265: To Residency Or Not To Residency With Mari Biers, PT, DPT
Release Date: 05/12/2025
272: Learn About FALI’s Innovative Weighted Walker Attachments
I Love Neuro
Have you ever put weights on a walker? We’re guessing you have! Likely ankle weights…Did you find those ankle weights slide around and didn’t stay where you wanted? Well there is an actual product designed by a PT/OT duo that makes weighting ANY assistive device easier and more precise. Physical therapist Nicole Fellows, MS, PT, DPT and occupational therapist Sarah Ali, MS, OTR/L, CSRS, AIB-VRT/CON share their story of developing FALI Rehab, a company that offers adjustable weighted attachments that can be easily added to walkers, canes, and other assistive devices. Sarah and Nicole...
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271: Scaling A Mobile Insurance-Based Neuro Practice With Katie Wadland, PT, DPT, GCS
I Love Neuro
Dr. Katie Wadland, PT, DPT, GCS's entrepreneurial journey is a testament to adaptability and patient-centered care. What began as a pandemic-era pivot while homeschooling her children transformed into Healthy Aging Physical Therapy, a robust 20-person mobile practice specializing in geriatric and neurological rehabilitation. Her practice emerged from a critical healthcare need, offering innovative at-home therapy services that prioritize patient accessibility. Unlike traditional clinical models, Wadland created a flexible business approach that allows therapists to manage their own schedules...
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270: Experiences From A PT Movement Disorders Fellowship With Andrew Doubek, PT, DPT, GCS, NMD
I Love Neuro
Ever consider specializing deeper into an aspect of neuro? Wonder what it’s like to dive deep into a subset of the neuro population and sharpen your practice? In today’s show, host Erin Gallardo, PT, DPT, NCS interviews Andrew Doubek, PT, DPT, GCS, NMD about his recent experience going through an accredited movement disorders fellowship program at the Ohio State. In the show we talk about the details of what the fellowship was like from the schedule, mix of experiences, requirements and types of patients. Andrew shares his insights and words of wisdom to anyone considering a...
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269: Focused, Intense Anticipatory Postural Training Improves Multiple Balance Measures In PD With Sharanya Chavva, PT, DPT
I Love Neuro
Balance is a common challenge among people with Parkinson’s disease and it can be made even more challenging when there is both a risk of falls AND a high fear of falling. What’s a clinician to do to improve overall balance when your patient is too fearful to try so many things? On today’s show Erin Gallardo, PT, DPT, NCS discusses exactly that predicament with physical therapists Sharanya Chavva, PT, DPT and Jennifer Lazaro, PT, DPT, NCS who share the findings of their poster from APTA CSM 2025. Their poster, which outlines a case study of a PwP, won the APTA Balance and Falls SIG first...
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268: When You’re Compelled To Serve With Leann Vitale, MS, OTR/L
I Love Neuro
So many clinicians are passionate about ensuring their clients get everything they need to gain the level of independence and quality of life they deserve after diagnosis. The disappointing part is they don’t always have access to the expert care they need. That’s where Leann Vitale, MS, OTR/L found herself several years ago realizing she had a dream to start her own practice in order to fill the gap. Taking that leap is scary and risky. Fortunately she met the perfect contact and mentor to get her going! In this episode of the I Love Neuro podcast, Leann shares her transformative journey...
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267: Advanced Strategies And Insights For Treating Individuals With Ataxia With Dr. Jeannie Stephenson, PT, PhD, MS, NCS And Dr. Staci Shearin, PT, PhD, NCS, GCS
I Love Neuro
Treating individuals with ataxia is challenging for many reasons. Having some key insights from the literature is just what you need! That’s why on this week’s episode Erin Gallardo, PT, DPT, NCS interviewed Dr. Jeannie Stephenson, PT, PhD, MS, MCS and Dr. Staci Shearin, PT, PhD, NCS, GCS to discuss their research and clinical experiences in treating ataxia. The speakers recently presented a webinar inside NeuroSpark for members and the takeaways were so good we had to bring them on the podcast to share more! In the episode you’ll learn their insights on various types of ataxia,...
