Gina Thompson, a graduate of 蘑菇视频鈥檚 Physical Therapist Assistant program, works with a young patient at Oxford Recovery Center in Brighton 鈥� and is thanked with a big hug. (Photos by JD Scott)
Gina Thompson still can鈥檛 believe it.
鈥淚 won the lottery on my dream job. I still have to pinch myself. Some days I鈥檓 writing notes on patients, and I can鈥檛 believe I get paid to do this,鈥� says Thompson, who graduated from Washtenaw Community College鈥檚 last spring and now specializes in helping patients with neurological deficits at Oxford Recovery Center in Brighton.
As a board-certified physical therapist assistant, Thompson works with patients from ages 2 to 92. The vast majority are children with autism, cerebral palsy, and Down syndrome, whom she helps to reach missed childhood milestones.
Thompson also works with adults with neurological deficits such as traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, stroke, and Parkinson鈥檚 disease, helping them to regain function in activities of daily living.
In addition to the Physical Therapyist Assistant program, 蘑菇视频 offers associate degrees in , , , and .
The college also offers an array of certifi颅cate programs in , , , , and and post-associate certificates in , and .
Programs allow students to go directly into the workforce or transfer to a four-year school to continue their education.
Available health care jobs are expected to steadily rise through. If a recently-released 鈥�鈥� report plays out as forecasted, the need for more physical therapist assistants like Thompson will in颅crease by 30% over the next seven years.
蘑菇视频 grads are also in a good transfer position to continue their education at a four-year university to become a physical therapist, an occupation expected to jump 18% in coming years.
The need for and momentum to educate and equip additional health care workers is keeping 蘑菇视频鈥檚 Center for Career Success busy.
鈥淓mployers are really pushing right now to find the right people,鈥� says center director Cheryl Harvey.
The center offers a variety of services for students pursuing internships or work during or after college and has welcomed an increasing number of health care employers on campus that recruit students.
蘑菇视频 also partners with employers to host boot camps to provide quick training in the care of senior citizens, a program that often leads to immediate jobs.
蘑菇视频 has a unique advantage being located directly between Trinity Health-St. Joseph Hospital and Michigan Medicine.
"They snatch up our students so fast,鈥�&苍产蝉辫; Harvey says, adding that employers in general are calling more often because they know the value of 蘑菇视频 skills earned through certificates and courses, and they can train students for open positions.
鈥淭here are so many opportunities out there right now,鈥� Harvey says. 鈥淲e get really excited about helping people find the right fit.鈥�
The college helped Thompson land her new and fulfilling profession, which is actually her second career. After graduating in 2002 from Western Michigan University with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in Creative Writing and minors in Dance and World Literature, Thompson owned a dance studio for 13 years. She loved her life鈥檚 work but the schedule became grueling as she started a family. 鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 being the mom I wanted to be.鈥�
She took a year off, applied to 蘑菇视频, and balanced parenthood, work, and classes to reimagine her career path. The Physical Therapist Assistant program exceeded her expectations.
鈥淚t was exceptional, and I felt completely sup颅ported,鈥� she says.
When Thompson graduated last spring, her instructors assured her she would not have a hard time finding a job. They were right. She graduated in May of 2022, passed her boards in July, and was at work by August.
She鈥檚 not surprised by the need for more health care workers, particularly in the area of physical therapy.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a movement right now for a more holistic approach to medicine,鈥� Thompson says, including the use of therapy and other healing options before medication or surgery.
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