Get to Know: Renee Jones

Story by Abigail Castro

Renee Jones is a second-year physical therapy student at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. Renee was first introduced to physical therapy after experiencing numerous injuries as a dancer. Renee recalls, “If it wasn’t for physical therapy, I don’t think I would be where I am today.” Moreover, it was Renee’s grandpa that helped her decide to pursue a career in physical therapy. Renee was able to see the physical therapists provide quality and effective care for her grandpa in the VA, despite him having Alzheimer’s disease. Renee became fascinated with the physical therapy profession due to the patient-focused care and the variety of settings and specialties.

Renee appreciates that CU Physical Therapy Program has opened so many doors for their students to pursue their goals and explore their professional identity. For example, the Physical Therapy Program provides opportunities to participate in community outreach, special interest groups, and education from Physical Therapists in the Denver community. Renee shares, “With one of my goals being pelvic floor PT, they have supported that by trying to get more pelvic health clinical sites. Even outside of school, the program has supported my goal of taking my dance career to the professional level and they have cheered me on every step of the way.” Moreover, Renee’s motivation to succeed is to show herself that she is capable of graduating from a distinguished physical therapy program in order to set up a great foundation for herself. Renee shares, “I want to be able to take the foundational skills and knowledge I’ve learned, grow and flourish in the field, and provide the best care I possibly can to those I treat.”

When asked to reflect on what Women’s History Month means to Renee, she says, “during my first clinical rotation, I got the opportunity to shadow a pelvic floor PT and I found it to be extremely empowering. Growing up a dancer, I was always told to suck in my stomach, use my core, and I wore tights and leotards every day of the week. 20+ years later and I find myself not being able to relax my pelvic floor muscles. I think this specialty is needed for a number of reasons and I want to be able to treat the whole body and that includes the pelvic floor. I hope to contribute to the PT profession in the future by treating those with pelvic floor impairments, talking about topics that are often deemed 'taboo,' and advocating for the importance of women’s health.”

Renee provides words of encouragement to students as they pursue a career in healthcare that focuses on women’s health, “it never hurts to explore and try new things, especially as a student! If you’re curious about women’s health, go to a class and see what it’s about. Join student interest groups, volunteer, and just get involved.”

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.