Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com

Published - Saturday, May 17, 2008

Shortened arm doesn’t hold back new physical therapist, UW-L grad

UW-La Crosse student Jennifer Berg will graduate from the physical therapy progam. Despite being born with a congenital abnormality resulting in a shortened arm, she has been able perform the complicated and necessary motor skills for physical therapy. Erik Daily

By KJ LANG | La Crosse Tribune

Every now and then, someone will tell Jennifer Berg she can’t do something.

Berg, who was born with a shortened arm that ends just above her elbow, typically responds with, “Watch me.”

“It may not be how they do it, but I get the job done,” she said.

At age 12, Berg decided she wanted to be a physical therapist. Today, she’ll graduate from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse’s doctor of physical therapy program.

“It is a dream come true,” she said. “I have never wanted to do anything else.”

She’s had some struggles along the way, but said she learned to overcome, adapt and “make due with what you have.”

Berg obtained her undergraduate degree at North Dakota State University. As a freshman, she asked a professor to help her choose an undergraduate major that could lead to a post-graduate degree in physical therapy.

When Berg suggested athletic training, the professor told her she likely wouldn’t be able with only one arm to complete all of the program requirements.

She promptly went down the hall to the athletic training director’s office, where she asked, “What do I need to do to sign up?”

Berg completed that program by finding new ways to do her tasks, such as learning to tape an ankle using her shortened arm and one hand until she was as good as — if not better than, she said — her peers.

Michele Thorman, UW-L physical therapy program director, first met Berg at the orientation for new doctoral of physical therapy students in spring 2005.

Because personal interviews are not required for admission, Thorman didn’t learn until then that Berg had only one hand.

Thorman’s first concern was how they would help Berg adapt to perform the complicated motor skills needed in physical therapy, which requires hands to feel and touch when assessing and treating patients, she said.

She soon realized Berg had faced these same obstacles in athletic training and viewed them as challenges to overcome.

Berg never asked for special treatment, said Thorman, but opted instead to learn to complete program requirements in her own way.

“It is a testament to her creativity and determination,” said Thorman.

Being without an arm all her life, Berg said she is accustomed to coming up with ways to adapt.

To complete the skills of the physical therapy program, Berg often would position herself differently and use more of her body than her classmates, she said.

Berg said she’ll work at a hospital in Detroit Lakes, Minn., this summer and then move to a private practice physical therapy clinic in Oregon that specializes in orthopedics. Her goal is to develop a niche working with amputees, especially helping them learn to walk again.

“It is a great feeling to see someone who thinks it is over, and then you help them get back up and off they go,” said Berg. “That is my goal, to get good at that and help as many people as I can overcome challenges they come across.”

Berg will speak at graduate studies commencement at 2 p.m. today. Her words will come from her own experience.

“Go live the life that you always wanted. It may not be easy, there may be some struggles, but set goals and work at it — you’ll get it,” she said. “No one can ever tell you that you can’t do something.”

UW-L graduation

The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse’s 99th spring commencement ceremonies today in the Mitchell Hall gymnasium will include: