EP284 | From Special Operations To Private Practice With Doug Kechijian

This week, I finally got to sit down with my buddy Doug Kechijian. You might remember him from some heated Twitter debates back in the day, but today we dive deep into his awesome story. Doug's a cofounder of Resilient Performance Physical Therapy up in New York City, but he's currently riding out the pandemic storm in Massachusetts. We get into his unique background going from pre med to joining the Air Force as a Pararescueman (PJ), which is some seriously intense special operations stuff focused on medical and rescue. Doug shares how that experience, dealing with high stress situations and learning diverse skills under pressure, shaped his path to PT school and eventually starting his own cash based practice. We talk about the lessons learned from the military like the value of practical application, standard operating procedures, controlling the controllables, and the importance of having solid partners. Plus, Doug gives his take on the current state of PT education and ConEd, and what Resilient Performance is doing to bridge the gap between rehab and performance with their upcoming online courses. Really insightful stuff from a sharp dude.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

• Diverse experiences (like military special operations) can provide invaluable lessons in stress management, learning, and system building applicable to business.
• Having reliable business partners with complementary skills is crucial, especially during challenging times.
• Control the controllables: Focus on what you can influence during uncertainty, rather than getting consumed by things you can't.
• Structure and routine are essential for productivity and mental well being when external structures (like patient schedules) disappear.
• There's a need for education that integrates different rehab and performance concepts, moving beyond isolated techniques to comprehensive systems.
• Practical application and learning from real world experience (like case studies) are just as important, if not more so, than purely academic knowledge.
• Don't underestimate the power of early triage and empowering patients/clients with self care strategies to reduce reliance on the formal medical system.
• Free market principles can incentivize better value and efficiency in healthcare settings compared to solely insurance driven models.

🧠 Pro Tip: In chaotic situations, fall back on established procedures and focus on the "good enough" solution now, rather than waiting for the perfect solution later. Develop standard operating procedures for your business's critical functions so you have a reliable framework when things get unpredictable. Control what you can control.

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Connect with Doug & Resilient Performance:

• Website: resilientperformance.com
• Instagram: @resilientppt
• Doug's Twitter: @greenfeetppt
• Resilient's Twitter: @resilientppt

Great chat with Doug. Hope you guys enjoyed it. As always, thanks for listening and we'll catch you next time!