I started my residency in August of 2022. My experiences in the first 2 months have already made in impact on how I present myself as a physical therapist. Being a resident is a unique, explorative, humbling, but rewarding experience. It has allowed me to discover where my passions lie within the field of PT. It has fostered curiosity and allowed for me to focus on my role as a lifelong learner. It has also opened up different opportunities as a PT besides direct patient care that I had not considered at this point in my career.
It can be overwhelming going into a 16-month residency program, and now with only 14 months left I can say that it is still a little overwhelming. I have learned a lot about myself in the few short months I have been involved with the program. I have learned that I enjoy being an educator, where my passions within PT lie, and that I have so much room to grow as a clinician. Being in a Women's Health Residency Program already puts me in such a niche area of PT, but within that niche there are so many routes to go and so much to learn, which I love. The field of women's and pelvic health is constantly evolving with the new research coming out. The program has worked with me to create an environment where I am able to explore my interests and help me to figure out what I want to do with my career.
The term "lifelong learner" is heavily applied to my experiences as a resident. I have learned so much from mentors and from students that I have interacted with in these first few months. I have learned to stay curious and continue to ask questions.
The learning environment in residency is much different from PT school as it is more collaborative, allows for open discussion, and challenges my own views on different topics within the field of PT. Being a TA for the first year PT students at SLU has taught me how much I have truly learned in all my education up to this point in my career.
I have learned to have grace with myself, like I do with the students as they are learning new things. That is why I think it is so humbling to be a resident. Transitioning from a full time clinician to a resident made me realize how much there is to learn and how important education is, at any point in one's life. This realization has also helped me discover a passion for educating others, be it the community, students, or colleagues.
It is now October. To some, this means “sweater weather” or “pumpkin spiced lattes” or “All Hallows’ Eve”, but to me, it means I have been an orthopedic physical therapy resident for a little over two months now. Thus far, my time spent within the SLU-SSM Health Physical Therapy Orthopedic Residency Program has been all about progress and growth. Being a new graduate and transitioning from a student role to a role as an independent clinician can be intimidating, but fortunately for me, I have the support of the residency program.
My experience two months into the residency program has already provided me with various opportunities in and outside of the clinic. Currently, I am employed at the SSM Health Physical Therapy Outpatient Clinic in Edwardsville, IL where I treat a wide variety of patients with diverse orthopedic conditions. I not only treat patients, but I also participate in didactics coursework and assist with lab instruction within the SLU’s entry-level DPT program on a weekly basis. Other opportunities provided to me consists of participation in pro bono services to the Saint Louis community and attending seminars that has allowed me to gain further expert knowledge and network with other professionals within my profession.
Besides the opportunities above, one unique component that this program has to offer is the amount and level of mentoring that is provided. Unlike some residency programs, where they may have one or two available mentors, SLU-SSM Health has a multitude of clinical experts to serve as mentors. I have been lucky enough to have had four mentors thus far that have challenged my overall clinical reasoning in order to become more proficient and efficient.
Overall, I can’t say that my time spent within this program has been easy, but I can definitely say that it has been rewarding. In a short amount of time, my practice and professional career has already grown beyond where I believe I would have been able to reach by myself, and I am excited to see my continued growth throughout the remaining months in this program.
SLU PT Alumni Spotlight - Elanna Arhos, PT, DPT, PhD
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, The Ohio State University
Interests, Activities, Clubs, and Professional Organizations
Professionally, I am involved in the APTA, specifically as the Education Chair for the American Academy of Sports Physical Therapy Knee SIG and on the membership committee for the Academy of Physical Therapy Research. Outside of work, I love to travel and explore new cities, spend time with friends and family, run, and read.
If you could come back to SLU and teach a class, which class would you like to teach?
Clinical Gait - I loved learning about the biomechanics of gait, different ways to measure movement in a motion analysis lab, and thinking through interventions to address gait pathology. It was my first peek into clinical research and is the foundation of my research focuses today.
Dr. Laura Erb (Women's Health Resident with SLU SSM Health Physical Therapy Residencies) on Opportunities
by Laura Erb, PT, DPT (SLU Alum 2021)
My name is Laura Erb (pictured here on the left with my colleague Dr. Bri Mulhearn on the right). I'm a physical therapist and proud SLU alum (2021), and I'm a current resident in the Women's and Pelvic Health Residency in conjunction with SSM Health Physical Therapy. During PT school, I hadn't anticipated wanting to apply to residency programs, but after a year of practice I found myself wanting to know more, do more, and experience more within the field of physical therapy and all the options it has to offer.
Thus far, residency has provided me with opportunities to be involved in one-on-one mentored patient care, allowing me to ask questions and further develop my clinical reasoning in complex patient cases. I am also involved in several lab courses at SLU Program in Physical Therapy throughout the next year, with opportunities to teach, guide, and collaborate with current SLU DPT students in various parts of their curriculum. I'm especially looking forward to working with the Professional Year 3 (PY3) students in delivering pelvic health-specific didactic and lab material in their musculoskeletal curriculum. I also have access to all the resources SLU has to offer to create a scholarly product throughout my residency with potential to publish my finished product.
I have a true passion for pelvic health, and some of my favorite conditions to treat include urinary dysfunction and pelvic pain. In addition to pelvic health, I am also a Certified Lymphedema Therapist and am completing my ReVital Cancer Rehabilitation certification, allowing me to receive mentorship and resources in working with these patients during residency.
As one of only 15 ABPTRFE accredited Women's Health residency programs in the country, I am so thrilled that my two worlds of pelvic health and Saint Louis University could come together into this opportunity in a community I hold dear to my heart.
Hello and happy PT Month! My name is Allie Wilson, one of the current SLU-SSM Physical Therapy Orthopedic Residents. I am originally from Bakersfield, California, however I spent 7 years in Texas receiving my undergraduate and DPT education.
I decided to pursue orthopedic residency training as a new grad to elevate my clinical reasoning and psychomotor skills in order to become a truly excellent clinician and provide the highest quality patient care possible. I was particularly drawn to the SLU-SSM Health Physical Therapy Orthopedic Residency because of the seemingly infinite resources and opportunities for growth made available to the residents. The unique partnership between SLU and SSM provides a wide variety of top-notch mentors and clinical sites for continual learning opportunities over the 12 month program. Clinical practice, scholarship (as both a learner and teacher), and leadership are just a few areas I've grown in tremendously in these first two months of residency as a result of the resources and mentorship provided thus far.
As we continue to celebrate National Physical Therapy Month, I'm incredibly grateful to be a part of this profession and associated with an incredible group of co-residents dedicated to transforming society through movement as future Orthopedic Clinical Specialists.
Highlights of Residency (so far):
Getting to know my co-residents as both clinicians and individuals: Each of us brings a unique personality and approach to patient care, making weekly didactic sessions an inclusive space for discussion and learning.
Role as a lab instructor in Basic Exam: One of most energizing parts of my week is assisting in Basic Exam lab on Tuesday mornings. It is a privilege to be surrounded by such dedicated educators to prepare the future leaders of this profession.
Clinical practice at the SLU PT Clinic: The majority of my time as a resident is spent here treating students and faculty affiliated with SLU. This has been a unique environment to grow in my practice independently, while also feeling supported by fellow clinicians with expertise in orthopedics.
SSM Health collaboration: From continuing education, regular employee networking/social events, and an inspiring PT month breakfast celebration – there has been no shortage of opportunities to engage with SSM Health as a resident in a variety of capacities.
Non-residency Highlights (work/life balance is key):
Exploring the vastness of Forest Park
Frozen custard from Ted Drewes
Visiting The Arch for the first time
