Physical Therapists / Occupational Therapists

Stephanie Elling, PT, DPT

Stephanie graduated from The College of St. Scholastica in 2013 with a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Physiology and again in 2016 with a Doctorate degree in Physical Therapy.  After graduation she worked at a private practice in Cloquet, MN in outpatient orthopedics for over two years. Here she gained experience in post-surgical care, manual therapy, return to sport training, and aquatic rehab.  Then she transitioned into travel therapy and completed contracts across Minnesota, Wisconsin and Florida in skilled nursing, memory care, pediatrics, acute care at critical access hospitals, and multiple outpatient clinics treating a wide range of orthopedic and neurological conditions.  She has additional training in TMJ, headaches, sports rehab, dementia care, pediatrics, kinesiotape and manual therapy techniques.  Stephanie has a passion for rural healthcare and enjoys working with patients of all ages and diagnoses.  She is excited to join the rehabilitation team at Cook Hospital and looks forward to getting to serve to Cook community and surrounding areas.

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Amy Kemp OTR/L, OT Supervisor

Amy graduated from St. Scholastica in 2017 with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology.  She then went on to graduate again from St. Scholastica in 2020 with her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy degree.  She completed internships in both hand therapy and skilled nursing, working with a wide range of neurologic and orthopedic diagnoses.  After graduation, she began working at the Cook Hospital.    She enjoys having the opportunity that rural health provides to work with individuals across the lifespan.  Since starting at the Cook Hospital, Amy has also completed additional training for lymphedema therapy, and is a Certified Lymphedema Therapist (CLT).  She is looking forward to continuing her career here at the Cook Hospital and welcomes all new patients.

Brian McCarthy, PT, Director of Rehabilitation

Brian began working in Physical Therapy in 1984 as an enlisted member of the U.S. Air Force.  After an honorable discharge in 1988 returned to Duluth, MN where he attended ST. Scholastica and eventually PT school at the University of Wisconsin,  La Crosse where he graduated in 1993 with honors.  He then began work as a PT at St. Mary’s “Center Therapy” in Duluth  in Occupational Medicine, Chronic Pain Management, Orthopedic-Spine, and the Adult Neuro-Rehab departments.  In 1996, Brian began working as a  contract therapist traveling within the Northern Midwest.  During this time he worked in home care,  private practice, and out-patient orthopedic settings.  His last assignment in 1998 lead him to Cook where he continues to work as the Director of Rehabilitation and physical therapist.

Brian’s career goals are to be well-rounded in all areas of physical therapy, but is especially interested in manual therapy techniques related to orthopedics conditions and wound care interventions.  Brian is an active member of the American Physical Therapy Association, National Ski Patrol, and hospitals wound care team.  Brian has attended, and continues to attend, yearly continuing education in the field of Physical Therapy and wound care to bring the most current and up-to-date treatment methodologies to the patients he treats..

Carrie Rahikainen, PTA/L

Carrie is a 1992 graduate of the College of St. Scholastica where she earned her Bachelor’s  degree in Natural Science and minor in Psychology.  She continued her education at Lake Superior College where she earned her A.A.S. degree as a Physical Therapist Assistant in 1996.  For the first four years after obtaining her degrees, Carrie and her husband lived and worked in Wausau, WI.  While in Wausau, she worked in various units specializing in long-term care, out-patient Orthopedics, in-patient and out-patient Psychology, specialized Dementia and Alzheimer’s units, and an Early Intervention/Pediatric Program.  They then returned to the Iron Range, where both she and her husband were born and raised.  When returning to the area, Carrie was employed by St. Louis County Schools/Northland Special Education Cooperative.  For six years, she provided physical therapy services in various independent school districts, working with children from birth through the age of 21.

In February, 2006 she began her employment at the Cook Hospital and Rehabilitation and is a full-time employee.  Since starting her position at the Cook Hospital, she has been expanding her Physical Therapy skills by attending a variety of courses focusing on such things as Strain-Counter-strain Technique for pain management, Vestibular Rehabilitation, Therapeutic Exercise for the Geriatric Spine,  Manual treatment of the Lumbar Spine, and Kinesio-taping.

Carrie lives in Britt with her husband and three children, ages nine, ten, and twelve.  In her free time, she enjoys cross country skiing, reading, and supporting her children with their extra-curricular activities such as volleyball, basketball, baseball and Scouting.  As a family, they enjoy spending time on their pontoon boat, camping, hunting, and various types of fishing.