Favorite Quote:

“He allowed himself to be swayed by his conviction that human beings are not born once and for all on the day their mothers give birth to them, but that life obliges them over and over again to give birth to themselves.”

― Gabriel García Márquez, Love in the Time of Cholera

Scholastics:

Sam Nicholas grew up in Gresham and graduated summa cum laude from Oregon State University with bachelor’s degrees in both Civil Engineering and New Media Communications. He worked in special education in Portland Public Schools and worked with persons with mental and physical disabilities at an adaptive summer camp on Mt. Hood before finding his way to a career in physical therapy. He received his Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree from Pacific University.

Continuing Education:

Sam has continued his education in areas including pain neuroscience education and a variety of orthopedic and sports interventions through Evidence in Motion (EIM); Oregon Physical Therapy Association (OPTA); and as a member of the Orthopedic Section of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA).

Experience:

Sam worked in a variety of PT settings as a student therapist including inpatient rehabilitation treating patients with spinal cord injury and stroke, home health for persons unable to attend in-clinic services, and outpatient therapy for a variety of musculoskeletal and sports injuries. As a licensed clinician, Sam found his home in outpatient orthopedics treating a variety of patient populations from those dealing with acute injuries or recovering from surgery to those experiencing complex chronic pain and other bio-psycho-social conditions. He enjoys truly getting to know his patients and developing individualized plans to help them achieve important and lasting changes in their function and their health.

Hobbies:

Outside of the clinic, Sam loves playing soccer with his Sunday league team and immersing himself in the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest with his family and two dogs. He enjoys kayaking, rock climbing, backpacking, and home and garden projects.