UMH Rehabilitation Welcomes Sydney Buchanan

Uvalde Memorial Hospital (UMH) Rehabilitation Department has announced the addition of Licensed Physical Therapist, Sydney Buchanan. Buchanan joined UMH’s rehabilitation department in November.

Buchanan graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Texas A&M University in May of 2015 and went on to obtain her Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) from The University of the Incarnate Word in May 2019.

Buchanan was a student physical therapist at UMH in the summer of 2017 and completed additional student rotations at Results Physiotherapy Medical Center in San Antonio, John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth, and Northeast Baptist Hospital in San Antonio. Buchanan has clinical experience through volunteer work at Brazos Valley Sports Medicine and St. Joseph’s Regional Health center, both in College Station. Through student rotations and volunteer work, Buchanan has clinical experience in a variety of practice settings and with diverse patient populations.

“Sydney was a clinical student in my first year as director,” Matthew Hughes, director of UMH rehabilitation services, said.

“Even though it was her first clinical experience she impressed me with her poise, work ethic, relatability, and professionalism. Those are intangible traits that are hard to teach. We had several patients recognize her in their patient satisfaction surveys,” Hughes added.

With hopes that Buchanan would consider UMH as a place of employment upon graduation, Hughes remained in touch.

“As a previous student at UMH, I really enjoyed and connected with the patient population we have here in Uvalde,” Buchanan said.

“It was one of my most, if not my most, rewarding rotations as a student because of the one-on-one time we have with our patients to see them progress and work towards their goals with our help,” Buchanan shared.

Buchanan feels her career at UMH is a great opportunity to grow professionally with the resources and support that the rehabilitation department provides through physical, speech, and occupational therapies.

“We are happy she chose to return to Uvalde with all of her positive attributes, armed with additional knowledge, and experience that will help our community,” Hughes said.

Buchanan was born and raised in Uvalde and is a Uvalde High School graduate. She is the daughter of John and Noreen Buchanan of Uvalde.

For more information about the UMH rehabilitation department, call (830)- 278- 6251 extension 1621.