How did you become interested in electrodiagnostic testing?
I was introduced to NCV/EMG testing as a physical therapy student through a 2-day course/lab at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions. I was intrigued and began shadowing the then-president of RMU, Richard Nielsen. This is what launched my desire to pursue the ECS specialty. I worked in an outpatient orthopedic physical therapy clinic for about 1.5 years after graduating from physical therapy school.
What was your learning process to become certified in clinical electrophysiology? How long did it take you to complete the ECS?
I started with the beginner ENMG course through RMU in the spring of 2018 and then joined the EMG Solutions team in June of 2018, where I began training under Quinn Millington and Darin White. I trained from June 2018 until I took the ECS board exam in March of 2020. I was officially board-certified as ECS on 7/1/2020. So, the process from when I started to when I was board-certified was roughly 2 years.
How many years of experience do you have as an ECS Physical Therapist?
Roughly 2 years of training and 4.5 years after becoming board certified, thus 6.5 years in all.
What do you love most about this specialty practice?
I love the puzzle of it all. It is very fun to gather all of the puzzle pieces and go through the analytical process to understand what may be wrong with each patient.
If there is one thing that you would change within the specialty of EDX, what would that be?
I would love to be able to use medical terminology/jargon in the report writing instead of purely descriptive terms. It’s not a huge deal, but it would just be more convenient.
Do you see Physical Therapists specializing in EDX as a growing need?
Yes, there are so few of us out there, and our extensive knowledge of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems goes to good use when aiding in the diagnostic process of nerve and muscle injury/disease processes.
What would be your words of advice/wisdom/inspiration to PTs who are interested in becoming certified in clinical electrophysiology?
I think pursuing a specialty of any kind in the physical therapy sphere is important. The Clinical Electrodiagnostic specialty is a great way to further your physical therapy career. It is more mentally exhausting than physically and is an area where you could theoretically work in until the day you die, if you’d like.
Any additional thoughts or comments?
I love mentoring the new, up-and-coming therapists. I truly enjoy teaching and watching each of my pupils/colleagues grow.
Kyle became a valued member of the EMG Solutions family in 2018 and has thrived both as a clinician and a mentor in the residency program. He consistently demonstrates leadership within the EMGS team as the Vice President of Operations, as well as in the broader field of Physical Therapy. Over the years, he has presented at the APTA CSM and recently received the Award of Excellence in Clinical Education at the APTA Combined Sections Meeting in Boston 2024.
This blog is a feature from Edition 7 of our newsletter, which you can find here.
