Parkrose

Sam Philip, PT, MPT

Lead Physical Therapist

Physical therapist Sam Philip loves hearing his patients’ life stories and getting to know them on a personal level. To him, the patient is more than the knee or shoulder they are treating.

Sam received his master’s degree in physical therapy at Loma Linda University in Loma Linda, California. He was a board-certified orthopedic clinical specialist through the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties between 2006-2016 and carries on with those skills to help patients recover from injury. Within orthopedics, Sam helps patients through joint replacements, fracture rehabilitation, chronic pain conditions, work-related injuries, and balance rehabilitation. He usually combines hands-on therapy with exercise-based treatment in order to achieve each patient’s goals.

When he’s not at work, you might find Sam playing roller hockey or on the sidelines as a fan of the Portland Winterhawks hockey team. Otherwise, he might be taking to the road with his family to explore the Pacific Northwest or a national park.

Tiffany Elder, PT, DPT, Cert MDT

Physical Therapist

Each patient is unique, and physical therapist Tiffany Elder develops individual treatment plans to meet each patient’s specific needs and goals. “I want every patient to have the tools that they need to reduce pain, improve their function and to prevent reinjury,” she says.

Tiffany completed her bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees at Pacific University. She is also certified in mechanical diagnosis and therapy (MDT) and is a certified Astym soft-tissue therapy provider. She treats all types of musculoskeletal conditions with a focus on MDT. She uses both exercise and manual therapy techniques to develop individualized and specialized treatment plans.

“I want each person to be actively engaged in their treatment,” Tiffany explains. “My goal is to help people return to the activities that they enjoy and improve their quality of life.”

A native of Vancouver, Washington, Tiffany has traveled widely but can’t imagine living anywhere else. When she’s not busy with her patients, she enjoys gardening, sporting events, and spending time with her friends and family.

Alec Mills, PT, MSPT

Physical Therapist

Treating his patients as unique individuals and finding creative ways to help them are passions for physical therapist Alec Mills. “Everybody has different capabilities, needs, interests and things that fit for them but nobody else,” Alec explains. “I like to tailor my approach to what is doable for each individual.”

After completing his bachelor’s in exercise and sports science at Oregon State University, Alec took a year of graduate coursework in biomechanics. He went on to complete a Master of Science in physical therapy at University of Colorado. He is also certified in McKenzie Method of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy.

Alec’s clinic interests include cervical and lumbar radiculopathy as well as chronic shoulder, hip and knee pain that has been previously unresponsive to treatment. “I love the ‘tough’ cases and being a detective in finding a solution when one has been elusive,” he says. He also enjoys working with nonhealing wounds and sports injuries.

What each person considers is important is what Alec cares about. “I don’t believe in the ‘no pain, no gain’ approach and want to make exercise as easy and convenient as possible,” he explains.

A college soccer player himself, Alec is a big Portland Timbers fan who also roots for England’s Arsenal F.C. Alec and his wife are both Oregon natives. They value their southeast Portland neighborhood and love exploring the Oregon coast as well as other areas of the country.

Alec loves animals and traveled to east Africa for a safari. He also loves golf, even though he admits he’s horrible at it.

Rhonda Wilson, PTA

Physical Therapist Assistant

Making patients feel at ease and letting each patient know their goals are her goal are the hallmarks of how Rhonda Wilson provides care as a physical therapy assistant. She is an active listener who cares about patients’ entire well-being — body, mind and spirit.

“Some days we need exercises, and some days we need to talk things through,” she explains. “I am here for both. It is all an important part of the healing process.”

After completing her degree as a physical therapist assistant, Rhonda has worked in outpatient orthopedic rehabilitation as well as in the skilled nursing environment. Her focuses include the McKenzie Method of Mechanical Diagnosis and Testing, functional work conditioning and post job offer screenings.

Rhonda and her husband share a daughter who is the joy of their lives. In her free time, Rhonda coaches a local high school dance team. She enjoys dancing, crafting and being artistic in general. She also values living each day to the fullest and finding joy and laughter.

Chu Wu, PT, DPT

Physical Therapist

Physical therapist Chu Wu believes treatment is a team effort. He includes his patients in decisions about their care. He is passionate about getting people back to doing whatever gives them joy.

Chu received his doctorate in physical therapy at Regis University in Denver, Colorado. He focuses on manual and movement-based therapy.

Rock climbing, backpacking and tennis are Chu’s favorite hobbies. He grew up in the Pacific Northwest and loves anything that involves the outdoors.