Is There a Doctor in the House?

by Stephanie Sato Sueoka

There are 22 additional and unrevealed doctors at the UOC.  Physical therapists employed at the University Orthopaedic Center all have their Doctorate of Physical Therapy.  This is quite a personal accomplishment for most physical therapists graduate with a bachelor’s or master’s degree in physical therapy.  Physical therapists at the UOC who are already known for their specialization, expertise and ambition have all sought the highly respected and desired doctorate.  Many of these therapists might not have considered attempting the challenge if not for one person’s inspiration.  Kim Cohee, PT, DPT, MS, MBA, MHA, OCS is the manager of the University of Utah Orthopedic Center PT and Hand Therapy Departments.  Kim is an outstanding manager as she finds the balance between supporting the growth and development of her staff while at the same time instilling the importance of the exceptional patient experience by recruiting and retaining the most qualified therapists  Patients at the UOC are treated with quality exceptional care by therapists who are compassionate, practice evidence based medicine and are highly knowledgeable.

Kim is known for her commitment to and passion for the American Physical Therapy Association, (the physical therapy professional organization), at both a local and national level.  In 2000 the American Physical Therapy Association passed its Vision 2020 statement which stated...”by 2020 physical therapy will be provided by physical therapist who are doctors of physical therapy.”  Many schools initiated a “transition” DPT program, which takes into account a therapist’s current level of knowledge and skills and offers a curriculum that upgrades the clinician’s skills to meet the needs of the current health care environment.  Because of her dedication and support for the mission and vision of the APTA she cultivated a positive and nurturing environment so the physical therapists at the UOC could complete this challenge.  Most of the twenty two therapists completed the transitional DPT program at the University of Utah. I had the distinctive honor of completing the transitional DPT program at the University of Utah with Kim.  This unique opportunity to be a student along side one’s manager was enlightening and facilitated a closer more personal relationship.  Many of her staff benefit from this learning experience.

The UOC is a full service speciality center and a one of a kind facility.  The full doctorate of physical therapy staff only adds to the quality of care and the exceptional experience that patients can experience at the UOC.