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266: How To Go From Mobile To Brick-And-Mortar In Neuro Rehab With Han Nguyen, PT, DPT, NCS
I Love Neuro
Are you a neuro clinician working mobile or thinking about starting your side gig? Perhaps you’ll want to expand into your own space. day. Perhaps you already are and want to see if you can learn anything new. This episode will break it all down! Erin Gallardo, PT, DPT, NCS has a conversation with Han Nguyen, PT, DPT, NCS about how she built Neubility Rehab from a mobile practice to a brick-and-mortar in St. Petersburg, FL. She shares her top tips for negotiating equipment and co-op space as well as strategies to increase revenue outside of patient care. Key Insights: - Negotiated...
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265: To Residency Or Not To Residency With Mari Biers, PT, DPT
I Love Neuro
A question many clinicians face is whether or not to go to a residency program. There are pros and cons either way and a LOT to consider. Additionally, with so many residencies available to clinicians there are things you want to look for that will be a good fit for you. Erin Gallardo, PT, DPT, NCS and Claire McLean, PT, DPT, NCS talk with Mari Biers, PT, DPT who is currently completing a neurologic residency at the University of Missouri. This conversation highlights multiple perspectives as Mari is currently in residency, Claire completed a neurologic residency and Erin did not do a...
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264: Dementia Care - Evidence-Based Strategies For Rehabilitation Professionals With Dr. Natalie Douglas, PhD, CCC-SLP
I Love Neuro
We’ve heard from our audience a lot that working with people with dementia can be very challenging for a number of reasons. In this episode Erin Gallardo, PT, DPT, NCS interviewed Dr. Natalie Douglas, a speech-language pathologist and dementia expert on her insights for rehabilitation professionals working with individuals living with dementia. Learn key tools that will help individuals follow through with tasks more independently while breaking down the barriers to application of the tools, practical strategies, do’s and don’ts of working with individuals with dementia and how to...
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263: Every Vestibular System Has A Person With Marc Broberg, PT, DPT, NCS
I Love Neuro
Today’s episode compares persistent dizziness with persistent pain. There are patterns and insights from the literature that can help clinicians improve their approach to treating people with dizziness. Erin Gallardo, PT, DPT, NCS interviews Marc Broberg, PT, DPT, NCS on his theories after diving into the literature and treating people with dizziness for 15 plus years. Marc explains how approximately 25% of people with dizziness develop persistent symptoms. He shares the one key factor in determining how well they will recover. He believes successful treatment isn't about eliminating...
info_outlineA question many clinicians face is whether or not to go to a residency program. There are pros and cons either way and a LOT to consider. Additionally, with so many residencies available to clinicians there are things you want to look for that will be a good fit for you. Erin Gallardo, PT, DPT, NCS and Claire McLean, PT, DPT, NCS talk with Mari Biers, PT, DPT who is currently completing a neurologic residency at the University of Missouri. This conversation highlights multiple perspectives as Mari is currently in residency, Claire completed a neurologic residency and Erin did not do a residency. Mari highlights the immense value of residency programs for new physical therapists seeking accelerated professional growth and we also touch on the ways that you can grow without doing a residency since it is not the only path to clinical excellence.
Key Takeaways:
- Residencies offer intensive mentorship, improving clinical reasoning and confidence
- Programs provide comprehensive learning across different healthcare settings
- Participants gain deep insights into specialized neurological treatment approaches
- Continuous feedback and structured learning help rapidly develop clinical skills
Mari's experience demonstrates that residencies are more than just additional training - they're a pathway to becoming an exceptional clinician. While challenging, these programs provide unparalleled opportunities for professional development, research exposure, and specialized neurological rehabilitation expertise.
For ongoing mentorship and lifelong learning join NeuroSpark! Go to www.joinneurospark.com to learn more.
Instagram: @ptmarib