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Physiotherapist in Panama a treat for residents of VolcanIt may be surprising to some to find a top-quality physiotherapist in Panama, especially in such a small place as Volcan. But it's a treat to know Rosina Morales Muñoz, even though the reason for her visits is typically to treat painful body parts.
This alone is remarkable enough. But add another factor and you begin to realize why this is such a remarkable woman. She usually makes her house calls in the evening after she finishes her day jobs. Yes, that's jobs with an 's'. Rosina, who studied in Columbia before there were university courses for physiotherapists in Panama, is a government employee by day, splitting her time between a hospital in David (an hour away by bus), and a busy government clinic in Volcan. The bus she needs to catch on those days she is in David leaves Volcan at 5:30 a.m. Teaches at university After she ends her day at the hospital, she heads for the university in David where she teaches the next generation of physiotherapists. But her day is far from finished after that. On average, she sees three private patients in the evening. Typically, she's on the go until 10 at night. Six hours later, a new day begins, six days a week. So what is it that drives this remarkable woman? Answer: her children. Her marriage failed some years ago and she has raised two children, Joel, 21, and Marian, 20, on her own since then. Joel has just graduated from university in David with a degree in tourism. Marian is a second-year dentistry student in Guadalajara, Mexico. Outside of her patients and her children, Rosina has little time for anything else. But if she feels pressured, you would never know it. Volcan residents are fortunate that her home is here. |
Rosina is a 4 ft. 8 in. bundle of driven energy who makes house calls that last anywhere up to 2½ hours. Her typical fee: less than $25. That's per visit, not per hour. Imagine that in the U.S. or Canada. Never mind the fee, imagine a physiotherapist making house calls.