It is a shade past 7 on a sun-kissed — albeit muggy — summer morning.
The nervous, just-turned 18-year-old, is five days from reporting to his first college football training camp, where his talents will be judged against men — some seven years his senior — for playing time.
In the past three days, his right knee has turned balky, and before embarking on a goal he has chased since age six, the young man has turned to someone he trusts, Chad Humphrey (PT, MPT, Senior Clinic Manager) of Rock Valley Physical Therapy.
Humphrey, to the athlete before him, is a trusted ally, knowledgeable, positive, patient, realistic, collaborative, determined, caring, resilient, respectful, curious, compassionate and honest. He is in his 21st campaign as a physical therapist, and is a reassuring presence — among many others — at Rock Valley Physical Therapy’s Moline, Illinois-based Valley View clinic.
There are bevy of constants with Humphrey, all of which are not lost of the young man and his worried father, who stands six paces to Humphrey’s left. There is great knowledge as well as his compassion, curiosity and a genuine belief and desire he can help.
The two — patient and therapist — share an open and honest dialogue. The therapist asks numerous questions, runs a bevy of tests and builds on what already is an established bond of trust. The patient shares — step-by-step — all he has done to prepare for the biggest athletic challenge of his life.
Humphrey believes he has answers and conveys them in a way that eases the minds of father and son, showing them exercises he believes will strengthen the affected area.
Because of the bond between therapist and athlete, the young man buys in. Within days, the athlete is pain free. He and Humphrey will communicate several times before training camp begins.
During their clinic visit, Humphrey tells the father and the athlete his approach to bettering the lives of those he serves is a product of his environment. He lauds those who have gone before him for where he is today. He also says it is his job to help those just starting in the profession in any way he can, a responsibility something all experienced therapists at Rock Valley take seriously.
“One of the main reasons I came to Rock Valley was for mentorship and professional growth,’’ Humphrey said of his decision nearly two decades ago to make a switch from another company to Rock Valley Physical Therapy. “I worked for almost two years with another organization and had no real mentorship and sadly had not really grown as a clinician over that time.’’
That changed as soon as Humphrey stepped on Rock Valley turf.
“I was so fortunate to have great mentors that took an interest in my professional growth,’’ said Humphrey, a husband, father and native of Cambridge, Ill. “I learned from some of the best PTs in the industry. (RVPT COO, PT, OCS) Eric Sacia and (PT, OCS, owner/longtime leader) Todd Kersten were two of my biggest influences. They challenged my thought process every day. I remember leaving work every night with a headache for what seemed like the entire first year of being with Rock Valley. It was exactly what I was wanting and why I made the switch.’’
Citing Rock Valley Physical Therapy’s Rock U program for young therapists as the industry’s gold standard, Humphrey says mentorship, however, is a two-way street.
“Not only do you need an organization and mentors that are committed to it, but you have to have a mentee that is accepting of it,’’ said Humphrey, who earned his undergraduate degree from Augustana College and received his Masters of Science in Physical Therapy degree from Washington University School of Medicine at St. Louis, Mo.
“The mentee needs to want to be challenged and want to get better and needs to understand the benefits of being uncomfortable and knowing it’s OK that you don’t know everything,’’ added Humphrey. “Mentorship is one of the best things about Rock Valley and one of my favorite aspects of my job as a clinic manager.’’
While some companies talk about mentorship, Rock Valley Physical Therapy and its unique Rock U program, truly live it.
For the past eight years, Rock U — for therapists with less than three years experience — has been in place. Its goal is to enhance the learning environment utilizing structured on-site mentoring, clinical experts, and structured learning events. Clinical decision-making, treatment selection, and Rock Valley culture are emphasized at all points.
All Rock U participants are paired with a local mentor, their day-to-day “go to” therapist for clinical discussion, practice, and assistance. In addition, formal mentoring time is blocked off in increments of two hours every three weeks.
Each quarter there are development gatherings promoting growth of manual skills, clinical thought process and the development of a therapeutic alliance. Rock Valley culture is embedded throughout. The program also features company leaders — including the CEO, CFO and COO — being on hand to answer questions regarding the overall makeup of Rock Valley Physical Therapy.,
“It truly is a way to challenge the young therapist, but also a way for him or her to have someone who has been through the rigors and is dedicated to helping them get better,’’ said Sam Huey, Clinic Manager (DPT, CSCS, OCS and Rock Valley’s Director of Professional Development). Huey, Meghan Buchanan (DPT, OCS, CMT, Assistant Clinic Manager), Jenna Bush (DPT, Clinic Manager), Emily Pospischil (DPT, Clinic Manager, LAT, OCS, ATC), Kyle Pospischil (DPT, OCS, Regional Manager) guide the forces of all that is Rock U.
“It (mentoring) has always been part of Rock Valley in spirit,’’ added Huey. “Those cornerstones of Rock Valley have always taken a young therapist under their respective wings, but Rock U has more structure and is company wide. How many other companies have a hands-on experience like Rock U? How many companies take time for its CEO to sit down and be asked any question a young therapist might have? You won’t find others engaged in mentoring like Rock Valley.’’
Dan Kaschke (PT/ Resident) is a second-generation member of the Rock Valley family. Having the chance to share — with a mentor — the ups and downs from student to therapist — has been vital to his professional growth.
“Rock U provides a chance for new graduates to network and share common thoughts, feelings, and experiences that they have encountered in their transition from student to therapist. It can be reassuring to know that the struggles and challenges we face are common and relatable amongst my peers,’’ said Kaschke “ It serves as a refresher about all of the skills and tools we learned as students that we may have forgotten.’’
Kaschke admits he knows only the Rock Valley way, but says — after chatting with others he attended college with — that he appreciates Rock U even more.
“Obviously, I have only worked for one company but after speaking with former classmates I can definitely say no other company that I am aware of has a mentoring process like Rock Valley,’’ he said. “Having a mentoring program and an educational program that enables new therapists to meet new graduates, learn how to foster their own niches from other experienced clinicians, and learn from another therapist first-hand, definitely sets Rock Valley apart.’’
For Sacia, a Rock Valley cornerstone, there is great joy and pride in Rock U.
“I love what it offers,’’ he said. “ It’s a great program. It takes a special person to want to make a difference in the lives of others, someone who must relate to others many times in distress. As for that therapist, new to all this, I want to see if they are curious, if they want to know more and recognize and respect that senior therapist who is really good. I want to see if they want to be like them. That new therapist must combine humility with confidence, but know there are others who can help then be better tomorrow than today.’’
Sacia says Rock U brings to light the understanding that to be a successful therapist one must have a selfless approach.
“My agenda and my day is not as important as the person I am working on,’’ Sacia said. “It’s tough, but it has to be that way. (Rock Valley co-founder ) Mark Levsen said, “you can “never take a patient off.’’ It’s a challenge because you are doing a certain amount of visits each day and you are doing them five days a week. Sure there are distractions, but you can never take patient off.’’
Rock U, Sacia added, helps establish the “it’’ factor in a young therapist.
“You know it when you see it but it is hard to describe,’’ he said. “It’s a combination of selflessness and personal growth, a mind set that matches the company. It’s tough because the patient never reads the books. Rock U helps bring that out.’’
And makes a difference in bettering the lives of those you serve.
Just ask the athlete and his worrisome father.
By: Johnny Marx, Storyteller