Graduate / HOPE IN REHABILITATION - PTCAS Essay [2]

Hello! This is my PTCAS essay. I have a tendency to be wordy and make logical mistakes. Also, I tried to be genuine but i'm not sure if it comes off as cheesy or heartfelt. Feedback would be appreciated!

Describe your decision making process in choosing physical therapy as a career choice versus other health care careers

He gave my grandfather hope. That's what I remember about the first physical therapist I ever met. Even though my grandfather passed away soon after starting physical therapy, the change in his attitude was etched into my mind. My grandfather, who gave up on the idea of ever walking again, was able take small steps before he passed away. The therapist gave my grandfather a feeling of accomplishment that he never thought he would feel again. Around the same time, a friend started an organization called Beloved International that provides homes for orphans in Kenya. She told me that many of the orphans were struggling with various physical ailments, but there were not enough physical therapists to work with them personally. She told me that physical therapists are high in demand, not only at home, but also in places, like Kenya, where underprivileged people are unable to receive treatment. At this point, the idea of rehabilitation was fresh in my mind. However, I had grown comfortable working at an insurance company out of college and was not sure if I wanted to pursue further education. When I finally mustered up enough courage to pursue a health care career, the decision was simple. While there are many amazing health care careers to choose from, I chose physical therapy because of the relationship building aspect of the job.

For the past year, I have had the privilege of working at an outpatient physical therapy clinic. While some patients are very motivated and excited, others feel defeated even before they begin therapy. A few months ago, a patient named Helen came to our clinic with an ACL tear. She was visibly upset and was resistant to the treatment that we were offering her because she was scared of reinjuring herself. Helen begrudgingly went along with the exercises that we taught her but was vocal about her unhappiness. As time went on, I was able to build a relationship with Helen and she began to trust me with her injury. The change in her attitude was similar to the change I had seen in my grandfather months before. After a few months, Helen was able to walk perfectly and greeted us with a smile every time she came in. Even to this day, months after her treatment had ended, she continues to visit us, wish us well, and bring us an occasional snack. This relationship exemplifies an aspect of physical therapy that I do not believe I would have in other fields of health care. While it is possible to build relationships in other health care careers, physical therapists are able to do so more frequently because of the long duration of treatment.

When I was in high school, I went on a medical trip to Mexico to pass out food, clothes, medicine, and toys to those who could not afford them. It was the first time I had seen people who could not afford water or clothes. I had never met a person who was so grateful for a water bottle. I felt good about myself when I left for home that day but I realized that a water bottle would only satisfy them temporarily. What these people need is physical rehabilitation and care over a longer duration of time. Though we left them with medicine and other supplies, there was nothing that they could do on their own to improve their physical disabilities. My desire, as a physical therapist, is to go to places like this and be instrumental in the rehabilitation process of these individuals who need it but cannot afford it. I want to be an active participant in people's rehabilitation and not just an observer. As a person who has seen the great need for rehabilitation in these places, I hope to one day contribute my services.

There are people that have wanted to pursue physical therapy for their entire lives. I cannot make that claim. I discovered physical therapy when I was pursuing a completely different career. The idea of quitting my job and going back to school for the next few years was incredibly frightening, and yet I was drawn to physical therapy and the idea of making a positive change in people's lives. Regardless of how much I would be paid, I wanted to contribute to people's well being. As a physical therapist, I want to contribute to people's physical rehabilitation. I want to stand beside them as they regain mobility and encourage them to do better rather than watch them from a distance. My desire is to be an active participant in their healing rather than being the doctor that they see twice a year. I want to be considered a friend by my patients, and hopefully give them hope to accomplish things that they felt they never could.