Graduate / Exercise and living a healthy lifestyle is my greatest passion in life; PT 2013 [3]

Hello everyone,

Could I please get some feedback and revisions? This is a very rough rough draft of my essay. I would like to mention that the focus of my essay is strongly describing my decision making process in why and how I came to choose PT over other health care careers. I noticed that a lot of other people's essays focused a lot on their actual experience and what they saw at the clinics they worked in, but no description of their actual decision making process vs other careers. Thanks a lot in advance everyone!

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

Exercise and living a healthy lifestyle is my greatest passion in life. While many of my friends were inside playing video games, I was always outside engaging in physical activity. I felt such a sense of accomplishment from just running to the park or riding my bike around the block. As I got older, I started to play a lot of sports and found such clarity and freedom from it. I believe that being an exceptional physically active individual all my life has led me to firmly want to pursue something related exercise and fitness.

During my sophomore year of high school I had the opportunity to shadow a physical therapist at an outpatient clinic. My experience at this facility immensely ignited my interest in physical therapy. The energy and liveliness that I got from the atmosphere was so appealing to me. I loved every single thing from watching patients being stretched out to them running through a series of exercises. I also found the mixture of the patients that came in to be stimulating. There were all types of patients ranging from athletes to elderly people all of which had different injuries. One significant event that I experienced was observing manipulations and strategies performed by the PT. I was very amazed to see that how his bare hands could have such a healing effect. I was in awe because I was so naïve to think that injuries were treated by only prescriptions and drugs. After my experience at this clinic, I was strongly certain that PT was what I wanted to pursue.

I entered James Madison University knowing that PT was what I wanted to pursue, but also with an open mind to other possibilities. My interest of the human body was greatly augmented by JMU's unique anatomy department. Their department offered students to work with dried cadavers. It was so surreal to me that I was able to touch and see actual bones, muscles, tendons and organs. I was able to take it to the next level and take a wet cadaver dissection course. My knowledge of the human body went above and beyond of what I expected it to be for an undergraduate student. This whole experience inspired me even more to want to become a physical therapist. However, during the last year to a year and a half I felt a little compromised. I had the opportunity to be a teacher's assistant for anatomy lab for a couple of semesters. I found myself absolutely loving to teach other people about the human body. I also found an extreme satisfaction and rewarding feeling from it all. At this point, I was strongly convinced that I wanted to become a professor in anatomy. However, I spent more time thinking about it and found that PT was what I truly wanted. Although I loved to teach, I realized that I enjoyed helping people more physically. I also realized that physical therapists have the best of both worlds of being able to teach and help people physically.

After graduating from JMU, I felt that I knew of the PT profession on paper but not by experience. The little time I spent observing a PT during high school did not do it justice. My employment at Integrated Sports Medicine and Physical Therapy brought great light to see this profession for what it truly is. This type of medicine is quite different from all others because patients are not simply just given a pill, but with special techniques and strategies applied patients are healed. I adore the fact that the ways PTs are trained and educated to treat patients are extremely holistic and natural. This is something very unique to me that cannot be found elsewhere, and it has ultimately lead me to know that I truly want to be a part of that.

I believe that my passion for exercising and living a healthy lifestyle has transformed into something even greater from my journey. I was once focused on wanting to be physically healthy for myself, however I desire to want that for everyone. I am determined to provide all of services help others grow and improve. I firmly believe that physical therapy is what I am called to do. I hope to find and be given the opportunity to pursue it.

Undergraduate / My character strongly reflects the core and foundations of physical therapy; PTCAS [4]

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

I did some major revisions from my last one. Please be sure to add or remove anything. Help is much appreciated. Thank you all!

It was thanksgiving day and I ran until my legs felt likes bricks, jumped as high as I could and dived for balls as if I expected to land on a bed during a flag football game. I was a sophomore in high school and did not consider the possibility of an injury; however it gave way to my interest in physical therapy. I felt an excruciating pain from my groin area every time I walked. It was weeks before I sought out for help. I was unsure of whom to seek help from whether it be a doctor, athletic trainer or a physical therapist. My older brother, who happened to know a physical therapist at the time, scheduled an appointment. He performed a series of stretches that helped alleviate some of the pain that I was experiencing. There was one particular stretch performed that caught me by surprise. As I had my legs up and knees bent while on my back, he instructed me to squeeze my thighs together while he was forcing resistance. The next thing I hear is a large "pop" from him thrusting my thighs outwards. The feeling I experienced was similar to hitting a "funny" bone. He explained that he used what was called the "shotgun" technique, which releases the pubic symphysis that helps assuage the pain and allow for mobility. As weeks went on, I found the health of my injury to improve significantly from my weekly visits. During the last few appointments I observed little to no pain as I walked. I was quite fixated in how such techniques allowed for a full recovery without a single pill or prescription. I found myself tremendously curious and wanting to know more the profession.

I entered James Madison University determined that physical therapy was what I wanted to pursue. JMU's unique anatomy department helped me realize how much I truly love the human body, and how it connects with physical therapy. My understanding of the human body was greatly augmented by their program. Their department offered students to work with dried cadavers. It was so surreal to me that I was able to touch and see actual bones, muscles, tendons and organs. I was able to take it to the next level and dissect a wet cadaver. My knowledge of the human body went above and beyond of what I expected it to be for an undergraduate student. However, during the last year to a year and a half I felt a little compromised. I had the opportunity to be a teacher's assistant for anatomy lab. I found myself absolutely loving to teach students about the human body. It was an extremely rewarding and satisfying experience. At this point, I was strongly convinced that I wanted to become a professor in anatomy. However, I spent more time thinking about it and found a stronger calling for physical therapy. Although I loved to teach, I realized that I found a greater satisfaction in helping people enhance their physical well-being. I also realized that physical therapists have the best of both worlds of being able to teach and help people physically.

After graduating from JMU, my employment at Integrated Sports Medicine and Physical Therapy showed me how physical therapy is quite unique from all other health professions. Physical therapy allows patients to take control of their recovery process. Although physical therapists are able to effectively utilize their skills to enhance the patient's recovery, patients are depended upon to keep up with their recovery. I witnessed a patient who initially came in barely being able to raise their shoulder to regaining full range of motion. This patient was very proactive in keeping up with their exercises taught by the physical therapist. It was amazing to see how rapidly this patient had recovered and they deserved great credit for it. This made me realize how this profession is so humbling and revering to its patients. I was glad I was able to experience events like this and many others, because it reaffirmed that physical therapy is what I am called to do.

I believe that I have the ability to be a remarkable physical therapist. My character strongly reflects the core and foundations of physical therapy. I believe that my dedication, selflessness, hard-working, confidence and gregarious traits can be most effectively taken advantage of in this profession. I strive to provide my fullest services to others to help and improve their physical well-being. I firmly believe that physical therapy is what I am called to do. I hope to find and be given the opportunity to pursue it.