her Co-op experience as GRATEFUL

What was the one experience that you think was the highlight of the experience? One in the clinic and one outside the clinic. 
Completing my second coop at Fukuji and Lum in Hawaii was an experience that I will be forever grateful for. I would also say it has been the best experience during my time at Northeastern. Taking time away from Boston and having a completely different environment for 6 months allowed me to grow and make great memories. In the clinic, I enjoyed working on my communication skills when getting to know the patients and teaching them exercises. The patients were very welcoming and it was fun to chat with them about their local recommendations of favorite food places and hikes. Getting to talk about Japan with them and talking to some in Japanese was also memorable and fulfilling. 

Outside of the clinic, I remember some crazy adventures like climbing Koko Head before work, skydiving and shark diving on the same day, getting lost on hikes, swimming to the middle of the ocean to see dolphins, and when Alltrails.com would underestimate the difficulty of the trails which put me in some rather dangerous situations than I would have preferred. Crossing off my Hawaii bucket list activities regularly was very exciting and made me appreciate each day of my long but short visit. 

If you had to choose one word about your experience, what word would you choose?
One word I would use to describe my experience would be grateful. As much as I was excited to have the opportunity to live in Hawaii, moving to Hawaii for 6 months sounded risky. However, getting out of my comfort zone with new adventures outside of the clinic and in the clinic, I feel grateful for the people that made this the amazing opportunity that it was. There were many moving parts to make this experience possible starting with my family and the welcoming people that I met and got close to, so I will remember to appreciate how this was possible. The result of taking these risks and trying new things brought me to Hawaii and Fukuji and Lum which will boost my confidence to challenge myself in the future as well.

Who had the most impact on you during your time here?
Everyone I got to work with impacted me in many ways, especially those at the Honolulu clinic. I got to learn from a diverse range of treatment styles and personalities through each PT and PTA. This helped me begin navigating my interests and style on how to treat and interact with patients. I appreciated the time devoted by the therapists to teach and explain their logic and tips for their treatments which I hope to be able to do for other students in the future as well. They encouraged me to ask more questions, provided opportunities to learn, and let me practice hands-on techniques. Being a clinical student next year, the open environment here has prepared me to be more involved and proactive with my learning. In addition, being back in classes now, I have especially been grateful for the learning experience in the clinic because I now have some familiarity with concepts and techniques has been very helpful.

From this experience, what intentions will you have going forward with your career?
With my career, I hope to integrate the welcoming and family culture from Fukuji and Lum and Hawaii in my practice. Going forward, I know I have made many life-long relationships that I can reach out to for anything which I am very thankful for. Although I miss everyone and life in Hawaii, I am motivated to get back in the classroom to learn more and become a PT myself. 

Happy at Work Learning with Aloha
By Hillary Lau

Reflecting on the Co-Op Experience

Julia Reflects on Her Time in Hawaii

Julia shares about her experience as a co-op and how it continues to have a positive impact on her education and passion for physical therapy. 

Thinking back on my time in Hawaii, I can easily say that spending six months working at Fukuji & Lum was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Going into this experience I was so excited to see the outpatient side of physical therapy for the first time and apply and expand my knowledge. Within the six short months I was at Fukuji & Lum I learned more than I ever could have imagined and feel so much more confident and prepared heading into my upcoming classes and future clinical rotations. I am so thankful for the WORC crew who welcomed me with open arms and made my time at Fukuji & Lum so memorable. The therapists at WORC were all amazing mentors and not only challenged me as a student, but also supported and trusted me to apply my skills inside the clinic. Not only were they great teachers, but also such a fun crew of people to work alongside and made leaving Hawaii that much harder. I'm also grateful for my exposure to aquatic therapy and seeing the contrast between the calm, slower moving aquatic sessions and the fast paced, busy days at WORC and coming to love and appreciate my time spent in both. Overall, I am so thankful to be a part of such an amazing company that truly became ‘ohana. From my experience inside the clinic, to time spent with coworkers outside of work at the beach, on the sandbar, at game nights and everything in between, I will forever have a special place in my heart for everyone at Fukuji & Lum.

Outside of the clinic, I was eager to see and do as much as I possibly could in my short time on Oahu. When I first got to Hawaii I wanted to do things that got me out of my comfort zone such as go skydiving, swimming with sharks and on ridge hikes. I'm happy to say I accomplished all of that and much more and couldn't be more happy with all I got out of this experience. I fell in love with hiking during my time in Oahu and hiked well over 30 incredible, challenging and beautiful trails. Out of all of them, I'd have to say I loved hiking the stairway to heaven with all the coops the most out of any. Spending 11 miles hiking up through muddy trenches, intense wind and along narrow ridges was an incredible experience that made me so appreciative for all my body could do. And accomplishing this alongside each of the other co-ops made it even more special! Other than hiking, I am going to miss chasing the beautiful sunrises and sunsets, snorkeling and swimming with turtles, dolphins, and fish, and visiting all the beautiful beaches & lookout spots around the island. I'm already missing the people, food, nature and overall beauty I got to immerse myself in during my six months in Oahu- and I'm looking for any excuse to get myself back there!!

