Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - (Page 33) patients, many of who suffer from permanent disabilities. In both roles, he effortlessly demonstrates to patients that it is possible to pursue their dreams in spite of their disabilities. “It is important that the people we treat look to their own goals and not to mine,” Wu said. “In addition to the physical rehabilitation we provide, we also help them define what their personal goals are.” Dr. Wu discusses with the majority of his patients the benefits brought to the table by their disabilities. He introduces them to opportunities they may not have seen for themselves. For instance, many of Dr. Wu’s patients have had immense exposure to social services or advocacy issues, due in part to their disabilities. Dr. Wu helps them to realize that their familiarization and personal experiences in a specific area may help prepare them to become a professional in that field. He acts as a mentor, working with those he treats to help them recognize their own strengths, and instilling in them the notion that a person with disabilities should strive to achieve their dreams like everyone else. Dr. Wu tells his patients that there are no shortcuts. Throughout his years of formal education, he went through the same process as everyone else, doing his best to fulfill his responsibility. When asked what the hardest thing for him to overcome was, Dr. Wu said, “Not knowing.” When Dr. Wu began his surgical rotation in medical school, he had no idea what to expect, or how to prepare for potential obstacles. From his first day there, he was faced with the obstacle of getting into the surgical sterile field in the operating room with a motorized scooter. He admitted he did not have the answer, but he was willing to work with the medical and nursing staff to come up with a way to participate without putting the patients in danger. To overcome the low visual field from sitting on his scooter, and to reduce the potential for contamination from his scooter, he and the operating room charge nurse came up with a method where he would scrub while sitting on an elevated laboratory stool with wheels and then the nurse would push him to the operating sterile field after he gowned up. He worked incredibly hard to achieve his goal of becoming a physician, and even now that he has achieved a level of success that eludes many physicians, he continues to set goals for himself. In any measure of success, there are both physical and social barriers to achieving it. For Dr. Wu, overcoming the physical and social barriers involve more time and effort (in a typical week, he works 70 to 80 hours), as well as exerting more energy to perform and complete tasks. The notion of trust has contributed greatly to Dr. Wu’s success. Not only did he have to earn the trust of his patients, who had to see past his disability for assurance that he would provide them with excellent medical care, but also the trust of his colleagues, who counted on him as an essential part of their team. While Dr. Wu has experienced disadvantages brought about by his disability, he prefers to turn the challenges he has faced into positive experiences by rendering his disability an advantage, rather than a disadvantage. “To achieve one’s goals, it is instrumental to keep an open mind and to view one’s disability not as a barrier, but as a source of strength,” says Dr. Wu. For instance, Dr. Wu has mastered the tenacity to work harder to get to the same professional skill level as an able-body individual. Dr. Wu has a unique perspective as a physician in that, unlike him, most of his colleagues are rarely patients. As both a physician and a patient, Dr. Wu has a great deal of experience within the health system. His involvement within the healthcare community as well as his passion for serving others has earned him quite a few honorable positions among prestigious medical associations. Dr. Wu was appointed to the position of Chairman of the Health Policy & Legislation Committee of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPM&R) in January 2009. Before being appointed this position, Dr. Wu had been the Chairman of the Council of State PM&R Society Presidents, which is also within the AAPM&R. He has been involved in AAPM&R for 14 years. Prior to moving his medical practice to Philadelphia, Dr. Wu had served as the President of the New York Society of PM&R. During his medical residency, Dr. Wu was also elected as Chairman of the Resident’s Section of the Medical Society of the State of New York. As the current Chairman of the Health Policy & Legislation Committee, Dr. Wu’s primary role is to facilitate communication to the members of the AAPMR regarding the various legislative issues that may affect their patients and their medical practice and to recommend specific areas for advocacy efforts to the Board of Governors of the AAPM&R. “The AAPM&R is an active participant in the healthcare reform process. We continue to advocate appropriate issues that will help improve the lives of individuals with disability,” said Dr. Wu. “The AAPM&R is working with a number of different coalitions to achieve this endeavor.” This appointment, as well as others in the past, reflects the work of a man with the resolution to be the best he can be and the tenacity to never give up. Dr. Wu has expressed the joy his work brings him. He views his positions as a privilege. To him, it is not about being a role model for others, but rather, it is about doing things the right way. He says, “I want to exceed that level of ‘minimum’ and go beyond, to show others that there is a way to do it right, and the approach is indeed doable.” Dr. Wu is an inspiration to those he treats and those