Get to Know: Gio Beltran
Story by: Zabrina Motwani Condor

What made you want to pursue a career in Physical Therapy?

At first, I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted to pursue a career in, but I knew I wanted to be a part of the healthcare field. After working as a rehab aide in the outpatient and hospital setting, I was able to see the impact physical therapy had on a patient’s life and the emotions it brought to their family. Through these experiences, I realized this career would give me the opportunity to combine my passions of movement and science while helping improve a person’s quality of life.  

How has CU Physical Therapy program allowed you to pursue your goals?

The CU Physical Therapy program has cultivated an environment for me to learn, grow, and feel supported while pursuing a doctorate. This can be attributed to the teaching faculty at CU Anschutz providing quality clinical experience that will help in my future care of patients. Resources such as the DAWN clinic have given me an opportunity to care for the underserved community of Aurora and learn the health disparities they often encounter in healthcare.  

What is your “why”?

In 2022, less than 8% of physical therapists in the U.S were Hispanic or Latino. My goal as a first-generation Mexican American is to contribute to the growth of Hispanic representation in healthcare. Growing up, I often saw my mom struggle in asking the right questions at her doctor appointments due to her limited health literacy. These pivotal moments in my life made me realize there was a need for providers who could relate to a patient’s cultural or disadvantaged background.

September 15 – October 15 is a month to celebrate and honor Hispanic and Latin heritage, and the contributions to this countries history, culture and advancements. What does this mean for you?

This month dedicates time to recognize the contributions and cultural richness of the Hispanic and Latino community. For me, it is a time to reflect on the ways immigrants have helped in building this nation. This gives me perspective on how far our people have come and how much further we will continue to go. Our people emphasize the importance of embodying a strong work ethic and working hard towards your goals. Being the son of two first generation Mexican immigrants, this value stays true to me as I witnessed the challenges and hardships my parents faced in providing me with a better life than they had growing up.

In what ways do you feel you have contributed to the advancement of this Physical Therapy program? / How have you, or want to contribute to your community now/afters your graduate?

Since being part of the CU PT program, I have been able to be a part of the percentage of Hispanic students pursuing a career in physical therapy. As more minority students become a presence in the healthcare education system, the idea of a minority provider becomes less and less rare. My ambition as a future PT of color is to serve as a mentor to aspiring students of color pursuing a career in PT and helping them realize their goals. As a future healthcare provider, I hope to serve as an advocate for patients who come from disadvantaged backgrounds and further promote the idea of health equity.

What words of encouragement do you have to share with future students of color pursuing careers in healthcare?

Don’t give up! Patients need providers who understand where they came from and the struggles they endured as a minority. Seek mentorship and guidance from people who have been in your shoes and ask how they overcame their obstacles. Always remember who you are and the community that you came from. Stay true to yourself. Your experiences are what make you unique and help you stand out. Embrace your differences and always remember your “why”.

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.