Working full time for the past two years, I have had experience being both a physical therapist aide/technician and even an assistant. I have completed observation hours at Gentilly Physical Therapy and Sports Rehabilitation, where I was a technician to a couple physical therapy assistants and physical therapists. At Gentilly rehabilitation center, I understood the nature of the work by assisting patients through weight training, teaching them the proper way to move around and assisted with recording the progress of each treatment. While observing patients under a physical therapist's supervision, I also had the responsibility of supervising lower level technicians during my support duties. Then the following year I observed at PhysioFit; I had a chance to …show more content…
Not only did I have hands on experience with patients but I also performed clerical duties such as scheduling appointments, recording demographic and insurance coverage information. At Piedmont Hospital I provided accurate education on procedures that were needed for new patients. Over the summer observing at Emory Hospital I accessed the effectiveness of therapy plan by observing patients’ reponses and observed patients during PT procedures to determine discomfort or pain. The last place that I completed my observation hours was at the Childrens Hospital of Atlanta in providing cold pack treatments and operated and maintained therapy equipment. Last but not least, I assisted the patients in administering active and passive therapeutic exercises. At all of these clinics and hospitals I have learned a variety of techniques, while completing the fundamentals of cleaning, organizing work area, securing patients with therapy equipment and motivating patients. Having to work under different physical therapists has shown me how to assist licensed physical therapists efficiently from their long hours of hard work. These educational experiences have taught me to go above and beyond my dreams and to expand my
Over the last semester, I got to shadow at Prowers Medical Center (PMC) Rehabilitation Center. I shadowed the occupational therapist Jeannie Cooper. As I shadowed, I was able to observer procedures and learn what an occupational therapist does. The first thing I ever learned that there was three kinds of patients that Jeannie saw: out patient, in patient, and home health.
and intrigued by the mind-body connection as well as the importance of human activity and occupation in maintaining mental and physical well-being. At the same time, my desire to work directly with people and be able to make a positive and lasting change to their lives by empowering them and helping discover their strengths and confidence in themselves to achieve their goals, led me to a realization that a career in occupational therapy would be a perfect fit for me. To me occupational therapy is a dynamic, rewarding, challenging, and inspiring field where I can fully realize my skills and knowledge. Having always been a firm believer in the patient-centric approach, I am passionate about providing excellent service to patients by improving their performance, preventing illness and disability and promoting adaptation to life
However, I want to do more I want to be able to follow the process from beginning to end and do the evaluations. I want to be able to do the testing and the measuring. I have set out on this journey of health care because I want to help people go from post-operative to back to fully functioning with realistic goals in place. I want to be able to walk the journey with the patients and let them know that they are not on it alone. Through Physical Therapy I feel that patients get more than just rehabilitation of an injury or surgery but they get a change in mindset from injured to functioning independently again as they did before.
The APTA core value areas in which I need the most growth are excellence and professional duty. I expect to become more knowledgeable in these areas through clinical experiences, collaborative learning with physical therapy educators and students, as well as through integrated learning from other health care professionals. As I work more with patients, I will benefit from my strengths in compassion and accountability, as well as in the related core values of altruism, social responsibility and integrity that I feel relatively strong in. My strengths in active listening will contribute to my ability to integrate and critically think about multiple sources of information related to excellence in the physical therapy practice.
Helping children and other individuals throughout the lifespan perform fundamental tasks that we take for granted is one of the most incredible aspects of this career. During my time as an intern, I was able to obtain a great amount of knowledge about the realm of pediatric occupational therapy that I may not otherwise have if not given the opportunity. Upon completion of my internship, I was offered an office assistant position at the pediatric clinic, where I have been surrounded by opportunities to observe and further educate myself on the skills needed to become an occupational therapist. Most recently, in hopes to gain hands-on healthcare experience, I became an in-home caregiver for an elderly woman who had a thoracic/lumbar spinal fusion. This opportunity has allowed me to oversee, assist, and motivate an individual who is currently in need of occupational and physical therapy.
