UCSF provides a comprehensive acute care curriculum including mentoring and teaching experiences to facilitate the advanced clinical development of physical therapists. This year, we welcomed two new acute care residents.
Jeffrey Pantig: setting the tone
When Jeffrey Pantig, PT, DPT, started physical therapy school, he thought he would specialize in neuro. But after his first clinical rotation in the acute care setting at the San Francisco VA, he changed course.
“I appreciate being one of the first people to set the tone for a person’s rehabilitation journey,” Dr. Pantig said. He also appreciates the interprofessional collaboration happening with nurses, respiratory therapists, occupational therapists and physicians in acute settings. “I love that there’s that team aspect.” After graduating from the DPT program in June, Dr. Pantig started his residency in acute care in September. “It feels like I’m still part of the same team, but now I’m on the field with the players,” Dr. Pantig said. “I feel genuinely supported by everybody around me.”
Dr. Pantig, who is interested in teaching, enjoys working with first-year DPT students during the “Mobility is Medicine” course. His role is to maintain both patient and student safety, encourage critical thinking and answer students’ questions. He encourages interprofessional collaboration and good bedside manner. “I love seeing students exposed to acute care and problem solving and enjoying it.”
Michael Studer: from BBQ to acute care
Michael Studer, PT, DPT grew up in the Midwest and got his first job working a woodfired grill for Butcher’s BBQ, a trailer that served up some of the best chicken and ribs in Chicago. He ended every 12-hour shift covered in sauce, $96 richer and loving the energy in the kitchen so much that he continued to hone his craft by working in restaur- ants in Chicago, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and San Francisco. After one last hurrah in Healdsburg, he decided to leave the restaurant life behind and explore a new career by going back to school with an open mind.
Dr. Studer discovered his passion for physical therapy at Santa Rosa Junior College, where he made the decision to pursue his doctorate, which led him to transfer to SFSU to attend his program of choice, the UCSF/SFSU Graduate Program in Physical Therapy. He graduated in June and started his acute care residency in September. He chose acute care because he felt it was a great way to work with underserved individuals and because he enjoys the team aspect. He’s thrilled to continue his evolution as physical therapist in the residency program at UCSF.