n his way to nursing school, Henry Garcia worked as a hospital aide. He watched physical therapists help patients move from being incapacitated into a more active, independent lifestyle. Liking what he saw, Henry completed his prerequisites at La Sierra University in Riverside, California, and was accepted into LLU’s physical therapy assistant program.

“After graduation, I worked in Loma Linda University Medical Center’s physical therapy neurology department, and went to outpatient orthopedic in 1992. At the same time, I started assisting in labs at LLU. Pretty soon, I was giving guest lectures for the PTA and MPT/DPT students and assisting with classes for specialty tracks.”

It only made sense, then, for Henry to resume his studies—for bachelor’s and master’s degrees in LLU’s progression MPT program. “The program has not only given me a great education,” he says, “but I’ve also made life-long friends. The faculty not only matched our desire to learn— they showed the same desire to teach. I don’t know of any place where faculty make themselves so available for students as they do here.”

Henry enjoys the intellectual creativity of physical therapy. “You’re always thinking of new ways to help patients master functional tasks.” He also treasures the personal relationships he builds. “You work with patients in a progression. As you do, you get integrated into their lives. You build a strong emotional link, especially when patients come to you angry about their condition. Personality, and a human touch, must be there for the clinical process to work.”

“Physical therapy is great,” says Henry, “for someone who can work with people when they’re going through tough times. And LLU is an outstanding place to train for careers in the health professions,” he adds, “because its small size enables students to interact closely with the faculty. They listen to you. They take time for you.”

His career, Henry says, “comes down to one truth: it’s one person helping another. I love saying, ‘Hi, my name is Henry, and I’ll be your physical therapist.’”