Posted 12:11 p.m. Friday, May 16, 2025
UWL grads bring wealth of knowledge, compassion to Tomah Health rehab services
There’s a strong connection between UW-La Crosse and Tomah Health, especially when it comes to the hospital’s Rehabilitation Services Department.
Over the years, many UWL grads have made their way to Tomah Health, where they’ve built meaningful careers helping patients regain strength, mobility and independence. Today, nearly 75% of Tomah Health’s Rehabilitation Services Department (RSD) is made up of UWL alumni.
“The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse has been instrumental in consistently supplying qualified professionals for our Rehabilitation Services Department,” says Tomah Health CEO Derek Daly. “The relationship with UWL has led to the hiring of a number of graduates who help us provide high-quality rehab services to our patients.”
Alexander Morgan, ’20, is among the network of UWL alumni working within Tomah Health’s RSD. Morgan earned a master's degree in occupational therapy and now works as an outpatient occupational therapist.
“My days usually include working with about eight or nine patients, which may include evaluations, setting up treatment plans, using evidence-based interventions, and of course, documenting everything,” Morgan says. “No two days are exactly the same, but that’s what keeps it interesting.”
Morgan says his time at UWL helped him feel ready to step into his role from day one.
“UWL gave me the knowledge and skills I needed to hit the ground running,” Morgan says. “The classes, hands-on learning and community-based parts of the program all prepared me to provide direct patient care and tailor that care to meet each person’s needs.”
Beyond the technical training, Morgan says UWL’s program helped him build key soft skills, too.
“I developed a lot of personal and professional skills at UWL,” Morgan says. “Those skills have been really valuable when working with patients and teaming up with coworkers from different backgrounds.”
That level of preparation is one reason Tomah Health continues to turn to UWL as a trusted pipeline for talent.
“Our organization has had a longstanding partnership with UWL as a clinical education site,” says Tim Kortbein, director of Rehabilitation Services at Tomah Health. “We’ve worked with a lot of UWL students during their internships and clinical placements. Some of them go on to become full-time employees, which is a huge win. It’s been a great relationship, and we’re excited to keep working together to provide top-quality rehab care in our community.”
“We value the partnership with UWL and look forward to a healthy future together,” Daly echoes.
For UWL students considering a future in healthcare, Morgan offers simple but meaningful advice: Take it all in.
“Take advantage of every opportunity UWL offers,” Morgan says. “The more experience you get, the better prepared you’ll be to apply what you know and build strong relationships with patients and colleagues. And don’t be afraid to make mistakes — it’s all part of learning and growing as a healthcare professional."