Title: Senior Occcupational Therapist / Weekend & Holiday Administrator for Acute Care, Galveston Campus
When did you start working at UTMB and in what capacity?
I started in 1988 as new graduate on a team of occupational therapists to treat burns/ortho/plastic surgery patients in what was John Sealy Towers as well as TDCJ hospital.
What positions have you held at UTMB since then?
I started out as an OT I and progressed up to an OT II within two years and then to an OT III after five years and currently hold the title of senior OT.
What attracted you to UTMB in the first place?
I grew up in Galveston and was always aware of UTMB and the care they provided to our community and beyond. The rich history was a pulling force that I wanted to be a part of first as a student and then as a professional.
Why have you stayed at UTMB for 35 years?
UTMB has allowed me the opportunity to help many people and make a difference in their lives—and that is what rehabilitation services, and our profession, is all about. UTMB has provided so much support over the course of my career. Continuing education, allowing me to present and lecture at the state level, being able to publish, program development and the ability to be a lifelong learner at such an eclectic place are just a few the reasons I have stayed at UTMB.
What has been being a part of the UTMB family for so long meant to you personally?
It has been amazing to have the pleasure to have received training by such wonderful people and then to train many occupational therapists in the field of Burn Rehab and Acute Care. Having the opportunity and ability to work with many different disciplines for the health of our patients has been so rewarding.
Collaborating to improve the quality of life and future for each patient is a must in any environment, but here at UTMB we try to communicate daily and plan for those needs to benefit our patients.
What would you say to someone starting out in a career at UTMB?
I tell our new therapists to be a sponge and soak it all in. UTMB sees a wide range of clinical cases and brings professionals from every discipline together to address those needs. Embrace that UTMB is a great place to learn and be challenged.
Each day you can make a difference, and never forget what you do matters. We have such a special history in providing health care in Texas, and they too can be part of that history and leave a legacy as they care for our patients just like the early care providers did over 100 years ago.
If you could send any message to Health System leadership, what would it be?
I would ask they consider a return of the “walk in my shoes” program. It allows leaders and administrative staff to see the day-to-day workings of the hospital from a unique perspective and may provide information that can assist in identifying process improvements and decision making.
Any special stories or experiences about your time at UTMB you would like to share?
As a new therapist, I treated a 75% burn that I spent many years rehabilitating. His ability to see the positive in such a traumatic injury was so impressionable to me. I provide guest lectures to the School of Health Professions here in Galveston and at Texas Woman’s University in Houston each year on burn rehabilitation and have asked him to participate to share the healing process from a patient’s perspective.
This has given many students the opportunity to hear firsthand what it means to survive a burn so large and often inspires them to go into burn care. We still partner to do this, and it is the highlight of my year.
Anything else you would like your UTMB Health family to know about you or your time here?
UTMB has and always will hold a special place in my heart. In addition to helping others through my role as an occupational therapist, I have experienced UTMB from a distinct perspective. Multiple family members, including myself, are graduates of UTMB and have worked here throughout the years in different capacities.
My family and I have received our health care here, including the birth of my children. All these things are what UTMB means to me—a place that gives so much to each and every one of us no matter our need. I cannot imagine working anywhere else, and I am proud to be part of the UTMB family and all it represents.