Following the CSM After Dark series, the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast followed up with the panelists to hear their after thoughts from the experience. Make sure to catch up on Part 1 and Part 2 before listening to this show!   Dr. Rupal Patel, PT, DPT twitter “Everyone had a unique perspective.” “Everyone also needed to feel safe to share their story.” “Look beneath the surface, the façade, or the face to learn about what makes them diverse or what makes them unique.” “We need more of these kind of venues where we have different people from different diverse backgrounds sharing their unique perspectives and stories.” “Find someone that they can relate to that is a physical therapist in their community… and reach out to them.” “We need to move beyond just talking about diversity and really putting some traction or action behind it.”   Dr. Monique Caruth, PT, DPT twitter “After hearing the other four women speak, it actually encouraged me to be more forthcoming about my experiences and my story because I know I am not alone.” “Even though we were all women, there was difference in ethnicity and also difference in sexuality and gender as well. Diversity shouldn’t be based on just gender or color.” “I hope we become a more inclusive profession and we all become better.” “We are already at a disadvantage.” “It’s important for people to see someone looking like them and being a role model for them as something to achieve.”   Dr. Uchenna Ossai, PT, DPT twitter, facebook, instagram   “I’m not alone.” “There’s nothing more inspiring and energizing knowing that you have a community within a community.” “It’s hard to develop that sense of self worth.” “There’s different repercussions.” “All can be elevated by understanding our bias and bias is not bad but it’s bad if we deny that it exists.”   Sherry Teague, CFO, PTA twitter, Email: Teague@valuebeyondthevisit.com, Kornetti and Krafft Healthcare Solutions “Getting that message spread out will be really important.” “The world inclusion is probably the word we should be using.” “We didn’t get here in one motion… it would be nice to see incremental steps across the board.” “You only have one chance to make a first impression and oftentimes those kinds of things, the paper forms and the restrooms and the environment you walk into is the first impression you can make with the client.”   Dr. Lisa VanHoose, PT, PhD twitter “Everyone had a unique story but there was a commonality in the fact that their identities had almost marginalized them during their PT education.” “It’s important for us to ask questions and for us to be ok with being in those uncomfortable experiences.” “There’s this desire for us to be better.” “That means you just need a little more validation in that you are worthy not just to be at the table but also to be asked to dance.” “There’s more variation in a group then there is between groups.” “We all kind of struggle from imposter syndrome but racism for professionals really makes that worse.”