RACHEL BLACKWOOD, PT, DPT, is a licensed physical therapist with nearly 15 years of experience. She graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham with her M.S. in Physical Therapy, then went on to earn her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of South Alabama. Although she has experience in a variety of settings, the majority of her career has been in acute care. She has been involved in program development, staff training, and clinical education. Ms. Blackwood has also served as adjunct faculty at the Jefferson State LPTA program. Her interests include acute and medically complex patients and she has been a team leader in critical care units. She is currently employed by Duke University Health Systems in Raleigh, NC as a weekend therapist. As a weekend PT, she encounters many patients who are “discharge issues,” where her use of standardized tests is a critical consideration for recommending the appropriate discharge placement.