Priyanka Jain has a Doctorate in Physical Therapy. She is currently a resident at Brigham and Women's hospital. She shares insights into her field and talks about her hobbies. She is also a columnist for Lokvani.

My background begins with a little family history. My grandparents immigrated to USA in the late 1960’s. Over the past few decades, they helped bring most of my extended family to this country. My father was just 10 years old when he moved from India. He met my mom in India and she moved to the States after marriage. She was the first one in her family to move out of the country!

I was born and raised in the beautiful town of Wellesley, Massachusetts. For the first six years of my life, I lived in a joint-family house with my parents, brother, grandparents, aunt, uncle and younger cousins. I completed my schooling through the Needham and Wellesley Public School systems. Fun fact: My dad and I went to the same elementary school! 

After high school, I attended University of Connecticut for college where I majored in Biology and Allied Health Sciences, ultimately in pursuit of a career in physical therapy. I then attended graduate school at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Institute of Health Professions and graduated with a Doctorate in Physical Therapy (DPT).  

After graduate school, I worked at Massachusetts General Hospital/Brigham & Women’s Health Care Center in Foxborough as an orthopedic physical therapist for two years. A few months ago, I was accepted to a Women’s Health Physical Therapy Residency program at Brigham & Women’s Hospital. With this residency, I am pursuing specialization in Women’s Health Physical Therapy (physical therapy management of obstetrics/gynecology, low back pain, pelvic pain, pelvic floor muscle dysfunction, urinary incontinence, colorectal disorders,  female athlete conditions, osteoporosis, lymphedema and breast cancer surgery rehab). It is not very well known that physical therapists play a vital role in management of these conditions. As a women’s health physical therapist, I am eager to provide care for this underserved patient population. 

It was a combination of hard work and dedication towards something I am very passionate about.  

My first job was working as a research assistant for a medical device company in high school. This was my first exposure to the medical field and helped further my interest in healthcare. 

If you are interested in becoming a healthcare professional, my advice would be to get exposure to a variety of different settings as soon as you can (inpatient hospitals, outpatient clinics, nursing homes, surgical observations) through volunteer work or part-time jobs. 

Be proactive in networking with friends, family members, teachers/mentors to guide you through your career path. 

My greatest professional achievement so far is achieving my doctorate degree and pursuing my specialty in Orthopedics/Women’s Health physical therapy.

I have always valued balancing my Indian and American culture. I make sure to spend time with a variety of different groups in my life to maintain this balance (childhood friends, work colleagues, graduate school friends, parents, siblings and relatives). I am involved in my religious youth organizations, visit the temple regularly, travel to India every few years, and learn to cook Indian food from my mother and grandmother. Lastly, Indian dance is a huge part of my life – anything from Bharatnatyam to Bollywood!  

My dad grew up in America, and my mom was raised in India. They were the perfect blend of “Indian American.” My mom taught me how to fluently read/write/speak Hindi as a young girl and my dad taught me how to ski, hike, and be adventurous. As a young adult, they both have guided me on how to become a successful working professional.  Both my patients are deeply rooted in Indian tradition and Jain values and the best thing they have done is gift my brother and I with these same values. 

The toughest interview question I have been asked: “If you had to live your life over again, what is one thing that you would change?”

I am a Bollywood Dance/Aerobics teacher and wedding dance choreographer. I write a blog (www.priyanka1.com) on Bollywood music/movie reviews and I am a journalist for Lokvani.com. I absolutely love traveling and cooking any free time I have. 

I listen to Saavn.com and use the Saavn mobile app to stay updated on my Bollywood music! For non-Indian music, I use mobile apps Spotify or Pandora. 

I believe  I can be a leader in both my profession and my community. 

“Trip It.” This app pulls your travel itineraries and reservations from your email and compiles them into one spot where you can refer to quickly before a trip or flight. 

Always stay rooted in the values and traditions of the Indian culture and carry this on to future generations!