1. To: Professor Quinn
From: Megan Vogelsong
Subject: Interviews with Professionals
Introduction:
This memo replies to your request of interviewing two different professionals in my field
of study, physical therapy. This project helped improve my interviewing skills, knowledge of my
intended profession, and knowledge of the workplace. For this memo, I interviewed two physical
therapists. They do very similar work, but they work in different job settings. In this memo, I
will explain the professionals’ background, agencies background, and compare and summarize
my impressions of the two.
Professionals’ Background:
The first person I interviewed was Jennifer Miller, PT, MPT, SCS (physical therapist,
masters physical therapist, sports certified specialist). Her education was an MPT degree, but she
said that some people could be grandfathered a BS while the terminal degree is now a DPT
(doctorate physical therapist). Transitional DPTs are available to clinicians practicing who have
already attained the two grandfathered degrees. Jennifer Miller is considering increasing her
education to receive a DPT. She works here at the University of Toledo in the training room in
Savage, which is the center for athletes. Jennifer Miller said the niche setting is of sports physical
therapy and NCAA Division I sports medicine department of UT. Not every college consults
physical therapists, and most send athletes to outpatient physical therapy facilities. She also said
that it is rare to have a full time physical therapist that is not dual credentialed and is not assigned
to a team. Some of her responsibilities include evaluation, treatment, and consultation for injured

2. University of Toledo athletes. Jennifer Miller also does clinical education of ATC (athletic
trainer certified) and DPT students. Her perceptions of work are very enjoyable. She likes
working here with student athletes and really enjoys helping them with their different injuries
due to the athletics they are involved in.
The second person that I interviewed was Jim Kissle, PT, ATC (physical therapist and
athletic trainer). He said that he received a BS with an emphasis in PT. At the time, this was just
a four-year program, but it is now a seven plus year degree. Jim Kissle has about eighteen years
of experience. He works at Defiance Rehabilitation Services (DRS). There he sees a variety of
injuries and abnormalities, but he said that it is primarily an outpatient orthopedics and sports
medicine clinic. As a physical therapist, he is responsible for new patient evaluations and
maintaining the returning clients by altering exercises and changing treatment plans. He also
supervises the other PTAs (physical therapy assistants), aids and supports staff and the daily
operation of the clinic. As an ATC, Jim Kissle is also able to cover local sporting events and
recommend treatment to injured athletes. When I asked Jim Kissle what his perception of work
was he replied with, “It is not work to me, it is a fun place to be. I truly enjoy what I do”. This
showed me how he really does enjoy his job.
Agency Background:
The mission of the University of Toledo is to improve the human condition; to advance
knowledge through excellence in learning, discovery, and engagement; and to serve as a diverse,
student-centered public metropolitan research university. UT’s main campus, located along the
banks of the Ottawa River in a residential section of the city, includes historic buildings, modern
facilities, contemporary residential halls, and lots of green space. Its formal address is 2801 W.

3. Bancroft Street, Toledo, Ohio. It was established in 1872 and became a member of state
university system in 1967. UT and the Medical University of Ohio merged in July 2006 to form
the third largest public university operating budget in the state.
The population that Jennifer Miller serves is NCAA Division I athletes of the University
of Toledo Rockets. The structure is public, and the funding services are provided both through
athletics insurance billing via the hospital (post op/long term patients) and consults are usually as
a service to the sports medicine department. Some of the other services that she provides are
exercises that help with treatment, detailed improvement plans, and evaluations.
The mission of Defiance Rehabilitation Services is to improve health and well being. Jim
Kissle opened the business in 1999, but in 2009 he sold it to Promedica. It is located on 851
South Clinton Street Defiance, Ohio. DRS’s patient population consists of anyone from infants
to elderly. The primary clientele is orthopedic or sports related injuries. Prior to Promedica
owning the business, Jim Kissle owned it, and the structure was an independent for-profit private
practice. Now that Promedica owns it, the business is a non-profit hospital owned clinic.
DRS provides a vast array of services. Some of these include outpatient orthopedic,
sports, geriatric, work conditioning, and aquatic physical therapy. With these different types of
treatment, they use a wide variety of modalities. These different modalities may consist of
electrical stimulation, ultrasound, massage, and therapeutic exercises. DRS is funded by
reimbursement for services from private insurance companies, workers compensation, and self-
paying clients. Insurance reimbursement is based on a fee schedule set by Medicare of the
government and reimbursed accordingly.

4. Comparison and Summary Impressions:
The practice settings of Jennifer Miller’s and Jim Kissle’s jobs have some similarities.
Both of them primarily work with sports related injuries. They also can both cover sporting
events and recommend treatment for injured athletes. Although they are similar, many
differences exist too. Jennifer Miller works at the University of Toledo in the training room
while Jim Kissle works in a small community clinical business building setting used just for
physical therapy. Jennifer Miller also only works with college athletes while Jim Kissle works
with infants to elderly. He also primarily works with orthopedic or sports injuries. Jennifer
Miller’s business setting is less formal than Jim Kissle’s.
Both physical therapists had positive impressions on me. Being a college athlete myself, I
really enjoy and like how Jennifer Miller works just with athletes. I am very interested in sports
and helping athletes who become injured. Jim Kissle can also work with athletes and cover their
local sporting events, but he does not only work with them. He may see a greater variety in his
patients because of this. Jim Kissle seemed like he really enjoyed his job. He did not view it as
work but rather a fun place to be. Because of this, and the variety that he may see which will help
keep his job far from boredom, his job setting seemed a little more appealing to me.
I have learned a lot from doing this project. First, I have learned how to formerly conduct
interviews in a business setting. I know this will help me and be very important to me in a few
years when I will be interviewing to get a job. Also, from conducting these interviews, I have
learned a lot more about what it is really like to be a physical therapist. I have learned more
about what they do and the responsibilities that they have.

5. Conclusion:
This memo has explained to you two interviews that I conducted with two different
people in my intended field of study, physical therapy. These interviews were done in two
different work settings and explained the professional’s background, the agency background, and
my impressions of their work. This project has really opened my eyes and taught me a lot about
my future job. I know that I will really enjoy being a physical therapist. Now I have experience
with interviews. I also know more about the types of jobs and job settings for physical therapist
that will help me decide more about my job in the future.