Get to know: Tori Serna

Story by Abigail Castro

Tori Serna PT, DPT is an alumna of the Class of 2023 University of Colorado Physical Therapy Program. She received the Richard D. Krugman Spirit of Service award, an award voted on by her cohort. Tori Serna has now accepted a position as a Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist. Tori is one of the most impactful students to graduate from the CU Physical Therapy Program and we cannot wait to see what else she accomplishes in her future. Good luck with taking the NPTE in April!

Tori was first introduced to physical therapy after experiencing an injury during her junior year at Baylor University. However, she did not experience physical therapy in a traditional way. She had to rely on the internet to tell her how to rehabilitate after her injury due to financial constraints. While this experience showed Tori what a career in physical therapy had to offer, she decided to teach 7th grade science and coach in the meantime. Tori says, “it was during my time as an educator that I found my voice; the same voice I was trying to empower my students to find.” Tori Serna took her opportunity as an educator and coach to encourage her student athletes to explore other careers in healthcare, like physical therapy. Looking out at a class of 35 students of color, she saw herself in her students, the same 12-year-old who wasn’t sure about what she wanted to do or what she could do with her future. Ultimately, Tori shares that her students gave her the final nudge to pursue a career in physical therapy.

Tori chose to apply to CU Anschutz due to their support for the Black Lives Matter movement that can be found here. Tori states, “2020 was one of the hardest years of my life and to be able to learn and grow at a campus that I thought I would feel safe at was the reason I applied to CU.” Once Tori was accepted, CU Anschutz was a platform to fuel her passion for creating a diverse and inclusive environment in physical therapy. Moreover, listening to Dr. Dawn Magnusson’s lectures made Tori feel like she was in the right place because she saw people advocating for similar things she wanted to and would eventually advocate for. Reflecting on her time in the CU Physical Therapy Program, Tori appreciates that CU is responsive to feedback from students and continuously works to improve the program for the benefit of their students. Moreover, Tori is optimistic that CU will continue to improve every aspect of the program and create an inclusive and equitable experience in their clinical education track that uplifts students of color and sets them up for success.

Additionally, Tori has held a wide variety of leadership positions during her time in the Physical Therapy program; DAWN Clinic High Panel Rounds Representative, Student Usher at the APTA House of Delegates, APTA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Mile High District Chair, Clinical Education SIG DEI Panel Member, APTA PT Moves Me Student Ambassador, and CU Anschutz DEI Class of 2023 Student Representative. Tori says, “I’ve always felt a calling to be a part of initiatives that benefit more than just myself. These leadership roles allowed me to learn and grow my voice in ways I would not have been able to without, and they allowed me to see how things I was interested in doing at a higher level operated at a lower level.” 

Tori’s motivation to be a strong advocate for diversity is that representation matters. Tori says, “I know the importance of individuals apart of marginalized communities seeing someone that looks like them in fields like education and healthcare, among many others. Not only do I want to be that representation, but I also want to empower my patients, just like I tried to empower my students, to find their voice and advocate for themselves in any space they’re in. There are too many gaps in healthcare that negatively affect marginalized communities for us to continue operating the same way we always have. I’m here to disrupt some of those systems.”

When asked to reflect on what Black History Month means to her, Tori states “The celebration of Black History and its leaders should happen year-round. Without the leaders who came before us, none of this would be possible and it is up to this generation to keep the momentum of progress moving forward. Especially when we are faced with constant threats to progress made. This country was built on the backs on people of color and until those making decisions realize that, we’ll keep knocking on their doors.”

Tori provides words of encouragement to students of color as they pursue a career in healthcare. “Simply put, healthcare needs you way more than the system likes to put off. The life experiences you bring allow you to connect with patients in a way that makes them want to trust you. You’ll be able to form relationships with our most vulnerable patients in a way nobody else can do. With that, know that however you choose to navigate the systems and spaces you must get through first is completely up to you. There is no right or wrong way. You must do what’s right and what’s safest for you. Develop your voice now. Find mentor(s) that have similar interests and missions. Find mentor(s) that have different interests and missions. Network, starting with your professors and colleagues. Go to conferences like CSM and meet more PTs in different states. Understand that all you need to do is pass your classes, so give yourself grace. Find your niche of people in your class that you can lean on in times of need, because you will have those moments.” Tori continues to urge students not to focus solely on their grades, but to take care of their mental health and become an advocate for themselves.

Get to Know: Dr. Adedayo Balogun

What made you want to pursue a career in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation? 
As a medical student, I had a wide and varied interest in all of my different clinical rotations. I had a strong interest in the musculoskeletal system, and the neurological and neuroanatomy courses. When I was exposed to a PM&R rotation, it was the first rotation that I felt completely in tune with the physicians that were present. It helped address all of the most important aspects of a person’s healthcare, and took into account all aspects of a person’s experience when taking part in their care.  

How has the CU PM&R residency program allowed you to pursue your goals? 
This residency program has so far allowed me to cultivate my experience and independence in different rehabilitation settings and learn how to navigate the different barriers and challenges that patients face routinely. I've been exposed to many different versions of being a PM&R physician, and I have had the ability to explore these different areas in a way that I can prepare myself for life after residency.

What is your “why”? 
My “why” is always to bring the best care to as many people that I can first and foremost. I want to be able to deliver that same care to people that have historically been overlooked, and taken advantage of as well. I aspire to provide patients that may not always feel seen or heard to understand that I’m taking their concerns to heart, and I understand the perspective that many of their other care providers may not. I also strive to be a positive example for others who may look like me or identify with me. I want to be more than an example, but a support system for those coming after me.  

February is a month to honor and celebrate Black leaders. What does this mean for you? 
Black History Month is an opportunity to take a step back and reflect on the ways that black people have contributed to the world. We have been leaders for change and equity, leaders in science, health care, ingenuity and all aspects of life. Being a leader, to me is about being accountable. I think that having priorities, morals, and standards, and holding strong to those values is all that it takes to be a leader.  

What leadership role(s) have you taken up and what impact have they had on you and your time in medical school or residency? As a medical student I took part in my school's Student National Medical Association (SNMA) chapter. As president of this chapter, we had a hand in reaching out to the community for other people to understand that becoming a physician was attainable, finishing school and going to the college opened plenty of doors, and providing support and guidance for undergraduate students that had an interest in going to medical school.  

Being a physician inherently occupies a leadership role. As a physiatrist, we regularly take part in team meetings, where we discuss patients with PT’s, OT’s, RN’s, social workers, case managers, and speech therapists. Sometimes, being a leader is understanding how the team functions most effectively, other times it’s trusting your teammates to their expertise and simply providing an overall team goal for everyone to strive towards.  

What words of encouragement do you have to share with future students of color pursuing careers in healthcare?
The words of encouragement that I have for those students would be to always show up and be yourself. You have a unique experience and perspective that matters, and never let fear of failure keep you from trying something that you are passionate about. Do your best to surround yourself with people that you admire and have similar goals as yourself. Not competitors, but people who will lift you up with them. These are the people that you’ll grow the closest to both professionally and personally.