Ben is a writer, speaker, consultant, and virtual business officer who holds graduate degrees in Business and Physical Therapy with bachelor degrees in Bioengineering and Psychology.
Ben has experienced every level of work in clinical healthcare, from laboring as an aide to serving as a program director - in settings such as major trauma hospitals to rural home care. His career path has thematically revolved around innovation, business strategy, and public roles. Such roles have provided him substantial experience in organizational behavior, public outreach through news media and national conferences, multiple service line developments, market analysis, and operational optimization to which he has also had the privilege in serving venture capitalists, healthcare executives, and small business owners.
Ben has experienced every level of work in clinical healthcare, from laboring as an aide to serving as a program director - in settings such as major trauma hospitals to rural home care. His career path has thematically revolved around innovation, business strategy, and public roles. Such roles have provided him substantial experience in organizational behavior, public outreach through news media and national conferences, multiple service line developments, market analysis, and operational optimization to which he has also had the privilege in serving venture capitalists, healthcare executives, and small business owners.
Raised in San Diego, California - Dr. Ben Fung grew up skateboarding, snowboarding, and surfing. In his free time, he pursued musical instruments, was enthused by martial arts, and engaged in the endless exploration of "how the world works" as fueled by a tireless curiosity. After graduating secondary school, young Benjamin was conferred degrees from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) in Bioengineering (Bio-medical Engineering) and Psychology. Wishing to achieve a career which integrates the movement science, bio-physics, and medical applications with a compassionate understanding of the human experience, soul searching ensued. The usual course was followed; from the initial excitement, to the mid-path frustration, to the final eureka moment. The journey brought him from academic tutoring, to teaching secondary school, to seeking a professional music career, to bartending, to surf-bumming, all the way to the final goal - becoming a Physical Therapist.
Having himself been a patient of Physical Therapists in the
past for a shattered ulna, sprained ankle, and a severe low back injury from
snowboarding, the young Benjamin was encouraged by family, friends, and
Physical Therapist co-workers to apply to graduate school for Physical Therapy.
In 2009, the dream was realized and an Alpha Chi honor's doctorate in Physical
Therapy was conferred to Doctor Ben Fung. In 2010, the American College
of Sports Medicine was kind enough to publish and present Dr. Fung's thesis: Aerobic
and Anaerobic Work During Kettlebell Exercise: A Pilot Study (ACSM Medicine and
Science in Sports and Exercise, Volume 42:5 Supplement). And, as if such schooling wasn't enough, he received his Master in Business Administration from the University of Michigan in 2015.
Ben is happily married to a wonderful and
lovely wife, and, a proud father to his son, Nathan. Together, the family fiercely enjoys theme parks, especially Disneyland.
If you'd like to get in touch with Ben, please email him at contact@drbenfung.com.
Below is a relevant listing of Dr. Ben Fung's awards, achievements, and experiences.
Awards:
- Doctorate Honors Graduate 2009, Alpha Chi Honors Society: Top 3 Rank in
- Graduating Class; Top 99.95% of National Academics
- Sharp's Got Talent Champion, 2010
- Sharp Memorial Hospital's "Mr. Heart Walk", 2010
- VIP Walker, American Heart Association - San Diego Heart Walk 2010/2011
- Best in San Diego 2011 Finalist – Best Alternative Exercise Studio, Kettlebell and Physiokinetic Fitness at Sharp Cushman Wellness Center
- Sharp C.O.R.E. Award (Center of Recognized Excellence) 2011 - Quality: Team Pillar, Stroke Team – Physical Therapy Representative
- January 2012 – Sharp Healthcare, Guardian Angel Award – “The Guardian Angel Program gives grateful patients and their loved ones the opportunity to support Sharp HealthCare while paying tribute to caregivers who made a difference during the patients’ visit or stay” – Patient gift/donation to Sharp Foundation.
- June 2012 – Sharp Healthcare, 2nd Guardian Angel Award – “The Guardian Angel Program gives grateful patients and their loved ones the opportunity to support Sharp HealthCare while paying tribute to caregivers who made a difference during the patients’ visit or stay” – Patient gift/donation to Sharp Foundation.
- Sharp C.O.R.E. Award (Center of Recognized Excellence) 2012 - People Pillar, Department Category, 6W & Physical Therapy – For creating a standard interdisciplinary communication protocol to decrease patient falls, optimize patient mobility, minimize staff injury, and maximize staff satisfaction.
- September 2012 – Finalist for Best Health-Fitness Studio in San Diego, 2012. “Kettlebell & Physiokinetic Fitness” via Sharp Healthcare and the Cushman Wellness Center.
- January 2013 – Most Influential Social Media user for the American Physical Therapy Association, Combined Sections Meeting 2013, San Diego – Therapydia.
