PhysicalTherapy | Acute Conversations

Show Notes

What does it mean to practice “informative care” in the hospital setting—and how can rehab providers help patients undergoing cancer treatment stay strong throughout their hospitalization?

In this episode, we speak with Galen Schram, PT, DPT, a board-certified clinical specialist in oncologic physical therapy and faculty member of the Acute Care PT Residency Program at NYU Langone Health. Galen shares his journey into acute care, his passion for serving hematology/oncology patients, and how he leverages interdisciplinary collaboration to support patients across phases of survivorship—including during hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT).

We also touch on his background in narrative medicine, and how storytelling can enhance connection and meaning in clinical work.

🔗 Learn more about the July 30th APTA Acute Care webinar Galen is co-leading with OT colleague Emma Kiernan, hosted by the Practice Committee:

https://www.aptaacutecare.org/general/custom.asp?page=WebinarSeries

Today’s Guests:

Galen Schram PT, DPT

Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Oncologic Physical Therapy

Galen.Schram@nyulangone.org

Guest Quotes:

12:58 “ But it’s still worthwhile for us to, to go in and do an assessment, provide some much needed education. I have all staff that work on the oncology population screen. Every single patient for CIPN ( Chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy) . This is often like something that can go under diagnosed. And, and just provide education about what maybe to expect….When a patient’s admitted to the hospital education is one of our most important interventions, for sure.”

20:30 “ …One example is I attend interdisciplinary rounds every Tuesday. So I hear from the nurse practitioners medically how the patients are doing. Based on my own chart reviews and hearing the nurse practitioners and the bedside nurses describe how the patients have been lately, I make a decision about which of my patients are candidates to go to my gym class.

So every Tuesday we host a gym class for patients who are medically appropriate and have the approval from their medical providers. So based on. My input from the nurse practitioners, that’s how I help decide which patients will make the best can candidates for that gym class, who will have the most success, who’s getting close enough to discharge that I really wanna optimize their strength for a home discharge.”

26:19 “ I always say like, I’m a human before, I’m a physical therapist. And I think my writing is one way that I’m able to reflect both of those things.”

Rapid Responses:

If you had a theme song before you walk into a patient’s room, what song would that be?

“The opening theme song to the show, the Mindy Project, which was a great show. I just love that song. So that would be it. It’s very upbeat and whimsical.”

You know you work in acute care when…

“ You are unfazed by. Am I allowed to curse by? By shit.”

Links:

July 30th Webinar: https://www.aptaacutecare.org/events/eventdetails.aspx?id=1977918

https://blreview.org/off-the-page/off-the-page-tattoos/

https://www.theintima.org/blog/on-trauma-and-hope-by-galen-schram

🎧 Connect with Our Hosts

Leo Arguelles (pronounced LEE-O R-GWELL-IS)

📧 largue2@uic.edu

🐦 Twitter: @LeoArguellesPT

Nicole Neveau, PT, DPT, NCS

📧 ngunder1@gmail.com