Michelle graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Therapy from the University of the Philippines in 1998. She earned a doctorate in medicine in 2002 from her native country. Up until her move to the United States, particularly in New York, in 2007, she was licensed to practice both as a physical therapist (pediatrics to geriatric PT in all subspecialties) and as a physician (adult neurology and psychiatry) in the Philippines.

When she obtained her license to practice as a Physical Therapist in New York in 2007, she gravitated toward out-patient orthopedics. While working full-time, she managed to obtain her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Utica College in 2011. In 2013, she successfully completed a clinical residency in advanced orthopedic physical therapy through New York University. She became a board-certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist in 2014 through the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties, a council by the American Physical Therapy Association.