PITTSFIELD, Mass — Berkshire Community College (BCC) presented the New England Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) Consortium Clinical Faculty Award to Cheryl Reynolds of Fairview Hospital in Great Barrington, on Wednesday, April 26. 

 

Presenting the award were BCC PTA Program Coordinators Michele Darroch and Nicole Tucker, and Clinical Education Coordinator Judy Gawron. Victoria Guy, Director of Rehabilitation Services at Fairview Hospital, joined other rehabilitation staff in attendance for the recognition.  

 

Reynolds has been a physical therapist assistant clinician for 39 years and a clinical instructor for 30 years at Fairview Hospital. As such, she has worked closely with BCC PTA students for decades, providing meaningful and challenging clinical experiences while adapting to the specific learning needs of each student. She has guided students at each level of clinical education and is known for excelling in matching the expected performance to the individual student.  

 

As a PTA in both the hospital's acute care department and outpatient clinic, Reynolds provides opportunities for students to work with a variety of patients and alongside acute care occupational therapists, and, in the outpatient clinic, observe and assist physical therapists with patient treatments.   

 

Dr. Guy credits Reynolds for being influential in advancing her own curiosity about physical therapy, inspiring her to attend the PTA program at BCC, then to continue on

 to a doctorate in physical therapy.  

 

"Cheryl, and her vast knowledge of everything PTA-related, has helped many students over the years. She is always cool, calm and collected," Dr. Guy said. "As the lead therapist and student coordinator here for the last few years, I have counted on Cheryl's skills in acute care, outpatient care, clinical instructor and community programs… .Fairview Hospital and Berkshire Community College are fortunate to have her."