Kevin Souvenir

Kevin Souvenir, a student in the physical therapy (DPT) program at the School of Health Sciences of Touro University, thanks his mom for instilling in him the values of hard work and determination. “I grew up in Brooklyn, New York in a lower middle-class family headed by a single mother. Although we did not have much, my mother fought to provide for her children. She worked a full-time job, took care of us three kids, and still managed to go to school and obtain her nursing degree. She showed us that the accomplishments you achieve will result from the work you put in to succeed,” Kevin says.

Kevin has taken these lessons to heart, first graduating from Kingsborough Community College with honors, before completing his undergraduate degree in exercise science at Brooklyn College, graduating summa cum laude. His interest in pursuing a career in physical therapy career led him to Touro. “The faculty at Touro genuinely want their students to succeed. On my first clinical rotation, at an inpatient acute care facility, I never felt unprepared or surprised, as all the diagnosis, symptoms, and interventions were discussed in class. My clinical instructor commended Touro for preparing me for my rotation. I am grateful to all the professors, and my fellow students for shaping me as a student and as a future clinician,” he says.

Kevin’s passion lies in helping people live pain free, improving both their physical and mental well-being. “I have seen the effects manual therapy can have on not only a person’s movement but on their psyche. Understanding pain and pain science is a rapidly growing specialty in physical therapy. Chronic pain is suffered by hundreds of millions of people around the world. A deeper understanding of pain and how to educate patients on their own unique circumstances could have a profound positive effect on their health,” he explains.

Souvenir has big plans for the future including fellowships in orthopedic manual physical therapy, a fellowship in pain science, and an eventual PhD in biomechanics. “My ultimate goal is to be a foremost expert in the field with the skills to help as many people as possible. I will also use this knowledge to educate the next generation of therapists so we can help even more people. My motto is ‘movement is magic’” he says.