This experience wouldn't have been what it was if it weren't for the 4 other co-ops I was with- Annie, Meg, Lauren and Holland who all deserve a shout out. It was an incredible experience getting to know and live with my classmates, as well as explore the island, try new foods and meet new people with them. We had an amazing 6 months together packed full of adventures, good eats and lots of laughs. Thank you ladies for being the best co-workers, classmates and friends!

Going forward, I am excited to utilize all the new skills and knowledge I have for my upcoming classes, clinicals and future as a physical therapist. The relationships I made both with therapists and patients helped to shape me into an even better future clinician & I appreciate learning from all the diverse perspectives and personalities I encountered in my time at Fukuji & Lum. I am forever grateful to have had this opportunity to help further shape into the well educated, compassionate and patient centered  physical therapist I hope to be in a few short years.

Thanks for the best time and the best memories Oahu! Missing Hawaii & everyone at Fukuji & Lum every day!

Happy at Work Learning with Aloha
By Hillary Lau

Reflecting on the Co-Op Experience

Holland Reflects on Her Time in Hawaii

We are always excited to hear about our students' experiences and learn about their favorite parts while in Hawaii and working with Fukuji & Lum staff. Holland tells us what impacted her the most and the highlights throughout her six months as a co-op.

What was the one experience that you think was the highlight of the experience? One in the clinic and one outside the clinic.

Since coming back two months ago, so many people have asked me what the best part of my time in Hawaii was, and I still struggle to come up with an answer because the whole experience was so surreal and amazing! One experience that sticks out was the open house at the newly renovated Kailua clinic, the clinic reopened during my first week so it was so much fun to share the space with everyone and get to celebrate all the hard work that went into it all together. That was the first event I attended with the whole company and it was so great to really feel like part of the ‘ohana. Outside of the clinic, the highlight would have to be hiking to Moanalua valley trail to stairway to heaven with the other four coops. It was my favorite hike on the island, and it was so special to accomplish it all together (even after a few scary moments on the way up)!

Who had the most impact on you during your time here?

It’s impossible to pick just one person! All the PTs, PTAs, techs, and of course the other coops made the experience what it was. I was lucky enough to spend a lot of time working with Rachel Hyland at the Kroc center and got to learn so much from her about PT, leadership, and life on all our drives out to Kapolei. The whole staff at the Kailua clinic was so amazing and always willing to take time out of their day to teach me new skills and test my knowledge, I learned so much from every one of them. Most of all, the other coops made the experience so much fun both in and out of the clinic—we did so much together and I couldn’t have asked for a better group of girls to share this chapter of our lives!

What was the most surprising thing that you did not expect to learn?

I didn’t expect that I would learn to love orthopedics as much as I did! On one of my first days in the clinic, one of the therapists taught me about scapulohumeral rhythm and explained how the thoracic spine can affect shoulder mobility; this helped me to realize just how much everything is connected and how the body really is a puzzle. I love how intellectually challenging ortho can be, and as I learned more throughout my coop and began to be able to put the pieces of the puzzle together I really grew to love it.

From this experience, what intentions will you have going forward with your career?

In my first blog post, I said I hoped to be the kind of therapist who is a great educator. After my six months at Fukuji & Lum, that intention has not changed. In addition to educating patients in order to help them achieve the best possible outcomes, I also understand how important education is for the profession as a whole. The work that Fukuji & Lum is doing to educate people on the value of PT as part of their standard healthcare is so valuable and unique, and I know this kind of education will help to grow the profession so much. I hope that in my career I can do similar work to educate people on all that PT can be and to continue to advance the profession. Additionally, I hope to be a mentor and educator for students. I learned so much from everyone at Fukuji & Lum and am so appreciative of their mentorship, I can only hope to pay it forward in my career.

If you had to choose one word about your experience, what word would you choose?

Adventure! This coop was truly the adventure of a lifetime, when I first came to Hawaii I made it my goal to leave no stone unturned and between skydiving, swimming with turtles, dolphins, and sharks, 60+ hikes, and chasing countless sunrises and sunsets I truly made the most of my experience and didn’t waste a moment.

Happy at Work Learning with Aloha