My firsthand experience seeing my dad enjoy his work as a PM&R physician sparked my interest in the field. I further confirmed my interest, as I was exposed to wheelchair tennis, gained experience with teams, and learned about the neuromusculoskeletal system. My passion, coaching experience, and leadership skills have led me to choose the field of physiatry as a lifelong career. Coaching wheelchair tennis in high school, was one of my most memorable and influential experiences. I have continued my involvement in wheelchair tennis and this experience has transformed into a strong desire to work with people with disabilities. After college, I was able to acquire more experience participating in wheelchair tennis clinics run by leaders in wheelchair …show more content…
A physician leader can create a situation where the team can work together to create something greater than the sum of its individual parts. Listening to the team’s input and synthesizing a road towards self-management, is an intellectually stimulating process that I find fascinating. As PM&R liaison, in the Orthopedic Surgery and PM&R interest group at Michigan State University(MSU), I started a neuromusculoskeletal physical exam workshop. Along with the orthopedic liaison we recruited the help of MSU residents and attendings to guide 25 students through six stations, each examining reflexes, strength, and range of motion of different body parts. I was also able to recruit my classmates to help with wheelchair tennis, and miracle league baseball. During the MSU wheelchair tennis tournament, I organized 14 volunteers to come out and ball run. And again for the miracle league of mid-Michigan, we helped physically or cognitively challenged kids play baseball. These experiences showed me that if people are given opportunities to get involved they will. Leaders bring the people around them up, and I tried to expose as many of my colleagues in medical school to working with this diverse
I have experienced firsthand the trials of a teenager living with a disability. Life is difficult, but I’ve learned if you stay positive and make good choices, things will invariably get better. I also plan to be a counselor each summer at the Youth Rally camp for those with bowel and/or bladder disorders, teaching them the importance of doing what they love and not letting their disability hold them
To satisfy my curiosity and gain a broad understanding of athletic training, I chose to interview my boss, Pete Stevens. Pete is employed by Physiotherapy Associates, a nationwide corporation that specializes in physical/occupational therapy, athletic training, and fitness/sports training. He has worked there for three years. He is currently the Head Athletic Trainer for The Arizona Rattlers. Pete received his undergraduate degree in Athletic Training at Boise State University in Idaho, followed by a graduate degree in Recreation from Arizona State University. He is currently considering additional education to become a Physician’s Assistant.
One of these causes, the Miracle League of the South Hills is particularly close to my heart. A friend of my mother has a child who is severely autistic, and all my life my family and I have volunteered for many organizations to help special needs children, of all of these Miracle League has left the greatest impression on me. Ghandi once said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others,” and that is exactly what has happened to me during my long term association with the Miracle League. I truly believe my association with this organization has helped me to become a better person, more kind, caring, outgoing, and energetic. Miracle League was founded on the belief that, “Every child deserves a chance to play baseball.” Miracle League operates specially designed fields on which they bring the game of baseball to children who may have never had the opportunity to play on a real field. I volunteer with the Miracle League Buddy program. The Buddy Program pairs volunteers with a Miracle League player to help the player The buddy is there to protect the player from balls, assist the player in batting and running the bases, and to be a friend on and off the field. I began volunteering as a buddy in 2012, and in 2014 I became a Buddy Organizer for my team, the Tigers. As Buddy Organizer I do exactly what it sounds like, I am in charge of pairing up players with a
Being in a school that brought students from various counties and cities with different backgrounds, beliefs, and perspectives, opened my eyes to seeing just how diverse humanity is. In a time when everyone is struggling with personal problems, I know how monumental a simple volunteer act can be. One of my favorite acts of service is tutoring. I tutored an elementary-aged girl for two years in Fort Lee and I will always remember those two years as the most fulfilling. Education is so precious, and children are the most open to it. Not only was I able to teach her math and reading comprehension skills, but how to carry herself as a smart and extraordinarily capable young lady. In return, she taught me patience and how sometimes you just need to approach a problem differently to see the
Entering my first year of college I didn’t have any idea of what I wanted to do. I still didn’t choose a major let alone a career. I was stuck in between wanting to make enough money that my family would be taken care of financially and choosing a career that I wouldn’t mind going in to work every day. The one thing that I was certain of was that I wanted to be able to help people in whatever I chose to do. After careful consideration and exploring the options available to me, I have come to the conclusion that I want to have a career in physical therapy. Physical therapy is the treatment of disease, injury or deformity through physical methods rather than through drugs or surgery.
With the help of my family and employers, I resign from my job and enrolled into the University of Houston-Clear Lake. They motivated me into taking the first step into my professional career in where I achieved my bachelor’s degree in Fitness & Human Performance. It was there that I was given the opportunity to do my internship at Proactive Physical Therapy (PPT) and see hands on what to expect in a PT setting. To be a part of someone’s rehabilitation journey, from the moment you first see them at their initial evaluation, to when they are graduating and being discharged, is an incredible feeling to be a part of. A Physical Therapist often encounter patients that are at the lowest point in their life in which they would have to teach, coach, listen and motivate the patient to rehabilitate them. When TW came in for PT, he was down on himself because he had
The medical field is expanding ever so rapidly in today’s society. In the field of Physical Therapy one needs to have the understanding of how the human body works and the injuries one body could sustain. I have chosen a career to help others to battle back from life-changing injuries or surgeries. I will take the first step of joining the medical field by obtaining a physical therapist associates degree. I will become a Physical Therapist Assistant.
