|
April 2023
Matt Smith is an extremely active member of the APTA New York community. In his spotlight, he shared his thoughts on the profession and shares insight on what makes the profession special.
Additionally, Matt would like to share his special thanks: "I have to give thanks to my Wife, Kelsey. Without her support, I would not have the opportunity to be as involved as I am and have the chance to make a difference in the profession. Also, I would like to thank my company Associated Physical and Occupational Therapists, for having a place of employment where being involved in the APTA is not only encouraged, but is welcomed and the flexibility that they have to allow me to pursue all of my professional endeavors." Learn more about Matt below!
How long have you been a member of APTA New York?
I have been a member of the APTA of New York for 9 years.
What brought you to PT? Share your journey with us.
Growing up, I was always interested in sports and exercise, and when it came time to apply to colleges, I applied to D'youville College (now University) with the understanding that if I was not accepted into their undergraduate programs I was going to go into the armed services and pursue a medical path. Luckily, I was accepted and began my journey. While in PT school, initially I was unsure about where I was going to fit in and what population I was going to be most interested in working with. Then I had my neuropediatrics course and that all changed. I was instantly intrigued with working in pediatrics and completed 2 different rotations in pediatric settings including one at our Children's hospital which allowed my the opportunity to work in outpatient, inpatient, NICU and aquatic therapy settings. After that, I had a rotation in School Based Pediatrics and was offered a job right out of school. Since then, I have worked predominately in school based pediatrics and have loved every minute of it. I have worked with general education students and students diagnosed with profound Autism Spectrum Disorder. However, currently, I am stationed at Buffalo Public School 84, which has an affiliation with Erie County Medical Center, our areas level 1 trauma hospital. The students that we see are often profoundly involved medically, cognitively, psychologically and tend to be very medically frail. My favorite part of my day, is having a student do something for the first time and seeing the excitement in their eyes when they realize they can do more than they thought was ever possible.
What is a typical day like for you?
A typical day for me tends to be rather hectic. I work full time clinically and manage a full caseload as well as supervision for 2 PT-LPs and any substitute PTA's that may come to the school to help out. Outside of the clinic, I am involved at a district level and am the Chairperson for the Western District of APTA NY, a committee member for APTA NY's Membership Committee, Associate professor at D'youville University teaching the neuropediatrics lab sections, a frequent participant in APTA's national House of Delegates, CAPTE On-Site Reviewer, and am also starting to increase my contributions to the Pediatric section as well as the school-based SIG. When I am not participating in professional matters, I am a father to my almost 2 year old son, Tyler and an avid sports enthusiast and an avid soccer player.
What was the exact moment you decided to join the PT profession?
I was a senior in high school and had a feeling that I would enjoy PT. However, I was not necessarily the best student at the time. I was accepted to D'youville which has an automatic acceptance into their PT program as long as you sustain a certain GPA. I have not regretted my decision to this day.
What would you tell your student self about the profession?
I would tell my student self becoming active in the APTA is a life changing experience. The people that you will meet and make connections with will be some of the best that you could make professionally. I would also tell myself to continue to not take life too seriously. Seeing the children that I work with and the challenges that they face will put a lot into perspective and give you an appreciation for the things that you have in your life and the opportunities that have been presented. Although it may seem scary at first, jump in to whatever opportunity is available to you, from being chairperson to becoming involved in national professional events will broaden your horizons and give you a better understanding for the profession as a whole and not just the population and areas that you will work in.
What is the most rewarding part of your profession?
The most rewarding part of the profession is helping the children that I work with learn something new and improve the quality of their life. However, this is a two way street, I would not be able to talk about the most rewarding part of the profession unless I also talked about how the children I have worked with have changed my life and gave me a new perspective on the items and aspect of myself, in and out of the clinic, that I should cherish and be thankful for.
What is the one of the biggest challenges to your profession?
Outside of having to deal with challenging clinical cases, one of the biggest challenges that we seem to face in the schools and in pediatrics in general, is the ability to timely acquire equipment that is necessary to optimize movement and functional performance of students within the classroom and their school.
What is the most important trend you see in the industry?
One of the most uplifting trends that has been apparent to me in my opportunities I have been afforded is the sense of autonomy. Within the schools, I have the ability to tailor my plan of care and establish protocols and procedures for children that will best suit them, typically with minimal opposition.
Who is one of your role models and why?
One of my biggest role models since becoming a PT has been David Faccini Jr. PTA, LMT. When I was a student PT completing my clinical rotation for the company that I currently work for, David was a PTA that I supervised and it always amazed me how he allowed me the opportunity to give my clinical judgements and advice for children that he was treating and would always have discussions around it with me, even though he has a vast more amount of experience within the profession than I do. Once I graduated, I had the opportunity to continue working with him in a supervisory role and he was the one who introduced me to participating within the professional organization. He has been a great advocate for the profession, generous with his knowledge and insight, and is always there for me to contact when I have questions or need to talk through some ideas. I can safely say that without his influence on me early on in my career, I would not be where I am today.
What are 3 fun facts about you?
- I am an avid sports fan and every weekend there is soccer on my tv
- I enjoy cooking and enjoy making everything from scratch
- When I need to decompress, you can often find me singing anything from country music to hip hop and hard rock.
What do you love the most about being a part of APTA New York?
The people. Since becoming involved, the connections that I have made have been helpful in guiding me in the right direction and continuing to challenge myself to be the best pediatric PT, Advocate for the profession, father, educator and person that I can be.
What would you tell someone who is interested in joining APTA?
Although you may not see the benefits immediately, know that they are there, and the more involved that you become, the more of an impact you can have and the more opportunity you have to see the benefits from your membership.
Pitch the benefits of APTA New York in one sentence.
The greatest benefit that I have seen while I have been a member is the camaraderie. Although we come from different areas of the state, and have different clinical experiences, we have the chance to all learn from each others experiences and knowledge that is truly invaluable and unique.
|
Email to a Friend