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MEET OUR PHYSICAL THERAPISTS
Back to Physical Therapy
Brian McCarthy, PT, Director of Rehabilitation
Brian began working in physical therapy during the summer of 1984 when he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. After an honorable discharge from the USAF he worked as a PT Aide at St. Mary’s Medical Center in Duluth and also worked as a Rehabilitation Nursing Assistant over the next five years while attending school at The College of St. Scholastica and the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. He graduated in 1993 from UW-La Crosse with a BS degree in physical therapy. He then began work at Center Therapy of Duluth working in Occupational Medicine, Chronic Pain Management, Orthopedic-Spine, and the Adult Neuro-Rehab sections on weekends. In 1996 Brian changed employers and decided to work as a contract therapist traveling around the country. During this time he worked in home care, private practice, and out-patient orthopedic settings. His last assignment in 1998 lead him to Cook where he continues to work as the Director of Rehabilitation and physical therapist.
Brian’s career goals are to be well-rounded in all areas of physical therapy, but is especially interested in becoming a certified manual therapist primarily working with orthopedic-related conditions and as a certified wound specialist. (Brian achieved the goal of becoming Wound Care Certified in the spring of 2009 and is an active member of the hospital’s wound care team).
Brian is married with 2 children and enjoys the outdoors including hiking, boating, canoeing, camping, motorcycling, mountain biking, running, skiing, hunting, and fishing. Brian volunteers as a Certified Emergency Outdoor Technician and National Ski Patrol for Giant’s Ridge in Biwabik, MN.
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Kelli Hansen, PT
Kelli graduated from The College of St. Scholastica with a BA in Physical Therapy in 1991. She started her career in PT in Colorado working on an adult Neuro Rehab Team for 3 years. She then traveled the country working as a traveling therapist from coast to coast for 3 years. Her last traveling job landed her in Anchorage, Alaska where her love of the outdoors kept her workingand playing for 2 years. She was lured back to her home state of MN to be closer to family and friends and has been a PT at the Cook Hospital for almost 10 years. She works with all patient types from pediatrics to geriatrics and orthopedics. Over the years she has specialized in adult neuro rehab and pediatrics.
When not working, Kelli enjoys backpacking, canoeing, kayaking, camping, and tending to her 23 Alaskan Husky sled dogs. Kelli is also an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church.
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Carrie Rahikainen, PTA/L
Carrie is a 1992 graduate of the College of St. Scholastica where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Natural Science and minor in Psychology. She continued her education at Lake Superior College where she earned her A.A.S. degree as a Physical Therapist Assistant in 1996. For the first four years after obtaining her degrees, Carrie and her husband lived and worked in Wausau, WI. While in Wausau, she worked in various units specializing in long-term care, out-patient Orthopedics, in-patient and out-patient Psychology, specialized Dementia and Alzheimer’s units, and an Early Intervention/Pediatric Program. They then returned to the Iron Range, where both she and her husband were born and raised. When returning to the area, Carrie was employed by St. Louis County Schools/Northland Special Education Cooperative. For six years, she provided physical therapy services in various independent school districts, working with children from birth through the age of 21.
In February, 2006 she began her employment at the Cook Hospital and Rehabilitation and is a full-time employee. Since starting her position at the Cook Hospital, she has been expanding her Physical Therapy skills by attending a variety of courses focusing on such things as Strain-Counter-strain Technique for pain management, Vestibular Rehabilitation, Therapeutic Exercise for the Geriatric Spine, Manual treatment of the Lumbar Spine, and Kinesio-taping.
Carrie lives in Britt with her husband and three children, ages nine, ten, and twelve. In her free time, she enjoys cross country skiing, reading, and supporting her children with their extra-curricular activities such as volleyball, basketball, baseball and Scouting. As a family, they enjoy spending time on their pontoon boat, camping, hunting, and various types of fishing. |
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