When I was 19 years old I worked as an orderly in a long-term care facility.
I saw a physical therapist walking a 90-year-old patient with an above-knee amputation and I thought to myself, "Man, that's pretty cool! I think I want to do that!"
An opportunity presented itself to work with the PT, and I took it. For three years he mentored and instructed me in many aspects of physical therapy and the profession.
During my years of physical therapy assistant school at Salt Lake Community College, I was a student member of APTA because it was mandatory.
As I began my career as a PTA, my membership lapsed due to unforeseen circumstances. In 1999 I returned to APTA and have been a member ever since.