When I grow up as a child, I was setting goals for a future and what to do in life. I choose to pursue Physical therapist assistant which it is a reason why I want to help people, be more responsible, give good attitude to the patients. Next 5 years I will be working in different states at hospital or clinic. I may change to undecided major whether if I want to pursue different major. According to Occupational outlook handbook” Physical therapist assistant observe the patients before, during and after therapy; making notes patient’s status and report it to a physical therapist.’’.
The fact that learning never stops, that you work and collaborate with some of the smartest minds around, and the uniqueness of each patient gets me very eager to enroll in a challenging DPT program with proven student success. I am very thankful for the experience I’ve had so far observing physical therapy and studying the sciences in my undergrad. I don’t think as many other careers are so open to allow students into their workspace and I look forward to one day being able to spark another young student’s interest in rehab therapy. Before my sophomore year in high school, there was little I knew about the physical therapy field but since then I have spent a great deal of time observing physical therapists and from all that I’ve learn I know that I want to become a physical
I have always had the intense desire to care and look after people from a very young age. I firmly believe that everyone deserves the best quality of life possible and this is what had drawn me to occupational therapy as a career path in the first place. It is so easy to take for granted all the everyday tasks we can do and we seldom consider the effect of not being able to complete them. As an occupational therapist I would be able to make a positive impact on someone’s life and make it possible for them to enjoy their life. I want the opportunity to provide support to people, help them gain independence and watch them grow more confident in their own ability.
Becoming an occupational therapist is my passion and my long-term career goal. Since a young age I have been incredibly inspired and motivated to befriend and help disabled individuals. Having grown up with a disabled mother who benefited from the services of occupational therapy I had the opportunity to see first hand how the experience gave can give individuals like her fulfilling and productive lives. With both parents working as healthcare professionals, including my mother who is now an occupational therapist herself, I see every day how rewarding the field is. Through my life I have had unique personal, professional and educational experiences that have shaped me into a strong candidate for an advanced education in occupational therapy.
Part I: In 250 words or less, express your motivations for choosing Kinesiology as a major and how it relates to your future goals. I have wanted to pursue a career in the medical field since I was a child. In high school, this passion was put to the test after I suffered a bilateral hip injury that made mundane tasks like going up stairs, getting dressed, or even standing a painful and taxing ordeal. I was advised to quit all physical activity by my team of doctors, but as a three sport athlete for me that was not an option.
This work experience has been extremely helpful and rewarding to me and the patients that I have been in contact with. This job field has also been important while deciding to become and occupational therapy assistant. I have learned
Physical Therapy Physical Therapists provide rehabilitation for injuries and help maintain stability. “Some history of Physical Therapist formed their first professional association in 1921 called the American Women’s physical therapeutic association. In the late 1940s, the association had changed its name to the American Physical Therapy Association. Physical Therapy was developed when the association’s membership swelled to 8,000 and the number of physical therapy education programs across the US increased from 16 to 39”(“APTA History”). Although many people may think being a physical therapist is hard because of the qualifications needed, the daily work, salary, and needs of the service have drawn my attention to the field.
Throughout the student 's career in the doctorate physical therapy degree program, they will be placed in
What I find to be the most enjoyable aspect of physical therapy is finals week. When everybody is scrambling to attain as much knowledge as possible. Our problem base learning program enables us to rely on one another when unable to grasp a certain. I enjoy seeing the different break out tools and the variation of methodologies being used to grasp certain concepts.
“Many PTs say they spend about 80 percent of their time each day in patient care, with the remaining 20 percent focused on administration,” (“Typical Workday for a Physical Therapist,” 5 Jan. 2011). This quote gives insight on a typical day of a physical therapist. Along with physical tasks, a responsibility that PTs endure during a typical workday is doing paperwork, filing reports, and insurance claims (“Typical Workday for a Physical Therapist,” 5 Jan. 2011). This is the more administrative part of the career and it tends to be less important or impactful on their overall day, but it also needs to be done in order to do the job