Every journey has a starting point—mine just happened to be on a football field in Winona, Minn.
My name is Matthew Rinehart, and I’m honored to serve as the 2025 Alexa Posny Scholar. I will spend the next six weeks as an intern with the Government Affairs team at American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) headquarters in Alexandria, Va. Welcome along for this blog! I grew up in Winona, Minn., and made my way to Central Wisconsin through academics, athletics and, eventually, a calling to the physical therapy profession. After earning my bachelor’s degree in health science (pre-physical therapy emphasis) from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in 2022, I continued on at UWSP in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program, where I will graduate in December 2025.
My first real connection with physical therapy came after a shoulder injury in high school football. While I was drawn to the science of recovery, what resonated most was the human side of care—the way my therapist prioritized my goals and helped me feel supported through the setbacks. That lesson continues to guide the way I hope to serve patients today.
This past summer, I completed a 15-week clinical internship with the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation (YKHC) in Bethel, Alaska. It was an incredible learning experience—caring for patients across outpatient, inpatient, long-term care, complex wound care and even traveling to remote village clinics for physical therapy and orthopaedic field clinics. I also had the opportunity to help develop a documentation audit system for the therapy services department. The experience reminded me that physical therapy is about far more than exercise and rehabilitation—it’s about meeting people where they are, adapting to unique contexts and keeping the full human experience at the center of care.
Research has also been an important part of my development. Alongside classmates and faculty mentors, I co-authored a project investigating the role of screening for social drivers of health (SDoH) in physical therapy practice. We presented our work at the 2025 APTA Combined Sections Meeting in Houston, where we had the chance to contribute to ongoing conversations about how patient context shapes outcomes and access to care.
Within our DPT program, I’ve been grateful to serve as president of the UWSP DPT Student Organization. Together with my peers, we’ve organized a homecoming/community 5K, hosted a community blood drive, provided services at a health fair, and provided both student scholarships and donations to the Foundation for Physical Therapy Research. Advocacy has also become an important part of my journey—I participated in APTA Wisconsin’s Legislative Day and served as my program’s student lead during the 2024 Flash Action Strategy.
Looking ahead, I’ll finish my final clinical rotation at Aspirus Wausau Hospital before beginning practice in Montana or rural Wisconsin, with interests in orthopaedics, sports, acute care, rural care and innovation.
Outside of physical therapy, I enjoy hiking, weightlifting, traveling and cooking new foods. I also love spending time outdoors with my dog, Gavin, a Blue Merle Australian Shepherd.
I feel deeply fortunate to represent UWSP as the 2025 Posny Scholar. I am looking forward to building connections that will help strengthen our profession and improve access to care, especially in communities where it’s needed most.
Thanks for reading, and I look forward to sharing this journey with you. Feel free to reach out!
Matthew Rinehart is a graduate student in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Originally from Winona, Minn., Matthew serves as the 2025 Alexa Posny Scholar, interning with the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) at its headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Follow along on his blog and see additional photos on Facebook.