Danielle Colvin, DPT, Joins PCH/FMC

Paris Community Hospital/Family Medical Center welcomes Paris native Danielle (Brinkley) Colvin, Physical Therapist (PT) and Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), to its Rehabilitation Services Department.

As a physical therapist, Colvin evaluates, designs, and implements personalized plans of care for patients (infants to adults) who require physical therapy services. She is one of four DPTs practicing physical therapy at PCH/FMC. The department includes five physical therapists and four physical therapist assistants.

“I’ve always been interested in anatomy and human movement,” said Colvin. “My first exposure to physical therapy happened when my mom suffered an incomplete spinal cord injury when I was 10. It was fascinating to me that she learned to walk again after being wheelchair-bound. I saw first-hand the profound effects a therapist can have on an individual and those around them.”

In addition to being a Doctor of Physical Therapy, Colvin holds a specialty certification as a board-certified orthopedic specialist (OCS). She earned the prestigious certification through the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialists. In Illinois, only 4.8 percent of the more than 9,000 licensed physical therapists hold OCS credentials. Nationally, only 5.3 percent of all licensed physical therapists have OCS credentials.

Among other things, prerequisites for the 7.5-hour OCS exam include 2,000 hours of direct patient care and require that candidates be up to date on orthopedic medicine, interventional surgical techniques, and research.

“It’s very comprehensive,” Colvin explained.

Colvin has six-and-a-half years of experience as a physical therapist. Prior to PCH/FMC, she worked at Christie Clinic in Champaign. Before that, she was a physical therapist in the Chicago suburbs of Naperville and Evergreen Park.

“I came back to Paris because it felt right,” she said. “Family was a motivating factor and everything just fell into place.”

Colvin was born and raised in Paris. She attended Paris high school and played softball, basketball, and tennis. She earned a bachelor of science degree in kinesiology from the University of Illinois and a doctorate degree in physical therapy from Midwestern University in Downers Grove, Ill. While working toward her doctorate degree, she performed one of her clinical rotations at Paris Community Hospital.

“It was a great experience,” she said. “I was familiar with the clinic and people who work here, so knew the lay of the land a little bit.”

Colvin is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association. She and her husband, Granville, have a daughter, Brinkley, who is three months old and named after Colvin’s maiden name.

In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, traveling, and running. She competed in the Chicago Marathon in 2014.

The PCH/FMC Rehabilitation Services Department provides physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and cardiac rehabilitation. For more information about these services, call (217) 465-2606, Ext. 244 or visit Rehab Services.