stevenjcastro
Aug 3, 2014
Graduate / 'to get a job as a PT tech' - Physical Therapy Admissions Personal Statement [NEW]
APTA's vision for physical therapy is ‟Transforming society by optimizing movement to improve the human experience." This vision is a true understanding in what physical therapists really do and what I feel represents the entire profession of PT. I feel confident in that I will embody this vision the best way I possibly can as a future physical therapist and here's why.
With my experiences in the past 18 months having been part of a diverse physical therapy field by working as a PT technician at Texas Physical Therapy Specialists, I've reinforced my strengths in my ultimate goal of becoming a great physical therapist. Being a part of the TexPTS family has given me the tools, experience and continuing knowledge to help me further my goals of becoming a physical therapist. Being able to work alongside therapists with different sorts of patients has been an inspiring task, to which I have been able to thrive on. I've been able to bring out personal qualities that I never realized I had such as empathy. A quality I feel is a must need for healthcare professionals. While it can be a bit challenging for some to sense the emotions of those around, this comes easy to me. I can't explain how or why, but each and every patient I have worked with, I have found it very easy to build a connection that then becomes a smooth transition in being able to work with them throughout their therapy. I've been able to do this with young patients, older, difficult, and most of all, patients who are just positive in everything. Though sympathy is an easy and sometimes difficult quality to have, I feel empathy is an even more important one to have especially as a therapist. My first therapist I was able to work for, Mr. Mike McTague PT, DPT, OCS, handed me a book the first week as a tech called, Now, Discover Your Strengths, and told me read it within 30 days. After doing so, I had learned that my top strength themes as a person, whether professional or personal, were Achiever, Responsibility, Empathy, Positivity and Arranger. All great qualities he told me to realize that I had and to translate them into personal and career success, which is something I haven't stopped doing since.
The best thing I've loved about TexPTS is how they base their practice on the newest research to help their clients get better, faster, and stronger. I've been able to experience and learn techniques such as manual physical therapy which involves mobilizations and manipulations as key components. Each day I spend with TexPTS, I feel lucky and privileged in being able to learn and work with people with orthopedic conditions, neurological and geriatric. I've enjoyed working with patients being seen for sports therapy as I have a close tie with sports. I've learned and continue to see first hand evidence-based practice, one of the key elements of APTA's Vision 2020, from therapists who are specialized in doing just that through teaching and certification with Evidence in Motion (EIM), a leading company in training physical therapists in evidence-based practice both nationally and internationally. One example would be Trigger Point Dry Needling (TDN), a treatment technique that utilizes a very fine acupuncture needle to "shut down" painful or knotted areas in muscles. I've seen this type of treatment work numerous times on patients, and the positive results and relief that it gives patients has been enlightening to see. As a future therapist, this is one of many goals of mine, to become specialized as a healthcare provider, and continue to practice evidence-based practice by integrating the best available research, clinical expertise, and patient/client values, along with envisioning all of APTA's Vision 2020 other elements. It's one of TexPTS's internal missions in believing in identifying and developing highly engaged, enthusiastic teammates. I've been internally grateful having the opportunity as being a recipient of this mission. At TexPTS, one of their missions is to be able to have technicians have hands-on experience working with patients throughout their therapy. I continue enjoy living an active lifestyle as I'm constantly involved with health & wellness even outside my PT work. Along with working at TexPTS, I've worked as a Health & Wellness Coach for Townlake YMCA of Austin. With this, I help run and work with members in a program called FitStart, a YMCA of Austin signature program designed to help members set and achieve their personal wellness goals. This has been a rewarding experience for me, as I have grown to love everything the Y stands for through their missions, values, community service work and overall vision as a non-profit organization.