- February 2013 – Finalist for Best Use of Social Media, Therapydia PT Blog Awards, 2013.
- “Top 20 Most Influential PTs on Twitter” – About.com (2015)
- Top 10 Most Influential PTs – Clinicient (2016)
Additional Achievements, Experiences, Presentations and Events:
- Cushman Wellness Center: Integrative Medicine Council, Guest Lecturer. Kettlebell Exercise, Summer 2010
- Founder & Chief Instructor of Kettlebell & Physiokinetic Fitness in collaboration with the Cushman Wellness Center, Sharp Memorial Hospital Outpatient Pavilion, 8/2010 - Present
- 2010 American College of Sports Medicine, Conference Presenter
- 2010 National Sharp Speaking of Women’s Health Breakout Speaker, Kettlebell Exercise – Melting Fat with Muscle in 15 minutes
- 2010 National Sharp Speaking of Women’s Health Exhibitor, Musculoskeletal Functional Screen
- 2010 National Sharp Speaking of Women’s Health, Luncheon Special Music
- Sharp Memorial Hospital, Spine Center of Excellence: Development and implementation of Spine Pre-Operative Conditioning (SPOC), a pre-operative education and training program for patients in preparation for upcoming surgeries
- Spine Unit Staff Training: “Post Operative Spine Mobility Considerations”, more than 50 nursing staff and students were trained on mobilizing patients to decrease length of stay, optimizing patient recovery, and decreasing staff/patient injury
- 2010 Sharp Experience All-Staff Assembly, Special Presenter – The All-Staff Assembly is a system wide rally attended by 15000 employees over 3 sessions
- 2010 Sharp Experience All-Staff Assembly: Mini-Documentary, Featured Employee – “Making the Human Connection” & “The ‘Why’ Behind Healthcare”
- 2010 Sharp’s Got Talent Champion: A system wide talent show for over 15000 employees in an effort to raise money for the San Diego Heart Walk to contribute donations to the American Heart Association
- 2010 Crowned “Mr. Sharp Memorial Hospital Heart Walk”: For raising the most funds among the Sharp Memorial Hospital employees
- 2010/2011 Sharp Healthcare Human Resource Campaign Feature Employee
- 2010/2011 Sharp Healthcare Television Commercial, Cast Member
- 2010/2011 Sharp Healthcare Media Print Focus for Physical Therapy Media Outlets (CPTA Magazine, Today in PT)
- Late 2010 through present – Acute Physical Therapy Unit Specific Mobility (USM) Team, Founding Member. The USM Team has specific responsibilities in addressing and training nursing staff in their unit specific needs to decrease patient falls and optimize patient recovery
- 2010 through present – Sharp Memorial New Employee Welcome (NEW): A special site specific employee orientation, welcoming, and cultural introduction to the hospital’s culture of quality care, healing environment, and attitude of service
- Winter 2011 – Victories of Spirit Celebration, Thematic Committee
- April 2011 – Sharp Foundation, Gala Event for Outpatient Remodeling at Sharp Rehabilitation, Special Music & Rehabilitation Representative
- July 2011 – Sharp Best Health Committee, Resource & Consultant
- July 2011 – Clinical Instructor for Doctoral Student Physical Therapist, Loma Linda University, 3 Week Practicum.
- July 2011 – Physical Therapist/Physical Therapist Assistant, Taskforce for Acute Physical Therapy Practice
- July 2011 – Founded Kettlebell Therapy™ website for promotion of fitness, health and wellness through use of kettlebells. KettlebellTherapy.com
- August 2011 – Sharp Best Health, Program Leader, San Diego Heart Walk Kick-Off Training Sessions
- September 2011 – VIP Heart Walker, San Diego Heart Walk, Sharp Healthcare
- September 2011 – Sharp Healthcare Poster Advertisement, Chapter of California Physical Therapy Association, Annual Conference – Long Beach, CA
- October 2011 – Safe Patient Mobilization, Interdisciplinary Communication Group Leader, responsible for organizing, integrating, and developing a recommendation and process for interdisciplinary communication and documentation of patient mobility status
- October 2011 – Physical Therapy Web Space publication: “Kettlebell Therapy: Restoring Movement with NaturalPhysics”
- October 2011 – Sharp Metropolitan Medical Campus, Sharp Best Health program presentation of physical health promotion programs to campus management
- October – November, 2011 – Sharp Best Health, Physical Health Promotion Team; Get Fit with Band and Preventive Office Stretches
- November 2011 – The Manual Therapist re-publication: “Kettlebell Therapy: Restoring Movement with Natural Physics”
- November 2011 – National Speaking of Women’s Health Conference Breakout Speaker – Kettlebell Exercise, “Melting Fat in 15 minutes”
- November 2011 – National Speaking of Women’s Health Conference; Health Screening Exhibitor – “Physio Health & Fitness Screen”
- December 2011 – Safe Patient Mobilization (SPM) Pilot Program: Interdisciplinary team taskforce, development & training for pilot program focusing on fall prevention, injury prevention, and optimal patient mobility – Subgroup team leader and trainer.
