Understanding human conditions and people’s vulnerabilities and adaptability is why Jeremy Foster loves his work. This perspective was first nurtured by Ken Freeman, one of Jeremy’s instructors in Salt Lake Community College’s Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) program.
“Ken insisted that in order to connect with patients, you needed to think about what it is like to be them and try to understand what it is they are facing,” says Jeremy, who graduated from SLCC in 1996. “So much of that has really stayed with me.”
Jeremy credits his success during his 26-year career to the mentorship he received from his exceptional SLCC instructors. He moved from Price, Utah, where he was working professionally with a physical therapist, to Salt Lake to attend SLCC. “I realized to advance, I had to earn a degree and the only place in Utah to offer a PTA degree was SLCC.”
Today, Jeremy is the Academy of Clinical Electrophysiology and Wound Managements’ physical therapy assistant at large. He also served in this capacity at the Academy of Acute Care, which is affiliated with the American Physical Therapy Association, for six years.
Jeremy has been recognized many times throughout the years for his excellent work, including serving twice as the PTA Caucus Representative for the state of Mississippi and multiple organizations have named him as Outstanding Physical Therapist Assistant of the Year.
“The return on my education has been phenomenal,” says Jeremy, who encourages new graduates, especially in healthcare, to find the passion within their profession. “The reward should be seeing someone being able to walk again or get back to their life—it should not be the paycheck.”
Salt Lake Community College’s prestigious Distinguished Alumni Award honors SLCC graduates and former students for professional excellence and exemplary service to their communities in their chosen professional or academic fields. It’s the highest award the college bestows upon alumni. Traditionally, one female alumna and one male alumnus are selected as honorees each year.
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