Wound care physical therapy is not for everyone. But, for Vanessa Galvan DPT ’27 (pictured above with her father, David Galvan), studying the specialty is personal, practical and, in many ways, a full-circle moment.

BY YASMINE GRIMBLE MCM ’16

YEARS BEFORE VANESSA GALVAN ENTERED KECK HOSPITAL OF USC as a DPT student-clinician on rotation, she was sitting beside her father at his follow-up appointments, watching a physical therapist do what looked like detective work: cleaning a wound, photographing it, measuring it, meticulously noting even the smallest of changes.

“At the time, I didn’t realize my dad’s wound care was part of his physical therapy appointments,” Galvan says, recalling the digital camera and disposable wound ruler used to track her father’s healing down to the millimeter.

It wasn’t until she attended a physical therapy information session at USC that she learned how wound management was actually a physical therapy specialty, and that it was a USC DPT graduate (Assistant Professor of Clinical Physical Therapy Jeff Thompson DPT ’07) who was caring for her father at all those appointments.

The Turning Point

In 2018, what started as a simple blister for Galvan’s father, David, quickly took a frightening turn.

David, who has Type 2 diabetes, developed a blister on his right heel after wearing an off-loading boot meant to relieve pressure. The blister worsened into an infected ulcer, eventually leaving his heel bone exposed. He was hospitalized, later undergoing an amputation that included his right pinky toe after the infection spread to the bone.

“What stayed with me most was the fear that I might lose my dad because another clinic overlooked what began as a small blister,” she says.

Before the injury, Galvan described her father as “active” and “on-the-go.” He worked as an aerospace engineer and traveled for his job. At home, he handled cooking, yard work and took evening walks with Galvan’s mother.

After the hospitalization, Galvan noticed her father’s spirit waning. He worried his healing would be prolonged due to diabetes. Frustrated with previous care, David this time chose the Keck Hospital of USC for physical therapy treatment.

Once his wound management started Galvan noticed an improvement in her father’s attitude and prognosis.

“He regained his confidence and developed a new kind of patience,” she says. “They were very attentive to him and treating his wound, which showed continuous improvement throughout the healing process.”

A Full-Circle Moment

During treatment, the work was technical and relational: documentation, measurement and compression bandaging, paired with friendly conversation.

“I noticed the physical therapist engaged my dad in conversation unrelated to wound care, earning his trust along the way, which I now know as establishing patient autonomy,” Galvan says.

His experience stayed with her, but the full-circle moment arrived later in 2019 when her father’s wound healed and he got back to his active lifestyle again, with slight modifications.

“Reflecting back on his journey and treatment was when it all clicked,” she says. “That was when I decided I wanted to pursue wound care physical therapy, especially at Keck.”

In the Clinic

Now a second-year DPT student in the hybrid pathway, Galvan recently completed her first wound care clinical rotation and confirmed this was the area she wanted to explore further.

“I found my passion, and I hope to focus on wound care for my longer 13-week clinical affiliation as well,” she says.

At Keck, she and her clinical instructor began each day with chart review and patient prioritization. She records vital signs, assists with cleaning wounds and wraps compression bandages, a process that demands precision and sound body mechanics.

After each session, her clinical instructor asked her to draft documentation to build her assessment skills. She also learned how technology supports accurate measurement and longitudinal tracking.

“As we were observing photos of wounds, he showed me how tissue analytics would automatically trace the wound and give an analysis of the healing process,” she says.

The rotation also challenged her expectations about what might be difficult. She recalled working with a patient confined to his bed with a deep pressure wound during a moment that required quick teamwork and composure.

“I had expected to feel queasy or uncomfortable, as it was not a pleasant sight, but I was able to stay focused and professional throughout the process,” Galvan says.

Why it Works

Associate Professor of Clinical Physical Therapy and Surgery Stephanie Woelfel helped develop USC’s Wound Management Physical Therapy Residency program, which was accredited by the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education in January 2025.

“Across training programs, physical therapy curricula often provide the most extensive wound management education,” Woelfel says. “We then get to model for nurses, physician residents and physicians on interdisciplinary care teams what advanced wound care looks like.”

Footpath Ahead

Galvan sees wound care not as just her future career path, but a personal journey she can build on. She hopes to continue working with patients with diabetes, helping them prevent injuries and complications.

“I want to make a meaningful impact by educating patients on foot care, encouraging safe mobility and ultimately improving their confidence and quality of life.”