Community Highlights: Meet Dr. Corey Hillman of Gate City Physio

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Corey Hillman.

Dr. Hillman, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Sure…my name is Dr. Corey Hillman; I’m a licensed physical therapist and the owner of Gate City Physio in Downtown Greensboro, NC.

As for how all that happened, I can certainly tell you I had a passion for healthy living from an early age, and by the time I was a young adult I knew my career would be as part of the medical field in some way or other. After completing my undergrad at UNC Greensboro, I moved around within a couple different areas of the health industry for about a decade. Eventually I came to realize the personal and interactive nature and methods of a Physical Therapist was exactly the right measure for many patients, as well as the right fit for me. Having decided on that, I headed to Baylor to complete my Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) training.

Interestingly, the more exposure I had to the actual healthcare system upon completing my training – as opposed to the theoretical environment I’d been training in – the more I began to wonder about my decision. Here in the real world the Physical Therapy process seemed just that: a process. Things were very protocol-driven rather than individualized, profit-driven rather than value-based and (most surprising of all) reactive rather than proactive and preventative.

As such, like a growing number of practitioners around the country, I found myself wanting to offer the Triad community a different idea of how physical therapy and musculoskeletal care could be delivered. A model focused on the patient as a whole, that focused on true rebuilding rather than basic restoring of physical capacity, and one that reintroduced and reinvigorated the central importance of the Doctor/Client Relationship.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Gate City Physio opened in October 2020 – as we all now know, quite possibly the worst time to open a Clinic in the past decade or so! Needless to say, this came with some considerable challenges in getting the word out to the community.

We have been very fortunate, however, to have met like-minded community referral partners. This has produced a growing practice full of clients who trust and are excited for this model of care we provide. We just celebrated our one-year anniversary, and it was very exciting to have all of our former and current clients come out to show their support!

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I describe Gate City Physio as a Boutique Clinic specializing in dynamic, performance physical therapy designed to tackle a given issue at its source and empowering our Clients beyond restoration to build back healthier than they were before. Each session is one-on-one and focused exclusively on the goals of the Client.
We love working with motivated individuals who desire to stay active, healthy and pain free. While we’re fully capable of treating any issue, we do carry a special interest in those experiencing shoulder pain, headaches and neck pain.

Our treatment model is substantially different from what many have experienced at other clinics as a result of our more holistic approach – integrating specialized manual therapy, yoga-informed rehabilitation, and functional fitness practices – allowing our Clients to experience the flourishing, active lives they’re seeking.

Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
Absolutely. As the saying goes: ‘it takes a village’… and it’s certainly been no exception in our case. I’ve had many excellent mentors educationally, clinically and at the level of practical business establishment. I consider myself here for my community, and that’s in no small part because my community has been here for me.

To name a few: I’ve had constant and unwavering support from my spouse (Carrie), my friends and family, and quite a few peers in the industry. It’s fundamentally an ‘us’ thing, and here in Greensboro all of us are working together to bring vibrant health to our community and we’re extremely grateful for the support they have given us!

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://www.gborophysio.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gate_city_physio/

Image Credits
AJ Photo, Anna Johnson