Carly Pogson, OTR/L, CPAM
Louisiana Tech University, Bachelor of Science, Kinesiology 2015
Augusta University, Masters of Health Science, Occupational Therapy, 2019
My name is Carly Pogson, and I am an Occupational Therapist specializing in burn rehabilitation and complex wound management, a field I have been dedicated to since the start of my career over five years ago.
My path to occupational therapy began unexpectedly—in a kinesiology class taught by Mrs. Rhonda Boyd, where I first started to consider how I wanted to shape my future in healthcare. I knew I wanted to work with the body holistically, going beyond traditional Western medicine alone. My own experiences and beliefs affirmed the value of Eastern practices, and I envisioned a career that would integrate both perspectives into meaningful patient care.
Occupational therapy stood out to me because of its breadth. It does not only address disabilities from a biomechanical perspective but also considers the neurological, cognitive-behavioral, emotional, social, developmental, and spiritual aspects of a person’s health. It is a profession rooted in the belief that true healing is individualistic and multifaceted.
To explore this vision, I completed an undergraduate student internship with practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine where I was introduced to acupuncture, medical Qigong, Chinese Herbal medicine, and other alternative medicine practices including Chakra balancing and detoxification. I studied the body’s Qi, “life force energy,” and its role in overall health. The two mentors I met during this time, remain guides in my professional and personal growth. My second student internship was with a nurse practitioner specializing in functional medicine, where I saw firsthand the profound impact of nutrition on physical recovery and resilience.
Following graduation, I took a gap year in Georgia, working as a personal trainer while preparing for graduate studies. I took it one step further, challenging my own physical and emotional resilience by competing in my first (and only) International Natural Bodybuilding Federation (INBF) physique competition, where I took first place in the Bikini (tall) event. These experiences solidified my love for individualized exercise programming and reinforced my passion for helping others optimize their health. In 2019, I earned my Master’s of Health Sciences in Occupational Therapy from Augusta University (AU) with the determination to merge all these skills into my practice. While completing my Master’s program, I enrolled in two introductory courses in Traditional Chinese Medicine from Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, who partnered with AU to form the Confucius Institute. This deepened my appreciation for Eastern health philosophy and strengthened my belief in the value of diverse healing practices.
I never expected to work in burns. Yet when the opportunity came to work at a hospital that specialized in burn care, I embraced it—and quickly discovered how deeply rewarding this work is. Burn care is unlike any other specialty: the healing journey lasts years, and I have the privilege of supporting patients from their initial hospital admission through scar management, long-term recovery, and reconstruction. This continuity allows me to build relationships that extend far beyond a typical episode of care, often months extending to even years.
Over the last five and a half years, I have grown into a leadership role as the Burn and Reconstruction Charge Therapist, where I provide care across acute, outpatient, and perioperative settings. My work includes facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration with surgeons, nurses, and rehabilitation specialists, as well as helping to build the first-ever formal Burn Reconstruction therapy program under the guidance of Rajiv Sood, M.D., FACS and Deborah Knight, MOT, OTR/L, BT-C. Within this program, we address functional and cosmetic challenges related to scar contractures, hypertrophic scarring, and burn deformities through surgical and therapeutic interventions.
My contributions include co-developing our hospital’s laser therapy program, participating on the pediatric burn team, and serving on splint call for urgent cases. My passion for advancing burn care has also taken me abroad—I have joined two medical mission trips to Eldoret, Kenya with Dr. Sood, partnering with Moi Teaching Hospital providers to deliver specialized burn treatment and education for both their adult and pediatric units.
Beyond clinical practice, I am committed to advancing occupational therapy through scholarship and education. I have authored two unique OT interventions currently under review for publication in the Book of Innovations by the National Society of Burns. I have attended the American Burn Association (ABA) 2024, and presented at the Georgia Occupational Therapy Association Conference (GOTA) 2024 with colleagues on topics including “Burn scar management 101: An introduction to outpatient occupational therapy for the burn survivor” for the Outpatient Therapist” and “Developing collaborative relationships between the OTR and COTA on the interdisciplinary burn care team,” in addition to presenting guest lectures for industry groups (Avita, Smith & Nephew) and my alma mater’s OT program.
At the heart of my career is a belief in the resilience of the human spirit. Burns may devastate the body, but therapy rebuilds more than function—it restores confidence, identity, and quality of life. Every patient I work with reinforces my drive to keep pushing the field forward, to advocate for integrative, evidence-based care, and to mentor the next generation of therapists.
Outside of the clinic, I recharge by hiking, camping, backpacking, playing volleyball (+20 years), traveling, and pursuing my own physical wellness—because living the values I teach my patients matters just as much as delivering them.
The Exponential Factor 