Interview #5

Interviewee:

Dr. Chris Bell, Physical Therapist

Business Name:

Vista Rehabilitation

Date and Time:

December 10th, 2015 at 8:00 AM

Analysis:

After graduating in 1998 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Therapy from Daemen College, Dr. Bell has been in a number of different medical settings, and also has experience with the administrative side of medicine, as he has previously been the Chief Operating Officer for a hospital. Doctors are known for being bad at business, so Dr. Bell has the experience and skills necessary to advance companies and businesses.

In all honesty, I headed into this interview under a lot of pressure to get it done before the deadline, so I was expecting a quick conversation where I would gain a little insight and be in and out. However, I ended up spending a full hour with Dr. Bell, and that was literally all he could afford to spare: every other hour of his day was booked. Regardless, he greeted me with a bright smile, not something many can pull off so early in the morning, and welcomed me with kindness. I was the only one there (his office wasn’t set to open until later on) but Dr. Bell still made me feel like I belonged, and I appreciated that he treated me as someone on the same level as him, and not like a student.

As for the questions, Dr. Bell was able to give me great responses and even add in little bits of advice here and there. I asked him about the challenge of medical school, and how I could refrain from straying from my path, and he stressed how important it was to start things off early like I am doing through ISM. Dr. Bell related me the following proverb; “the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Although I have a long way to go, especially with college and potential medical school approaching, by taking things one step at a time and not being able to try and start new things, I will be able to stay focused and avoid distractions.

The most beneficial interview of the interview actually arose when we were interrupted by one of his patients who had accidentally came in early. Dr. Bell was flexible with the situation, attending to the patient without brushing me off. Furthermore, I was able to see his passion for the field and the compassion he showed the patient while I sat off to the side, and I strive to be someone like him who is able to balance a busy schedule while at the same time maintaining a positive, contagious personality and in turn well-established connections with all those whom I treat.

In all, my last necessary interview was an intriguing experience that I was eager to get through rather than something dull I wanted to get over with as soon as possible. It continues to amaze me how kind and helpful these different professionals are, from physical therapists to orthopedic surgeons, even though they are extremely busy. I feel that this kind nature simply arises from true love and passion for what you do. Although it is true that I have talked to some professionals who weren’t as nice and even rude at times (which I do not blame them for), as Steve Jobs said, the only way to do great work is to love what you do. As I continue down this path in Sports Medicine, I am certain that my love for sports and helping others will translate to self-motivation to do great work.

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