I want to help people in the most fulfilling way I see possible. This is the reason I have chosen to pursue a Masters in Occupational Therapy and a Doctorate in Physical Therapy. "To help people", may be the most cliché phrase one could write in their letter of intent into postgraduate school, but it is the honest truth.
There are many ways to help people in our everyday lives. There are nurses, surgeons, homeless shelter volunteers, and hair beauticians, all of whom use their talents to improve the lives of others. All are admirable professions and passions, but they just are not fit for me. Surgeons observe parts of the body that I, as well as the majority of the population, will never experience in a lifetime. They cut, remove, and repair all in one visit and therefore rarely see the end result of their miraculous works. I, unlike a surgeon, want to witness the benefits that my services offer to others. I want to chart the weekly progress that my patient(s) is making towards their goals; whether it is to use their right hand again, button up their own shirt, or to regain full walking ability.
My passion for Physical and Occupational Therapy began in high school. I applied and was chosen to participate in the Medical Magnet Program. I spent three years learning medical terms, studying anatomy, and learning copious amounts of medical conditions. During my senior year we were given the opportunity to spend six weeks shadowing various medical professional settings. I chose the Veterinarian's office, the birthing unit at Health South, and Physical Therapy at Magnolia School. I chose these medical professions because at the time, I had more of an idea of what I did not like versus what I wanted to pursue as my lifetime career. I loved animals from a very young age but I felt uneasy watching them receive shots and have their broken bones splinted. I felt the same about the birthing unit. Bearing a newborn into the world is a miracle, but the process and the urgency of protecting a young life was too much for me to handle. After twelve weeks had passed, I began to worry that the medical field was not for me. But after spending one week in the school system, tending to special needs children, I found where my true passion existed. One student's progress, in particular, is instilled in my mind to this day. The Physical Therapist played a video of a twelve-year-old child at the beginning of the school year. He had a feeding tube and could only communicate through sign language. He could not even support his own weight. It was hard to watch him try to balance, a task I had mastered as an infant. After the child came into the therapy room he was seated in his wheelchair, where I am sure he spent the majority of his day. When the therapist moved him from his chair and strapped him into the gait trainer, the child stood (with support of course) and walked across the room. It was a feeling I cannot describe. I had not partaken in any of the child's therapy, but was overcome with joy having observed the gains that they child had made through sheer determination and the work of the Physical Therapist.
I am an individual who enjoys seeing other people happy. The feeling, knowing that I am responsible for the genuine smile and the gratitude that is beaming back towards me is indescribable. I have spent years trying to find my purpose in life, where my passion lies, and what I could be doing to make a difference. Well, I have found it in Physical and Occupational Therapy. This is what I want to do. This, I know I can do. This is how I want to "help people".
There are many ways to help people in our everyday lives. There are nurses, surgeons, homeless shelter volunteers, and hair beauticians, all of whom use their talents to improve the lives of others. All are admirable professions and passions, but they just are not fit for me. Surgeons observe parts of the body that I, as well as the majority of the population, will never experience in a lifetime. They cut, remove, and repair all in one visit and therefore rarely see the end result of their miraculous works. I, unlike a surgeon, want to witness the benefits that my services offer to others. I want to chart the weekly progress that my patient(s) is making towards their goals; whether it is to use their right hand again, button up their own shirt, or to regain full walking ability.
My passion for Physical and Occupational Therapy began in high school. I applied and was chosen to participate in the Medical Magnet Program. I spent three years learning medical terms, studying anatomy, and learning copious amounts of medical conditions. During my senior year we were given the opportunity to spend six weeks shadowing various medical professional settings. I chose the Veterinarian's office, the birthing unit at Health South, and Physical Therapy at Magnolia School. I chose these medical professions because at the time, I had more of an idea of what I did not like versus what I wanted to pursue as my lifetime career. I loved animals from a very young age but I felt uneasy watching them receive shots and have their broken bones splinted. I felt the same about the birthing unit. Bearing a newborn into the world is a miracle, but the process and the urgency of protecting a young life was too much for me to handle. After twelve weeks had passed, I began to worry that the medical field was not for me. But after spending one week in the school system, tending to special needs children, I found where my true passion existed. One student's progress, in particular, is instilled in my mind to this day. The Physical Therapist played a video of a twelve-year-old child at the beginning of the school year. He had a feeding tube and could only communicate through sign language. He could not even support his own weight. It was hard to watch him try to balance, a task I had mastered as an infant. After the child came into the therapy room he was seated in his wheelchair, where I am sure he spent the majority of his day. When the therapist moved him from his chair and strapped him into the gait trainer, the child stood (with support of course) and walked across the room. It was a feeling I cannot describe. I had not partaken in any of the child's therapy, but was overcome with joy having observed the gains that they child had made through sheer determination and the work of the Physical Therapist.
I am an individual who enjoys seeing other people happy. The feeling, knowing that I am responsible for the genuine smile and the gratitude that is beaming back towards me is indescribable. I have spent years trying to find my purpose in life, where my passion lies, and what I could be doing to make a difference. Well, I have found it in Physical and Occupational Therapy. This is what I want to do. This, I know I can do. This is how I want to "help people".