KIMBERLY SWEETMAN
The Corsair
There is a sanctuary on campus for injured PJC students and faculty. This sanctuary is the Select Physical Therapy training room, located in Building 3. In this 1,400 plus square-foot facility, the injured receive treatment in many forms: from work-outs to ice baths.
“We work with athletes, PJC faculty and staff, workers comp, and students,” Debbie Lee, Manager of Athletic Training, said. “They have access to physical therapy here on campus which is close so that they don’t have to run all over the place.”
Select has been part of PJC for over 15 years. After Hurricane Ivan hit, PJC’s Pensacola campus was provided with a new Select facility.
“I am impressed,” Patty Taylor, athletic trainer, said. “Most training rooms are the size of a small locker room or an office, but this is a lot larger.”
Each PJC campus has a Select facility located on or near them. The Pensacola campus has two: one in Building 3, room 324 and one on Airport Blvd. about a mile away. Convenience is not the only advantage of Select Physical Therapy.
“The quality of care that we deliver is excellent,” Ken Byrd, physical therapist, said. “I think that the staff that we have here has exceptional skills that exceed the majority of skills that are out there in physical therapy in this area. I have been here for three years and Patty has been here for ten so why not keep your care in house. Also, Select does not have affiliations with hospitals, doctors, or groups so we are not biased in any way on how we should treat people.”
Select now accepts most insurance plans and they treat most injuries. PJC students, faculty, and staff can either call 484-1305 to make an appointment or be referred by their primary care physician. Once they call, Lee will walk them through the steps. The first visit is the longest because the physical therapist does an evaluation, but all visits after that usually last from 50 to 75 minutes depending on the patient’s schedule. Most patients are fully recovered after 4 to 8 weeks of treatment.
“Because I’m a graduate of PJC, this is kind of my roots,” Byrd said. “It’s good to be able to give back to the people that helped get me to where I am. Helping people get back to the quality of life that they are used to is probably the most rewarding thing for me.”