Justinian Michaels Aspires to Bring Athletes Back to the Game

Michaels’ journey to physical therapy began with a torn ACL in high school while playing soccer. A Rockland County resident attending Don Bosco Preparatory, a private high school renowned in sports located in Ramsey, New Jersey, Michaels was sidelined for a year, so he worked with the head athletic trainer. “I was immersed into sports medicine in a clinical setting, where I was recovering from my ACL tear, which was tough because I was separated from my team. What made it more difficult was attending a high school in another state where I didn’t know anyone other than my teammates at the time,” said Michaels. “My athletic trainer Marcin Szorc not only helped me physically, but also mentally and psychologically, which made me feel comfortable each day going into the clinic. From then, I became interested in the field of sports medicine.”

Michaels earned his Bachelor of Science in athletic training at Ithaca College, where he had the opportunity to assess, treat and rehabilitate varsity student athletes overcoming injuries throughout each season. At Ithaca College, Michaels was also on the men’s varsity soccer team, balancing both a demanding athletic training degree and playing a varsity sport year-round. Before attending New York Medical College (NYMC), Michaels worked in various settings as an athletic trainer, including working at a physical therapy clinic, hospital, high school, and orthopedic sports medicine office. He also worked for the New York City Football Club, a Major League Soccer team, with the head athletic trainer and physical therapist at that time and NYMC alumnus, Jonathan Filipe, D.P.T. ‘16.

Dr. Filipe motivated Michaels to get his Doctor of Physical Therapy and to attend NYMC. “I initially considered larger schools for a physical therapy program, but NYMC stood out to me, because it houses a medical school, dental school, public health school, biomedical science school and speech-language pathology program, all on one campus—where students learn and collaborate together, which was really enticing,” remarked Michaels. “Our didactic coursework is integrated with the medical school, so we learn from medical professors, and we even gain experience in the anatomy lab alongside medical students. We also take courses with the dental and public health programs. This kind of collaboration is essential in medicine: health care disciplines shouldn’t be stand-alone professions, but, rather, they thrive on interdisciplinary teamwork."

Michaels’s experience at NYMC not only provided a strong academic foundation but also prepared him for the meaningful patient interactions that would shape his journey in physical therapy. “During my first rotation at a subacute care facility in northern New Jersey, I worked independently, with supervision, on a case involving a child with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy,” recalled Michaels. “We built a genuine connection beyond the physical and mental aspects of therapy, bonding over music. He loved playing guitar, and we’d talk about '70s and '80s rock bands that my father introduced me at a young age while traveling to soccer tournaments together in the car. I even brought in CDs for him to play while doing his exercises. Over my eight-week rotation, the staff recognized how well we connected, especially since there were many challenges. It was a truly fulfilling experience, one I’ll always remember."

Networking while at NYMC has opened doors for Michaels, leading him to work at the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s March Madness, NBA All Star Weekend, Jordan Holiday Classic, and SLAM Summer Classic Vol. 6. in Holcombe Rucker Park in Harlem. Through these experiences, Michaels has connected with professionals from teams such as the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, and United States National Soccer Team.

“I've gained so much from working with different populations in various settings, ranging from the teams, age groups, and genders and so on,” said Michaels. “With each opportunity, I give my full effort to try and help every athlete, patient and staff member to the best of my ability. As I wrap up my final clinical rotation at NYMC, I gratefully realize how much of a constructive impact that I’ve made on all of the staff and patients—and how much they’ve positively impacted me–in just 10 weeks. Leaving will be tough, but in the end, I know that I gave it my all.”