Tell us about yourself!
My name is Kevin Duong and I’m a Registered Physiotherapist (PT) in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Long Stay ICU Program at Michael Garron Hospital (MGH). I have been working at MGH since 2022.
What motivated you to join MGH? While I was attending physical therapy school, I had the chance to complete multiple placements in hospital inpatient settings. I loved the multidisciplinary teams and rewarding patient experiences. After graduating, I worked in private practice for a year, but was looking for new experiences in the field and knew I wanted to incorporate some hospital-based work into my practice.
When I received the opportunity to work as a PT at MGH, I knew it would not only be a great opportunity to expand my clinical skills, but an excellent way to serve the East York community I grew up in. Although I have worked in larger hospitals in Toronto, I was very drawn to the community aspect of MGH.
What types of learning, mentorship or professional development opportunities have you had the opportunity to pursue since joining MGH?
When I first started working at MGH, I was assigned to the COVID-19 Unit in Medicine. I had never worked in acute care before, so this was a big career shift for me. During this time, I was well-supported by my veteran colleagues. I received a lot of informal mentoring from my team members on the unit, including Terry, another PT at MGH, and Nancy, Occupational Therapist at MGH.
Since joining the ICU team, I have been able to work and train under a very experienced ICU PT, Janet. Working with her and many different staff and clinicians on my team has had a huge impact on my career. I learned so much from them and they have helped me become a better clinician.
Can you share your career path at MGH? 2022: I joined MGH’s Medicine Department looking to expand my career and skills as a PT.
2023: I was excited to further my skills as a clinician and work with critically ill patients as a PT in the ICU and Long Stay ICU Program.
What motivates or inspires you?
As a PT, I often have the privilege of spending a lot of time getting to know my patients over a longer period of time on the ward. Seeing them make meaningful advances in their path to recovery is remarkable to witness. Being directly involved in their care and witnessing patients return to their lives and the activities they find most meaningful is extremely rewarding. This motivates me in my work every day at MGH.
If you could share one memorable moment from your time at MGH, what stands out to you?
During my time in the ICU and Long Stay ICU Program, we had a patient transferred to MGH from another hospital. Prior to coming to MGH, he was on a mechanical ventilator for about a month, not able to move his arms and legs and unable to sit up on his own.
Upon arriving at the hospital, I worked diligently with our Long Stay ICU Program team and we were able to successfully remove the patient from the ventilator. After this, he was able to bend and straighten his arms and legs. Eventually, he could sit up on his own. Over time, our team was able to watch him stand up for the first time in months.
The first time he stood up is something I will always remember. The emotions we all felt in his room were unforgettable. It was truly special to be a part of this patient’s path to recovery. Witnessing him standing and engaging in conversations about the latest Toronto Maple Leafs hockey game was incredible progress. This was an important moment for me as a clinician and as an MGH employee. It made all of our hard work worth it.