This story originally appeared in Input Fort Wayne.
Parkview Health’s graduate medical education program is now in its third year and shows no signs of slowing down. The program is based at Parkview Hospital Randaria and provides physicians-in-training, or those who have graduated from medical school, the opportunity to continue their education at multiple Parkview facilities.
Parkview’s residency programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and include internal medicine, general surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, and a transition year. The newest training program to be added, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R), will welcome its first trainees in July.
Input Fort Wayne sat down with Dr. Kyle Rittell, director of the program and director of PM&R, to learn more about the program and what it means to bring a new class of residents to the region. I learned more about it.
IFW: You are an experienced physical therapist and lead a PM&R program. Can you explain what that means and why it’s important?
kuala lumpur: PM&R is a broad specialty that serves a variety of patients who are striving to regain movement and function after an injury or diagnosis. This may include patients with chronic pain, neuropathy, amputation, brain or spinal cord injury, stroke, or surgery. After such a diagnosis, we provide a comprehensive approach to care as patients return to home, work, or daily life.
Physical therapy includes sports medicine as well as musculoskeletal medicine for non-surgical care management, including appropriate treatments and referrals for injections. Many practitioners use rehabilitation to prevent or prolong the time before surgery is needed for conditions such as knee pain or low back pain.
Currently, I am involved in hospitalization and acute rehabilitation. This means that I provide care much like a hospitalist and work closely with a team of therapists and other professional caregivers who work around patients to get them back on their feet.
Similarly, outpatient clinics have interdisciplinary teams of caregivers to provide care for patients with amputations, spinal injuries, traumatic brain injuries, concussions, and many other types of illnesses in various clinics. Masu. For us, it is important to approach each case individually and work with the patient to set goals. Their goals guide our rehabilitation plans, and we all work together to achieve them.
IFW: Your most recent position was in Indianapolis, but your education and training took you to other parts of the country. What specifically drew you to Fort Wayne?
kuala lumpur: I’m originally from Tennessee and graduated from medical school in California. I stayed in Colorado and ended up in Indianapolis. I was drawn north to Fort Wayne by the opportunity to build a residency program from the ground up. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity!
I also enjoy both clinical and administrative work. So I was definitely intrigued by the idea that I could continue to practice as a physical therapist while also developing new processes and curricula for residents.
Ultimately, I was drawn to Fort Wayne because of Parkview’s vision for the future. They recognize the need for more physicians and advanced practice providers, so they are working to expand graduate medical education and residency programs. I wanted to be a part of the solution to building a sustainable talent pipeline in Northeast Indiana and Northwest Ohio.
IFW: When you decided to take this job, was there anything about Parkview that stood out to you compared to other health systems?
kuala lumpur: I’m really impressed with Parkview’s leadership. The concept of a bipartite leadership structure that creates an ongoing partnership between physician leaders and administrative leaders was appealing to me. We also have a variety of experts from multiple disciplines who are eager to collaborate and share their knowledge. That support is invaluable.
They also made it clear that feedback from residents was extremely important. We need their feedback to understand how to make our educational experience as grown and powerful as possible. It’s fun to learn other people’s perspectives. Therefore, as I lead this program, I want to listen to and ensure that my learners’ voices are heard. I have an open door policy for everyone (residents, providers, support teams, etc.) and am willing to be flexible based on feedback.
IFW: What is your favorite place, event, or restaurant that you have enjoyed since moving here?
kuala lumpur: My wife and I like to go on date nights at local restaurants. So far I’ve really enjoyed Nawa, Hoppy Gnome, and Passion Fin. We also saw a local comedy show that did not disappoint.
As a physical therapist, I also had time to visit Turnstone Center for children and adults with disabilities. It’s a great place for people with disabilities to learn sports, exercise, connect, and build friendships. This is one of the few Paralympic training centers in the country, so it’s great to have this in Fort Wayne.
We have two kids, ages 6 and 4, so we also had a lot of fun at Science Central and the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo. We moved to Fort Wayne in September, so we arrived just in time for the Wild Zoo’s Halloween event. Exploring Fort Wayne was fun and we really enjoy the city.
I want to see residents deeply integrated into this community through work, volunteerism, family, and friendships. It is true that doctors are likely to start practicing after completing their training period. We have an opportunity to build a pipeline of highly trained physicians who can care for this community for years to come.
IFW: What have you learned (about medicine and life in general) that you would like to pass on to future residents?
kuala lumpur: When opportunities arise, take the time to evaluate them. Don’t be reactive. In the healthcare industry, there are so many opportunities related to quality, research, promotion, etc. that our instinctive response is “yes.” As caregivers, we should be careful about taking on too much and thoroughly evaluate all opportunities before making a decision.
Also, ask for advice and guidance. Mentoring is important, and as our residents grow professionally and personally, we hope to incorporate it into our training programs along with other physicians.