- December 2011 – Sharp Memorial Christmas & Holiday Party Special Music, Christmas Music, Pianist
- January 2012 – Sharp Memorial Hospital, Computer Documentation (Cerner) Super User, Trainer, Departmental Resource
- February 2012 – Cushman Wellness Center, Integrative Medicine Council, Guest Lecturer. Spinal Tension Release Therapy: A Physiotherapy Wellness Approach to Spine Health.
- March 2012 – Physical Therapy Web Space publication: “Swinging Away Back Pain”
- March 2012 – Cyber PT Newsletter publication: “Kettlebell Therapy™: Restoring Movement with Natural Physics”
- April 2012 – Cyber PT Newsletter publication: “Swinging Away Back Pain”
- April 2012 – Kettlebells USA™ publication: “Kettlebell Therapy™: Restoring Movement with Natural Physics”
- April 2012 – Kettlebells USA™ publication: “Swinging Away Back Pain”
- April 2012 - Today In PT, Sharp Healthcare, Media, Featured Employee. “Creativity”: According to Ben Fung, Physical Therapist, “We focus on the person instead of the process, which I really appreciate. Sharp gives me opportunities to be creative in the way I provide care. I'm empowered to do my best to engineer and orchestrate a human experience for my patients; in turn, giving them the ability to resume their life.”
- April 2012 – Kettlebell Inc. publication: “Kettlebell Therapy™: Restoring Movement with Natural Physics”
- April 2012 – Kettlebell Inc. publication: “Swinging Away Back Pain”
- April 24, 2012 – KUSI News, Morning Show interview: Kettlebell exercise.
- May, 2012 – Sharp.com, Home page featured employee.
- May, 2012 – Serving as mentor to newly graduated, Doctor of Physical Therapy, Physical Therapist License Applicant.
- June 23, 2012 – San Diego, Mission Valley YMCA Health Fair – Spine Screening Exhibitor, Sharp Healthcare representative.
- August September 2012 – Sharp Best Health, Heart Walk Training Session, Program Leader
- August – October 2012 – Clinical Instructor for Doctoral Student Physical Therapist, Azusa Pacific University, 8 Week Internship.
- Sharp C.O.R.E. Award (Center of Recognized Excellence) August 2012 - People Pillar, Department Category, 6W & Physical Therapy – For creating a standard interdisciplinary communication protocol to decrease patient falls, optimize patient mobility, minimize staff injury, and maximize staff satisfaction.
- September 2012 – Finalist for Best Health-Fitness Studio in San Diego
- September 2012 – San Diego Heart Walk, Pre-Walk Warm Up Leader
- October 6th, 2012 – Sharp Women’s Health Conference: Breakout Speaker – “Be the ‘Bell’ of the Ball: Kettlebell and Core Conditioning”
- October 6th, 2012 – Sharp Women’s Health Conference: Exhibitor – Physical Health and Fitness Assessment
- November 1st, 2012 – Sharp Hospice, Volunteer Dinner Event. Special Music performance; Keyboard.
- December, 2012 – Sharp Metropolitan Medical Campus, Christmas & Holiday Party, Special Musical – Piano and Vocals
- March 14th, 2013 – Therapydia Physical Therapy Television (PT TV); Episode 12, Acute Care, Promoting Best Practice, Panel Member
- Special NSCA 2013 Tactical Training supplement: cited as the first modern research on kettlebell exercise.
- April 16th, 2013 – Interview source for “Kettlebells For Men” at HealthLine.com
- June 2013 – Original invitee to Physiopedia’s Physiospot Voices, Opinion Column
- Contributor to WebPT
- Special Interview with Twitter persona @Cinema_Air
- Exercise Works! Two part guest blog: “Health Equals, Fitness and Fitness Equals Health”
- A Case For The Primary Care Physiotherapist – a special Physiospot contribution
- PT Talker – Pod Cast Interview: “Why Physical Therapy Branding Matter”
- American Physical Therapy Association, Private Practice Section Webinar: Advanced Branding Concepts (2015)
- “How To Fix Healthcare w/ Dr. Ben Fung” – Therapy Insiders Podcast Interview
Ben is also a blog contributor to:
- Healthline.com
- Physiospot Voices Column
- WebPT Blog
- Strive Hub Blog
- Exercise Works!
- The Manual Therapist
- APTA Private Practice Branding Webinar
- FreshBooks, Cloud Accounting
- Therapy Partners, Inc.