PAUL MINTKEN thank you

After 25 years as a faculty member, with 18 of those years as core faculty, for the CU Physical Therapy Program, Paul Mintken, PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT retired on July 1, 2022. Dr. Mintken earned his master’s degree in Physical Therapy from CU in 1994 and his transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy (tDPT) from CU in 2004, as part of the first cohort of DPTs to graduate from CU. He completed fellowship training in orthopaedic manual physical therapy at Regis University. He joined CU PT as adjunct faculty in 1997 and practiced as a full-time clinician for 10 years before becoming a full faculty member in 2004.

Mintken has been a driving force in many initiatives for CU Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and CU PT including service as co-chair of the PM&R Departmental Evaluation (Promotion and Tenure) Committee. He helped initiate the mentoring program in PM&R. Mintken was also chair of the CU PT Senior Faculty Committee and a member of the Curriculum Committee. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, he also helped start an interprofessional learning experience that paired physiatry residents and psychologists with our Doctor of Physical Therapy students, which he hopes will continue again in the future.

Mintken describes his time at CU as, “magical”. Working with such amazing human beings in a state-of-the-art facility was more than I could have ever hoped for. Mark Twain once said, ‘Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.’ That has certainly been the case for me at the University of Colorado. It really was my dream job, and I often told my wife that I loved it so much, I would do it for free. I am so blessed to have been able to learn and grow alongside an amazing faculty, administrative team, and our outstanding students. CU PT is truly remarkable, we all get along, support each other, and there are no egos or hidden agendas. I have no doubt that CU PT will continue to thrive after my departure. I will miss the people. CU PT is not just the incredible faculty; it is the amazing administrative team that makes the program go and our exceptional students. I will miss the daily human interactions which make life so meaningful.”

As a retiree, Mintken looks forward to playing his guitar, hiking, and bike riding, and hopes to cross the Appalachian trail off his bucket list. But he has learned, “not get too carried away thinking about the future. My destination today is the here and now. After all, the present moment is all we ever have.”

Dr. Mintken leaves these closing thoughts, “28 years ago I walked into the Wardenburg Health Center Physical Therapy Department at the University of Colorado Boulder ready to change the world. I retired from the University of Colorado knowing that, without a doubt, I am the one who is changed. I gave my best years to this University, and in return, the University of Colorado gave me opportunity, challenges, support, and friendships that will remain intact long after I’ve forgotten the joy of walking into my first classroom to teach future physical therapists. The University of Colorado Physical Therapy Program has a bright future ahead of it. Even though I will not be ‘on the team’ on a daily basis going forward, I take solace in knowing that I was able, in some small way, to contribute to making this a top-ranked program in the nation – just as the University and all the amazing people had a hand in making me the man I am today. I am forever grateful for my career and the University of Colorado. Life could have taken me in so many different directions. Now as I stand here many years later, I can say that I did the best I could to be a good physical therapist, a good teacher, and a good person, and maybe that is enough.”