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November 2, 2021

For information on enrollment and registration at Notre Dame, please visit the admissions section of our website here.

John Putnam, an alum from Notre Dame Prep Class of 2003, finds joy in healing others through compassionate care.

It takes a special kind of person to dedicate his or her life to serving others, but for Dr. John Putnam NDP’03, God called him at a very young age to do just that. Since the fourth grade, Putnam said something inside him ignited his interest in the health care profession and it never let go.

Now a successful medical practitioner, owner and CEO of Back to You Osteopractic Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation in Royal Oak, Mich., Putnam is following his passion and having fun along the way. 

Putnam said he always knew he wanted to be a doctor, but it wasn’t until he graduated from Notre Dame Prep and watched his mother suffer two strokes helped put his plans into action.

“I watched her rehabilitative process from completely dependent in the hospital bed to living at home with assistance and eventually living independently again,” Putnam said. “While I was in college I began volunteering for rehabilitative services for children with special needs, which was partially funded by a University of Michigan dance marathon. I realized I wanted to heal people holistically, spend more time with them, and be able to impact their lives not only physically but psychologically and socially as well. 

“We can avoid and even wean patients off of addictive drugs as well as alleviate their mechanical issues, show them how to exercise safely, and teach them about proper nutrition,” Putnam added.

That philosophy has been the guiding light for his practice, which he says strives to live out its mission daily through patient-centered care.

“We have been blessed with some amazing people who have walked through our doors. We name our company ‘Back to You’ because when people walk in, we understand that many of them are not themselves. Many are in pain, their personality has changed, they are exhausted, they are depressed, they are doing the things they enjoy doing or spending time with their loved ones. Our mission is to get them back to who they were prior to their injury,” Putnam said. “Watching that transition occur is exciting. Receiving the gratitude from patients, students, and staff is uplifting.”

A graduate of the University of Michigan, University of Scranton, and the American Academy of Manipulative Therapy, Putnam says his success has not been without challenges, however none of them have ever extinguished the fire in his soul to help those in need. Sometimes those decisions meant leaving behind lucrative salaries or promising positions with other organizations.

“I opened my own practice in 2019 because I felt called to do so,” he said. “Our company core values include ethical practice, patient-centric care, and a team approach. At other jobs I felt I had to compromise those core values. I learned so much along the way. I grew clinics from five to 40 patients in a day and hired multiple staff. I conducted hundreds of interviews, knocked down walls to expand our spaces, budgeted profits and chased down collections, learned how to maximize treatment reimbursement, upgraded and added equipment, dealt with insurers and referral sources, and continued a pursuit of advancing my education and treatment interventions.”

“These are all the foundational elements to starting your own practice. Following my mother’s death, I felt inspired to take a leap of faith and open my own clinics. I could embody my core values and truly put patients at the forefront of my care,” he added.

That willingness to step out of his comfort zone can be credited to his time at Notre Dame Prep and the numerous teachers who influenced Putnam at a young age.

“My passion for health care was already brewing but NDP reinforced my drive in the sciences. NDP molded me to be a health care provider and entrepreneur. Mr. (Greg) Simon shaped me to be a leader, planner, and implementer as well as how to budget appropriately; Dr. (James) Doyle made science fun and interesting; Mr. (Anthony) Borton made sure I acted in a professional manner; Mrs. (Dolores) Vilcone taught me that no matter how skilled my work was, if I wasn’t giving it my all, I didn’t deserve an ‘A’; Mr. (Dave) Osiecki taught me to embrace myself for who I am, be able to laugh at myself, and make learning fun; Mr. (Jerry) McGhee provided me the foundations for health and physical fitness/wellness; and Deacon (Tony) Morici taught me to carry God with me in all that I do,” he said.

Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, business is thriving and recently Back to You was named “National Clinic of the Year” by the American Academy of Manipulative Therapy. Putnam also has plans to scale up the clinic across the state with eyes on a national presence.

“There are only about 300 other osteopractic physical therapists worldwide and more than 60 fellowship-trained manual physical therapists in the state of Michigan, so we are currently providing some of the latest evidence-based approaches available,” he said.

Through monthly lunch-and-learn sessions and biweekly leadership meetings, Putnam said he can bounce ideas off others, tackle challenging diagnoses, and ensure uniform communication across professions. He and his team also serve as clinical instructors to Wayne State University’s physical therapy program as well as Washtenaw Community College’s physical therapy assistant program. Putnam is a member of Entrepreneurs’ Organization Detroit, multiple chambers of commerce, Business Network International, the American Physical Therapy Association, and the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists. “I’m constantly seeking ways to grow as a clinician and a business owner,” he said.

As far as what the future holds, Putnam is excited to be able to teach others and take classes in-person now that some restrictions have been lifted as federal and state officials relax more mandates around COVID-19. Three clinicians from his team are heading to Armenia in September/October for a mission trip to train other physical and occupational therapists and treat their wounded soldiers. 

“I myself plan on reducing my rigid clinic schedule so that I can earn more credentials, mentor my staff, educate referral sources, and engulf myself in the community to educate them on the power of physical therapy, our techniques, and the conditions that we can treat, thus saving them time, money, opioid/pharmaceutical dependence, and surgical intervention,” Putnam said.

In his spare time, he plans on traveling more with his wife and experiencing other cultures, communities, and places around the world.

“We travel frequently, enjoy the culinary arts, attend concerts, cruise on our boat, explore different downtowns, play sports/participate in exercise activities, spend time with family and friends, manage our homes and clinics, etc. The more we experience, the more we can relate with our patients,” Putnam said. “Oftentimes, a patient’s goal is to return to a certain sport or hobby. I can mobilize their joint and release soft tissue so that they can move to accomplish that goal and they can strengthen in a context that will make them safe to return to that activity and minimize their risk of reinjury. I can select activity-specific exercises that simulate a return to that activity.

 “The more we know about a patient’s interests, the more comfortable they are rehabilitating with our company. Engaging in a variety of experiences and activities is a nice learning experience and a way to release stress and get away from work,” he added.

For current Notre Dame students who have an interest in physical therapy, Putnam said he would be happy to talk with them and share career advice.

“Never stop learning. Get great grades, not just good grades. Be well-rounded. I took many psychology and sociology classes at U-M because I knew I would be working with authentic people, stories, and issues face to face. Doctors are notorious for having poor bedside manners. Don’t be that doctor,” he said. “Patients will rely on you heavily and hinge upon every word you say. The more experiences you have in life, the more you can relate to and truly empathize with them.”

Most importantly, students should understand that the world of physical therapy is vast, with lots of choices to specialize in.

“We treat in a variety of settings—outpatient, home, acute, skilled nursing, etc. We treat a variety of conditions—vestibular, oncology, lymphedema, women’s health, sports, orthopedics, neurology, cardiopulmonary, orthotics/prosthetics, geriatric, pediatric, etc. If you don’t like one, don’t give up. Shadow a variety of clinicians and volunteer in the community. Question everything. Don’t take anything for face value. Learn the value of research and making things make sense,” he concluded.

To connect with Dr. Putnam, visit www.backtoyourehab.com or email alumni@ndpma.org. « 

For information on enrollment and registration at Notre Dame, please visit the admissions section of our website here.

Comments or questions? mkelly@ndpma.org

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About Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy
Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. Notre Dame Preparatory School enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame's middle and lower schools enroll students in pre-kindergarten through grade eight. All three schools are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." NDPMA is conducted by the Marist Fathers and Brothers and is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the National Association of Independent Schools. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy, visit the school’s home page at www.ndpma.org.