Usman Khan wears many hats in his role as Physiotherapist at Bridgepoint Active Healthcare. Whether he’s running the knee classes for patients who have undergone an elective knee replacement, or working one-on-one with patients experiencing other musculoskeletal conditions, his role is expansive. “I feel I am a guide, a cheerleader, an active listener, an advocate, while striving to be a compassionate clinician,” says Usman.
Usman was first drawn to physiotherapy, after taking a course on exercise and mental health during his undergraduate degree in psychology at University of Toronto. “I was excited to see the relationship of physical activity and mood, and was driven to learn more about the mind-body connection,” said Usman. “The health care field as a whole is starting to focus more on how physical health and mental health are intertwined, and I wanted to be part of an interdisciplinary team that took a holistic approach to helping people return to past interests/hobbies, or empowering them to pursue new ones after an injury/surgery.” Usman continues to pursue further understanding of the mind-body connection in his own life, learning about mindfulness, breathing and yoga.
After starting his career seven years ago right after finishing his Master’s in Physical Therapy, Usman has worked on every unit at Bridgepoint, including spending time in the hemodialysis unit, transitional care unit, as well as the neurological unit. For the last three years, he has been in the Outpatient Musculoskeletal program at the Christine Sinclair Ambulatory Care Centre. This time has been spent honing his skills, using everything he learned in school, and then going beyond the books for more education. “One of the things that I love most about working at Bridgepoint is the continuous learning,” Usman explains. “Everyone here, across all the different areas of the hospital, are eager to help out. I never hesitate to ask for a consult with another clinician. I’m working with leaders in the field and there are always more opportunities to learn.”
Usman’s dedication to his work is obvious, and he frequently speaks of the patients he gets to work with as a highlight of his day. “Talking with a variety of people coming from so many different backgrounds, with such a wealth of knowledge is amazing. I’m grateful for opportunities to listen to patients, and to learn from them, too.”
When he’s not working, Usman is a self-described “badminton fanatic” who loves to read about psychology and philosophy, and spend time with his two-year old son. “Seeing his wide-eyed view of the world reminds me to pause and enjoy the present.”