From a young age I was interested in the medical field. As I became more exposed to the various options, I decided physical therapy was the right career for me. My experience has proved the field to be interesting and fun. I enjoy working with people and the versatility of therapy. There are many areas to specialize in and I look forward to learning which one is right for me. At the moment I am interested in pediatric acute care but I am also interested in sports and orthopedics. As I continue my studies, I look forward to learning about the different fields in which physical therapy will take me. My future views may change which physical therapy field I wish to pursue, but right now I look forward to learning as much as I can about physical therapy and helping others.
While being able to financially support myself one day still motivated me, I began to appreciate the importance of physical independence as well. I never want to be physically limited and unable to do the things that make me happy, such as snowboarding or kayaking, and I also want to remain independent into old age. This reinforced my desire to pursue physical therapy because I want the opportunity to help others achieve this same kind of freedom that will improve their quality of life. A student and professional must be invested in the patients and be able to empathize with them. Having these abilities will contribute to creating more effective treatment plans and achieving better treatment
but I also participated in Campus Life, The First Church of the Nazarene Youth Group, and off season intra mural sports such as basketball and baseball. I also volunteered in my community by serving at the soup kitchen, filling backpacks for children in need through the “Blessings in a Backpack”, Operation Backyard, Volunteer basketball coach for Kim League Basketball program at the YMCA, and most recently a Middle School Campus Life leader of 7th grade boys at Crestview Middle
I thought this was a great experience and opened my eyes to all the challenges individuals in wheelchairs have to face. Throughout the day, I noticed I had to go out of my way to find a path that was accessible for a wheelchair. Not only was it inconvenient, but at times it was physically challenging and required a lot of energy. The next day my arms were very sore. It was also difficult to navigate around the classroom, and I sometimes had to ask for assistance to move obstacles out of the way. A lot of the doors on campus were very heavy and made getting through the doorways a lot harder. Most of the time, I needed someone to hold open the door so I could get through to the other room. These experiences made me realize how important is it
The identity of a physical therapist is essentially an expert in movement. In order to optimize patient movement, a strong foundation of biomechanical knowledge is required. In order to ensure that I build a strong knowledge base, I will put forth my best efforts into all of my course work. Although book knowledge is important to have, practical knowledge can be considered to be of slightly greater value in certain cases.2 For instance, it is more valuable to have performed and experienced a patient care technique, than only to have read about it. Furthermore, it is the responsibility of
Physical therapy plays a major role in the lives of many individuals every day. It is up to those in the Physical therapy profession to assist patients in rehabilitation, prevention, and care. Obtaining a Physical Therapy license requires relevant certifications and credentials. A Bachelor in Health Science is just the start of the educational requirements needed to succeed. As with any profession, there are some current issues in the field of Health Care that relate to Physical Therapy. This includes the Affordable Care Act, Medicare, and individuals with disabilities. It is vital to be a respectful and professional Physical therapist. Patient care is priority. Having the proper education and knowledge to assist clients is extremely important. People of all ages require physical therapy for various injuries, illnesses, and diseases. I feel that my connection with working with people of all ages will benefit me when it comes to the job. While I know what my strengths are, I do have goals set for my future in Physical Therapy. These goals include: graduating Kaplan University with a Bachelors of Science in Health Science, graduating University of Massachusetts with a Doctorates of Physical Therapy, receiving licensure from the State of Massachusetts, and gaining employment in a sports or rehabilitation setting. I know that Kaplan University Career Services can assist me in obtaining my goals as a Physical Therapist because of their in-depth assistive programs that can assist me with my employment desires. In 5 years, I see myself working with athletes or wounded Veterans in a local rehabilitative setting or hospital. There is no other profession I would want more than becoming a professional, licensed, Physical Therapist and gettin...
Hearing the loud “thump” as the ball hits the racket is extremely satisfying, especially if your life now revolves around this fast-paced and exhilarating sport. Tennis is an outdoor game played by two individuals or pairs of players on a clay or grass court that’s divided by a low net. Each game is played with tennis rackets and small, yellow elastic balls. Tennis was first introduced in Wales and the United Kingdom in 1873 by “Major Walter Wingfield” (tennistheme.com). While most sports are easy to pick up, tennis takes extreme dedication to learn how to play the game, to perfect the amount of technique it takes, as well as its great impact on one’s personal life.
The internship that I acquired during the summer of 2010 at the Greenwood Sports and Industrial Rehabilitation Center (GSIRC), allowed me to gain an immeasurable amount of experience during my tenure at this facility. Within this period, the exposure to new concepts within the physical therapy industry allowed me to observe and work hands on with patients of all ages and disabilities that exposed me to various treatment plans and programs to restore client’s mobility. The essential Physical Education and Exercise Science (PEES) courses taken at Lander University were beneficial to my academic knowledgebase, which prepared me and developed me for the opportunity within the physical therapy discipline. Working as an intern taught me the responsibility of time management and working within a lean schedule that allow me to further develop my skill set. This reflection paper will illustrate my classroom experience, internship experience, and learning experience.