Cancer rehab may not always be the first step on your PT journey - but that doesn’t mean you’re behind or you can’t become an expert clinician. Today’s guest is the PERFECT example of this: Melissa White began her PT career nowhere near oncology. But after she transitioned into pelvic floor therapy, she found herself treating more & more cancer survivors. And soon, she was HOOKED. Fast forward, she’s now building cancer rehab programs in her area & specializes in onco-pelvic PT. Melissa shares her experience of starting the specialization journey, writing her case report through our ..read more

Trauma-informed care is super trendy to talk about in health care right now, but what does it actually mean & how do we implement it into practice? This conversation with Dr. Adam Matichak emphasizes the importance of creating a safe & welcoming environment, through trauma-informed care, for patients to be seen, heard, & understood.  Dr. Matichak challenges us to be intentional & fully present during sessions to build trust & repair relationships with patients (yes, even if you didn’t break it in the first place). Consider this episode your trauma-informed care cras ..read more

ICYMI the American Cancer Society estimates that 2,001,140 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in 2024. While treatable & in some cases curable, cancer is becoming a bigger problem than we probably thought possible. Survivors are surviving longer, but at what cost…to their lives, their independence, their function, their mobility, their quality of life? PTs are perfectly primed & positioned to step up & care for this rapidly expanding patient population. But this requires you to step out of your comfort zone & step into being a competent, confident clinician commanding your ..read more

Holistic care is such a buzz phrase in health care, but is it actually possible in today’s cancer rehab?   The answer is a resounding yes, & Dr. Katie O’Bright shares exactly how in today’s podcast episode. Dr. Katie O’Bright is a leading voice in primary care PT (yes, it’s a thing & not new at all), & she breaks down common misconceptions about primary care PT, how it actually works in physical therapy, plus how you’re probably ALREADY implementing primary care principles in your patient care. Get inspired & practice better - LISTEN NOW! Follow TheOncoPT on Instagram ..read more

Advocacy is inherently part of physical therapy (advocating for your patients, advocating with other health care professionals, etc.). We also need BIG ADVOCACY: advocating for your patients, for your profession, TO your elected officials.  BUT - it doesn’t mean drop everything & hop on a flight to Washington D.C.  Dr. Mercedes Aguirre Valenzuela, PT, (@ThePTAdvocate) is on the pod today to discuss the importance of advocacy as physical therapists, how to get involved, & how to realistically advocate while balancing your clinical work. Because: “If not you, then WHO?” Fo ..read more

TW: This episode talks about grief, loss, depression, suicide, & mental health. If you’re not in the headspace to listen to this episode, no worries friend. I’ll see you next time. ???  In this intimate & vulnerable episode with Dr. Jimmy McKay & Dr. Rebekah Griffith, we talk about our own experiences with loss & grief. We cry, we laugh, we cry some more. This was a beautiful & raw episode, & we are all still trying to pick up the pieces & figure it out.  As much as we focus on how to be better OncoPTs on this podcast, we can’t remove YOU from the equati ..read more

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this presentation reflect those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Do you ever feel stuck treating neuropathy, like you’re hitting a brick wall?  Same.   Neuropathy can be challenging to address, but it’s very common in cancer rehab.  And it’s not just chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) either.   Guest Dr. Kayla Gomes, PT, breaks down her treatment approach for patients with neuropathy, no matter the cause.  You’ll learn how to start ..read more

If this podcast episode title got you fired up, GOOD.  APTA CSM took place this weekend in Boston, & I have THOUGHTS. This was my favorite CSM thus far, but it also highlighted some major issues within our profession that need to be addressed.  Let’s get into it. Follow TheOncoPT on Instagram.Follow TheOncoPT on TikTok.Follow TheOncoPT on Twitter ..read more

APTA CSM is to PT like Christmas is to Santa Claus - this is OUR TIME.  In this special pre-CSM episode, we’re counting down our favorite things about #APTACSM, what you don’t want to miss at the conference, AND how to get your hands on our brand new Oncology Rehab: A Pocket Guide.   Listen now! Follow TheOncoPT on Instagram.Follow TheOncoPT on TikTok.Follow TheOncoPT on Twitter ..read more

We’re all about multidisciplinary care here at TheOncoPT.  But sometimes the “how” of multidisciplinary care is challenging to implement.  Should your patient see multiple disciplines at the same time?  Should we stack appointments in one day?  Or space them out? The cleanest answer is, it depends.  But if you’re ready for a real answer, tune into today’s episode! Dr. Sharon Gorman, PT is leading two teams as they go head to head in an Oxford Debate to deliberate if acute care PTs should or should not provide co-treatments with other therapies.  (P.S. if you’ve ..read more