草莓传媒官网下载

A physical therapy student who moved to Houston to pursue his doctorate found his true 鈥渨hy鈥� while in 草莓传媒官网下载鈥檚 program.

Jose Trujillo always wanted a career that touched on health, science and exercise. However, he didn鈥檛 connect with his true passion until after he enrolled in Texas Woman鈥檚 , or DPT, program. 

鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 until I had the opportunity to visit and spend time in neurologic settings, such as Quentin Mease, TIRR Memorial Herman, Ben Taub, and other Memorial Hermann hospitals, that I realized neuro rehabilitation is the setting I want to be a part of,鈥� said Trujillo, who started clinical rotations working with vulnerable populations in Harris County. 

Early on, he served in the outpatient wound care department at Houston鈥檚 Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital. There, he treated patients with chronic wounds due to diabetic neuropathy, arterial insufficiency, venous insufficiency and other comorbidities鈥攅ducating patients on dressing their wounds, factors of healing, monitoring their conditions, medications and making appropriate lifestyle changes.

Now in his third clinical rotation, Trujillo is working directly in the outpatient setting at the Neuroscience and Spine Center at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital.

鈥淚 know that my passion for PT truly lies in getting to help people with neurologic conditions take back their lives and discover hope for improvement,鈥� he said. 鈥淓xperiencing a stroke, spinal cord injury, or any other neurologic dysfunction must be such a terrifying chapter in a person鈥檚 life, and I want to be the clinician who works with patients during this vulnerable time to educate them on their condition, maximize their functional return, and help them understand that they are more than just their diagnoses.鈥� 

The center mostly treats geriatric patients experiencing low back or neck pain. However, a small but rewarding number of patients are in recovery from stroke or need therapy for neurological issues such as multiple sclerosis or Parkinson鈥檚 disease. They often lack the ability to walk without assistive devices, such as walkers or canes. 

鈥淲hen you see someone working that hard and putting it all out to take back their life, you鈥檙e just so inspired,鈥� said Trujillo, recalling patients鈥� refusals to give up on therapy. 

It was a path Trujillo said almost didn鈥檛 happen. 

Four years ago, then at another university, Trujillo was researching physical therapy programs when chance led him to 草莓传媒官网下载. As special projects coordinator of his school鈥檚 Pre-PT Club, he was tasked with inviting guest speakers to meetings. On his list were two professors at the Texas Woman鈥檚 University Institute of Health Sciences 鈥� Houston Center: Wayne Brewer and Alexis Ortiz. 

鈥淭hey were so willing to come up to Denton from Houston, and they really left a great impression on me,鈥� Trujillo recalled. 鈥淭hey did an awesome job of selling me on the DPT program鈥檚 culture of inclusivity, very affordable tuition and early exposure to clinical education. Also, having lived in Dallas all my life, I welcomed the opportunity for a fresh start in Houston going to PT school in the Texas Medical Center.鈥� 

With that, he applied and was accepted. However, his first semester didn鈥檛 go as planned. 

鈥淐oming into PT school, people always told me how challenging it would be,鈥� said Trujillo, noting that Hurricane Harvey hit South Texas that fall. 鈥淚 still underestimated how difficult it would be. Coming here from a new city with no family and a completely different environment, I truly didn鈥檛 grasp what I was in for.鈥� 

He had to retake two classes with a new cohort. The second time, he was intentional about changing poor study habits, being proactive about how he approached more difficult classes and finding a work-life balance that kept his spirits high.

鈥淢y journey through physical therapy school hasn鈥檛 been entirely linear, and I鈥檓 eternally grateful to my family, friends, mentors and professors for believing in me and pushing me this far,鈥� he said. 

With his restart, Trujillo says he got involved on campus. He was able to serve as a peer mentor to his first-year classmates, and act as a social committee and Student Government Association representative for his cohort. He volunteered with groups such as the Rehabilitation Services Volunteer Project, helping distribute durable medical equipment to uninsured individuals and acting as a technician to therapists. He also has helped promote 草莓传媒官网下载鈥檚 physical therapy degree options to prospective students during on-campus, open-house events before COVID-19 hit the United States.

鈥淚 was blessed,鈥� he said. 鈥淢y professors gave me a second chance and I wanted to take full advantage of it. Not passing that first semester was hard, but this time, I feel like I truly did everything right.鈥