Joshua J Alexander, MD - UNC Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

I chose a career in physical therapy as a perfect combination between my passions for medicine and physical activity. Being a physical therapist allows me to develop extended and lasting relationships with patients, which in turn lets me tailor treatment to be beneficial and meaningful. I approach every patient as an individual, knowing that progress is best achieved through a tailored plan of care that is specific and meaningful to the person in front of me. While the same intervention can be beneficial to different people for different reasons, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. With that being said, I do believe that everyone, myself included, would benefit from a greater amount of physical activity in their daily life whether it is aimed at improving a specific skill or just staying as healthy as possible. I am always curious and open to working within all areas of adult neurologic physical therapy, and have a special interest in chronic conditions including multiple sclerosis, stroke/cerebrovascular accident (CVA), spinal cord injury, pulmonary rehab and lower limb amputation. Within all of these areas I am focused on guiding the patient through a plan of care that meets them where they are and aims to improve their functional mobility. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, traveling, cooking, and pursuing various recreational passions including climbing, running, and surfing.

After working with special needs populations in recreation and support settings, as well as English as a second language (ESL) teaching, I decided to pursue speech language pathology. I was able to combine those two interests, as well as open more doors for helping individuals. My top priority as a provider is to establish a comfortable, trusting relationship with the patient and family and to work together as a team to determine goals. My areas of special interest include early childhood development, developmental disorders and bilingual development. Outside of work, I enjoy traveling, water activities, skating, skiing and singing.