RHINELANDER - A physical therapist is making history in the Northwoods.

A local physical therapy clinic is excited to be participating in a new program that's allowing one person to enhance their skills in the field, while working as a satellite Resident.

Physical Therapist John Rugotzke is breaking new ground in the way physical therapy is being taught in Wisconsin.

John Rugotzke, P.T., D.P.T., Satellite Resident, says, "The goal of the DPT, the doctor physical therapy degree is to make us more proficient at our jobs and give us better service and promote the direct access movement with people being able to go directly to their physical therapist when they have a muscle, skeletal problem."

Rugotzke is the first satellite Resident in Wisconsin to ever participate in the Orthopedic Physical Therapy Clinical Residency program through the University of Wisconsin.

Rugotzke says his advanced training at this clinic will not only advance his skills as a physical therapist, but he says it will also help him to improve the quality of care for his patients now and into the future.

Rugotzke says, "Some of the goals of both residency and physical therapy at this time are enhancing the outcomes for our patients and giving better results to them."

Tim Thorsen is the President and CEO of Spine and Sport in Rhinelander, he says the program is a great way to help physical therapists learn from each other.

Tim Thorsen, P.T., M.T.C., O.C.S., Spine & Sport, says, "This is just really a unique opportunity again for the profession, for the state, for UW Hospital systems to network their knowledge and experience as well as for the residents going through the program."

An opportunity that John Rugotzke says he's happy to be a part of, so people can have the most options and best patient care that physical therapy can offer.

Rugotzke says the Residency program is a year long.

He says he'd like to someday open up his own practice-here in the Northwoods.