he works with, and serves as a reminder that happiness comes from setting and achieving your own goals, not someone else’s. Good Shepherd Penn Partners is a joint venture between Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network and the University of Pennsylvania Health System. GSPP is located in the Rittenhouse Square area of downtown Philadelphia. GSPP provides specialized acute inpatient rehabilitation care and long-term acute care for patients with stroke, brain injury, spinal cord injury, Parkinson’s Disease, other neurological conditions, amputation, joint replacement, organ transplants, heart surgery and other medically complex conditions. GSPP also has eight outpatient clinics named Penn Therapy and Fitness. • Michelle Woolford is an associate with Robinson Packer & Wannenburg (www.rpandw.com), a strategic communications company which works with Good Shepherd Penn Partners. www.eparent.com/EP MAGAZINE • August 2009 33 http://www.rpandw.com http://www.eparent.com Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Exceptional Parent - August 2009 Exceptional Parent - August 2009 Contents Ancora Imparo What's Happening Further Reading New Products 2009 Disability Awareness Night Schedule 2009 Models of Excellence in the Healthcare Profession Preterm Birth: How It Affected My Family Treatment of Neurosensory Disorders Improves Psychological Well-Being in Children Federal Program Encourages Health Service Innovations on Developmental Disabilities Close Encounters of the Medical Kind Sitting on top of the World: One Physician's Journey to Success Raising a Noonan Syndrome Child When We Found Out Our Daughter Had CMT August is Spinal Muscular Atrophy Awareness Month! Newborn Screening Saves Babies, One Foot at a Time Another Day in the Life of the National Children's Study Evidence Based Humanity Must Be Part of the Equation Incontinence Education Series Part 7 Emergency Preparedness Series Part 4 On the Road to Recovery - Self-Deiscovery: The Crown Jewel of Psychotherapy Asperger Syndrome and the Difficulties of Diagnosing and Treating Related Conditions EP Bookstore Special Needs Alliance Specialcare AADMD - American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry Organizational Spotlight Living with a Disability Exceptional Parent - August 2009 Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Exceptional Parent - August 2009 (Page Cover1) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Exceptional Parent - August 2009 (Page Cover2) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Exceptional Parent - August 2009 (Page 1) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Contents (Page 2) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Contents (Page 3) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Contents (Page 4) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Contents (Page 5) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Ancora Imparo (Page 6) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Ancora Imparo (Page 7) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Ancora Imparo (Page 8) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Ancora Imparo (Page 9) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - What's Happening (Page 10) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - What's Happening (Page 11) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Further Reading (Page 12) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Further Reading (Page 13) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - New Products (Page 14) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - New Products (Page 15) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - New Products (Page 16) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - 2009 Disability Awareness Night Schedule (Page 17) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - 2009 Models of Excellence in the Healthcare Profession (Page 18) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - 2009 Models of Excellence in the Healthcare Profession (Page 19) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Preterm Birth: How It Affected My Family (Page 20) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Preterm Birth: How It Affected My Family (Page 21) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Treatment of Neurosensory Disorders Improves Psychological Well-Being in Children (Page 22) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Treatment of Neurosensory Disorders Improves Psychological Well-Being in Children (Page 23) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Treatment of Neurosensory Disorders Improves Psychological Well-Being in Children (Page 24) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Treatment of Neurosensory Disorders Improves Psychological Well-Being in Children (Page 25) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Federal Program Encourages Health Service Innovations on Developmental Disabilities (Page 26) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Federal Program Encourages Health Service Innovations on Developmental Disabilities (Page 27) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Close Encounters of the Medical Kind (Page 28) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Close Encounters of the Medical Kind (Page 29) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Close Encounters of the Medical Kind (Page 30) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Close Encounters of the Medical Kind (Page 31) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Sitting on top of the World: One Physician's Journey to Success (Page 32) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Sitting on top of the World: One