How Mentorship Fuels Confidence and Growth in Acute Care

Show Notes

What happens when acute care PTs create space to support, challenge, and elevate each other?

In this episode, hosts Nicole Neveau and Leo Arguelles speak with Tricia Healy, PT, DPT and Kim Levenhagen, PT, DPT about the Aspire & Achieve mentorship program—its origins, its impact, and the intentional matchmaking that has helped over 65 mentor-mentee pairs grow together.

They explore lessons learned from the first two cohorts, what makes mentorship meaningful, and how the program is evolving to support students, new grads, and seasoned clinicians alike.

🔍 Topics include:

The story behind the program’s creation
How mentor-mentee matches are made
Feedback from the first two cohorts
Success stories and future goals
The difference between mentorship, coaching, and clinical education
How to get involved (and who should apply)

🔗 Learn more or apply to be a mentor/mentee in the next cohort via APTA Acute Care.

🎙️ Today’s Guests

Tricia Healy, PT, DPT

Chair, Aspire and Achieve Committee

Practice Committee Member, Critical Edge Email Coordinator

Coordinator, Aspire and Achieve Mentor Program

📧 triciahealy@townisp.com

Kim Levenhagen, PT, DPT

Chair, Membership Committee

📧 kim.levenhagen@health.slu.edu

Guest Quotes:

6:11 Tricia “ survey data has been pretty consistent and people with or have been highly satisfied with the program…big part of it is the mentee’s commitment. The mentee really has to have goals to drive the relationship, and we stress that it’s mentee led, so the mentee leads the meetings, has the goals. So when that happens, when there’s. Good communication and a really motivated mentee and a mentor who’s willing to guide. It’s been really a really successful relationship for the pair.”

10:22 Kim “ I think that’s something that we need to continue to hone in on to find out what is the best way to match people. But there is a lot of intentionality, Tricia and I, it’s like a dating game almost.

Like we’ve got our Excel spreadsheets out, we’re matching people… and so what happens is, and we put a lot of thought into it, it’s not just random.”

Rapid Responses:

If you did not work in healthcare, what would your career be?

Kim: “Bartender”

Before you walk into a patient’s room, what would be your theme song?

Tricia “Don’t Stop Believing”

You know you work in acute care when…

Kim: “ When you correct a physician’s office about how they take vital signs”

Tricia: “ I have to go with you, keep a separate pair of shoes at work, that that doesn’t come home with you. That would be my danzko clogs”

Links:

Email- mentorprogram@aptaacutecare.org

https://www.aptaacutecare.org/page/AspireandAchieveMentorshipProgram