In honor of National Physical Therapy Month, we spoke to Lauren Bojorquez, PT, DPT, who has been a physical therapist at CHOC for six years. She works with children with neurodevelopmental diagnoses, as well as patients with orthopedic diagnoses, and has expanded her practice to include the post-concussive population, oncology population, aquatic therapy, and inpatient acute coverage. Lauren is mom to two young daughters and enjoys keeping active by competing in sprint triathlons.
Q: Why did you want to work at CHOC?
A: This is my dream job! I work here at CHOC Rehab because I have always felt like I was called to work with children in my career. I love helping kids get back to the highest level of function they possibly can in order to make them more independent and have a better quality of life, and I love the team we have here in Rehab!
Q: What made you want to become a physical therapist?
A: I had a teammate in softball that tore her ACL [anterior cruciate ligament, a common knee injury] in her senior year of high school while we were playing together. She received physical therapy and returned to sport in time to get a full-ride scholarship to college. I thought it was awesome that she was able to get back to what she loved to do, so I decided that was wanted I wanted to do for my career, and never looked back.
Q: What part of being a physical therapist are you most passionate about?
A: I’m most passionate about working with the kids with an oncology diagnosis here. They amaze me every day how they can go through such hard times, but when you can find what they are motivated by, they make such quick and fantastic progress here at CHOC, and they are so happy when they find their way back to doing what they love to do.
Q: What is unique to being a physical therapist, as opposed to other specialties?
A: The time we get to spend with each patient and family as a PT here at CHOC is 45 minutes to an hour of one-on-one time, one to two times per week. I think that makes it a really special bond with each child, and therefore it is a great job to have.
Q: What else should people know about physical therapy at CHOC?
A: I think that one thing that people do not know about physical therapists is the knowledge base we have. It is now required to have your doctorate to be a physical therapist. Each one of my co-workers is so smart and digs so deep to ensure that we have a good base of knowledge in neurology, orthopedics, cardiopulmonary, and integumentary systems, so that we can give our kids here at CHOC the best treatment possible. We have an amazing team that truly gives their whole heart to CHOC Rehab, and I’m proud to be a part of it.
