Matt Garber PT, DSC, OCS, FAAOMPT, has joined the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program as associate professor at the George Washington University (GW) School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS). Garber brings with him a wealth of experience from his 30-year military career, where he served as a colonel and practicing PT in the U. S. Army and as residency director at Baylor University. At GW, Garber will teach “Professional Issues in Physical Therapy Health Care Management I,” “Medical Imaging,” and several courses within the clinical conference series. Additionally, he is taking on the role of assistant director of clinical education.
When Garber joined the Army, he thought he would serve just long enough to get his education. Instead, after graduation, he joined the Army’s Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Residency program at Brooke Army Medical Center.
“Early on in the residency program I recognized an interest in wanting to teach and engage in research,” Garber said.
After becoming residency director at Baylor, Garber honed his teaching skills. He sought ways to make material relevant and exciting to students in the same way his mentors had done for him. “Giving people the tools that they need so they can learn is more valuable than thinking you need to teach them everything,” he said. Seeing his students grow and develop over time is the most rewarding part of the job, he added.
For the past five years, Garber has served as the PT consultant to the Army’s Surgeon General Office, overseeing the Alternatives to Opioids program, as well as programs for patients with traumatic brain injuries and musculoskeletal issues. He has also collaborated with the American Physical Therapy Association, advocating for using the military’s practice model for civilians and increasing access to PT.
“The Army recognizes the value that physical therapists bring,” he said. “As a military physical therapist, you have opportunities you might not have other places and you get to focus on what you think is right for soldiers and their families.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating, but Garber thinks it might open doors for moving forward with progressive practice, direct access, and advancement of practice issues. “We’re on the cusp of seeing changes and evidence is on our side,” he said. “We have good evidence and data that physical therapy is safe, effective, and can help contain costs in an environment where healthcare costs are skyrocketing.”