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Samantha Pietrzak, senior physical therapist, Margaret & Mark Stephan Legs + Walking Lab, has been with Shirley Ryan AbilityLab for three years. Why? She credits a top-to-bottom dedication to excellence and mentoring that creates benefits for team members and patients.
Why do you choose to work at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab?
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When I walk through the employee entrance, I always tell myself, “Today is another day at work for you — but this experience has repercussions for your patients' entire lives.” Physical therapy is my passion and our patients deserve our very best, each and every day. I work at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab because our clinical excellence is unparalleled: there is nowhere else that you will find a more dedicated team that strives to assist our patients in achieving their highest level of recovery possible.
Do you remember your first day at our organization?
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I do! It was January 2020. I actually was on registry that day, and my first day was a quieter Saturday. It was a nice way to acclimate to a new environment. Right from the start, I was so impressed by the resources available to PTs, and how knowledgeable and helpful all the therapists were. I knew from Day 1 that I wanted to become a full-time physical therapist at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab.
A patient with a spinal cord injury, with whom I had worked extensively in the gait lab, was approaching his discharge day. In our last session together, he said, 'I wouldn't be walking today without you. Thank you for taking the worst thing that has happened to me and changing my life for the better. I am so grateful for you.' Tears, instant tears.
Senior Physical Therapist Sam Pietrzak
In 2022, you achieved the position of senior physical therapist — what was that like?
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After becoming a full-time physical therapist in the Legs + Walking Lab in October 2021, I knew that becoming a senior physical therapist was one of my goals. I have had many outstanding mentors who have encouraged me to specialize in neurologic physical therapy and become an expert in gait training for neurological patients — and most of those mentors were senior- and master-level therapists here. Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s professional development program really speaks to our organization's commitment to ongoing education, mentorship and excellence.
It takes a dedicated clinician to provide high-quality care to patients while also fostering their colleagues’ professional growth and impacting their discipline at the organization, state and national levels. To me, this achievement is all part of a continuum. Now, I can become a mentor for new therapists.
What was your best day at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab?
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I have had so many great moments here, but there is one that sticks out. A patient with a spinal cord injury, with whom I had worked extensively in the gait lab, was approaching his discharge day. In our last session together, he said, "I wouldn't be walking today without you. Thank you for taking the worst thing that has happened to me and changing my life for the better. I am so grateful for you." Tears, instant tears.
Join the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab Team
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Click here to learn more about working at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab on our Careers page.