Physician's Journey to Success (Page 33) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Raising a Noonan Syndrome Child (Page 34) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Raising a Noonan Syndrome Child (Page 35) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - When We Found Out Our Daughter Had CMT (Page 36) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - When We Found Out Our Daughter Had CMT (Page 37) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - August is Spinal Muscular Atrophy Awareness Month! (Page 38) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Newborn Screening Saves Babies, One Foot at a Time (Page 39) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Another Day in the Life of the National Children's Study (Page 40) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Another Day in the Life of the National Children's Study (Page 41) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Another Day in the Life of the National Children's Study (Page 42) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Another Day in the Life of the National Children's Study (Page 43) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Evidence Based Humanity Must Be Part of the Equation (Page 44) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Evidence Based Humanity Must Be Part of the Equation (Page 45) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Incontinence Education Series Part 7 (Page 46) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Incontinence Education Series Part 7 (Page 47) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Incontinence Education Series Part 7 (Page 48) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Emergency Preparedness Series Part 4 (Page 49) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Emergency Preparedness Series Part 4 (Page 50) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Emergency Preparedness Series Part 4 (Page 51) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - On the Road to Recovery - Self-Deiscovery: The Crown Jewel of Psychotherapy (Page 52) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - On the Road to Recovery - Self-Deiscovery: The Crown Jewel of Psychotherapy (Page 53) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - On the Road to Recovery - Self-Deiscovery: The Crown Jewel of Psychotherapy (Page 54) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - On the Road to Recovery - Self-Deiscovery: The Crown Jewel of Psychotherapy (Page 55) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Asperger Syndrome and the Difficulties of Diagnosing and Treating Related Conditions (Page 56) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Asperger Syndrome and the Difficulties of Diagnosing and Treating Related Conditions (Page 57) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Asperger Syndrome and the Difficulties of Diagnosing and Treating Related Conditions (Page 58) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Asperger Syndrome and the Difficulties of Diagnosing and Treating Related Conditions (Page 59) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - EP Bookstore (Page 60) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - EP Bookstore (Page 61) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Special Needs Alliance (Page 62) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Special Needs Alliance (Page 63) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Specialcare (Page 64) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Specialcare (Page 65) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Specialcare (Page 66) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Specialcare (Page 67) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - AADMD - American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry (Page 68) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - AADMD - American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry (Page 69) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - AADMD - American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry (Page 70) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Organizational Spotlight (Page 71) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Organizational Spotlight (Page 72) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Organizational Spotlight (Page 73) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Living with a Disability (Page 74) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Living with a Disability (Page Cover3) Exceptional Parent - August 2009 - Living with a Disability (Page Cover4) http://www.eparentdigital.com/nxtbooks/exceptionalparent/201009 http://www.eparentdigital.com/nxtbooks/exceptionalparent/201008 http://www.eparentdigital.com/nxtbooks/exceptionalparent/201007 http://www.eparentdigital.com/nxtbooks/exceptionalparent/201006 http://www.eparentdigital.com/nxtbooks/exceptionalparent/201005 http://www.eparentdigital.com/nxtbooks/exceptionalparent/201004 http://www.eparentdigital.com/nxtbooks/exceptionalparent/201003 http://www.eparentdigital.com/nxtbooks/exceptionalparent/201002 http://www.eparentdigital.com/nxtbooks/exceptionalparent/2010rg http://www.eparentdigital.com/nxtbooks/exceptionalparent/200912 http://www.eparentdigital.com/nxtbooks/exceptionalparent/200911 http://www.eparentdigital.com/nxtbooks/exceptionalparent/200910 http://www.eparentdigital.com/nxtbooks/exceptionalparent/200909 http://www.eparentdigital.com/nxtbooks/exceptionalparent/200908 http://www.eparentdigital.com/nxtbooks/exceptionalparent/200907 http://www.eparentdigital.com/nxtbooks/exceptionalparent/200906 http://www.nxtbookMEDIA.com
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