Welcome to PT and Public Health!

Hello! I'm Joshua Opune, a second year Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) student at Texas Woman’s University at Houston, with a passion to encourage others to take control of their health today rather than have to make up for it later down in life. In this blog, I’ll be sharing my personal experiences growing up with unique communities and cultures that I love so dearly that could greatly benefit from what I have learned thus far in my journey throughout physical therapy (PT) school.

Too often PT is something people think they have to do after the fact, whether an injury, surgery, or once you are in pain. However it is more than just that. PTs are clinicians who take into account so much more and do so much outside of just rehabilitation.


I plan to give insight to the members of my community and have them take that first step toward better health, and advocate for public policies regarding physical therapy. In doing so, I want to  have a conversation on what physical therapy really has to offer. In doing so, I can hopefully shed light on public health and prevention - to protect and promote optimal health - especially in my own communities.

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PT Policy, Advocacy, and Moving Forward!

Lastly to build a long lasting impact of health promotion and prevention of health conditions later down life we must turn to public policy. As PTs we were taught to advocate for ourselves and for our patients. Therefore the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) has advocated for many bills that will do just that. One bill in particular is in Congress right now called the Healthcare Workforce Innovation Act (H.R. 7307). Through this bill, a grant program would authorize funds for community health centers in effort to expand the number of allied health professionals including PTs in underserved communities and rural areas. I chose to bring this into light because of how influential it could be for my community in the RGV. A place with limited resources and access to healthcare for many rural areas. With the increased funding, this could help those who don’t have the resources to pursue a career in healthcare. On the societal level this will not just help my own community, but for...
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Culture, Community and Health: Reflection of growing up Filipino in the RGV

I grew up in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV), on the southern border of Texas. A place with a big metropolitan area, yet with many little rural towns spread all around the region. A tropical desert known for its citrus production and other fruit/vegetable crops, with many farm fields harvested annually to reach markets across Texas. The RGV being so close to Mexico is deeply rooted in Hispanic culture. From the annual Charro Days in Brownsville and the FESTIBA Mariachi Festival at UTRGV, these are a few of the many traditions of the RGV that showcases its great Hispanic heritage. Because family is also an integral part of our culture, food is a staple part in how we connect, celebrate, and show up for one another. Whether it is tamales at Delia’s or tacos at the McAllen Food Park, there is an abundance of food to be shared with everyone! Unfortunately it is also one of the areas in the country that is on top of lists for obesity and other chronic health conditions. It is common to see th...
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