Another grateful opportunity I was given earlier this year was the responsibility in managing and leading a program within TexPTS called Fit for Work, an occupational health practice that provides employers with consultative services to decrease injuries, reduce workers' compensation costs, and increase productivity and profitability. Along with myself and the overseeing help of Jason Brown, PT, DPT, OCS, we two have been helping lead a successful program where we conduct effective and credible WorkSTEPS post-offer testing based upon a comprehensive physical demands analysis of essential job functions and capabilities for multiple of candidates in the pre and post hiring process as well as current employees. Fit for Work helps avoid companies costs by assessing a job candidate's physical ability, and providing a baseline of performance in light of injury and a return-to-work situations.
I have to admit, at first the main purpose of applying to the DPT program with UNT Health Science Center was due to my being a UNT of Denton Alum and how the campus is located in Fort Worth, Texas. I was born and raised in Fort Worth and love everything about Tarrant County, it's home. As I started getting closer to graduating with my undergrad, I attended a UNT HSC Take Flight Job Shadow Program in Spring of 2012. Here I met up with Jimmy Renfo in career services along with other UNT Allied Health pre-health students as we were able to meet with our prospective departments, walk the buildings and campus and get the chance to speak to professors and students. This is when I got the chance to meet with Dr. Michael Connors in the PT department, learn about the great DPT program and ask questions about everything. I took everything I learned from there and knew that I wanted to get my degree here soon after. Knowingly, I took Dr. Connors personal advice in which he told me to go grab a job as a PT tech and learn it if this is what you really want. Well I did that and now I am here applying to the UNT DPT program. I am hoping I can be apart of this programs mission which is "to produce highly qualified physical therapists who will enhance the health and functional abilities of the people of Texas with a distinctive focus on Tarrant County, rural areas, and beyond; to participate in research that impacts the practice of physical therapy; and to provide high level physical therapy clinical services." I extremely intend on serving my home of Tarrant County when I'm done receiving my degree. In conclusion, I present myself as an excellent candidate for your program and strongly believe UNTHSC will make me best therapist I can be.
APTA's vision for physical therapy is ‟Transforming society by optimizing movement to improve the human experience." This vision is a true understanding in what physical therapists really do and what I feel represents the entire profession of PT. I feel confident in that I will embody this vision the best way I possibly can as a future physical therapist and here's why.
With my experiences in the past 18 months having been part of a diverse physical therapy field by working as a PT technician at Texas Physical Therapy Specialists, I've reinforced my strengths in my ultimate goal of becoming a great physical therapist. Being a part of the TexPTS family has given me the tools, experience and continuing knowledge to help me further my goals of becoming a physical therapist. Being able to work alongside therapists with different sorts of patients has been an inspiring task, to which I have been able to thrive on. I've been able to bring out personal qualities that I never realized I had such as empathy. A quality I feel is a must need for healthcare professionals. While it can be a bit challenging for some to sense the emotions of those around, this comes easy to me. I can't explain how or why, but each and every patient I have worked with, I have found it very easy to build a connection that then becomes a smooth transition in being able to work with them throughout their therapy. I've been able to do this with young patients, older, difficult, and most of all, patients who are just positive in everything. Though sympathy is an easy and sometimes difficult quality to have, I feel empathy is an even more important one to have especially as a therapist. My first therapist I was able to work for, Mr. Mike McTague PT, DPT, OCS, handed me a book the first week as a tech called, Now, Discover Your Strengths, and told me read it within 30 days. After doing so, I had learned that my top strength themes as a person, whether professional or personal, were Achiever, Responsibility, Empathy, Positivity and Arranger. All great qualities he told me to realize that I had and to translate them into personal and career success, which is something I haven't stopped doing since.
The best thing I've loved about TexPTS is how they base their practice on the newest research to help their clients get better, faster, and stronger. I've been able to experience and learn techniques such as manual physical therapy which involves mobilizations and manipulations as key components. Each day I spend with TexPTS, I feel lucky and privileged in being able to learn and work with people with orthopedic conditions, neurological and geriatric. I've enjoyed working with patients being seen for sports therapy as I have a close tie with sports. I've learned and continue to see first hand evidence-based practice, one of the key elements of APTA's Vision 2020, from therapists who are specialized in doing just that through teaching and certification with Evidence in Motion (EIM), a leading company in training physical therapists in evidence-based practice both nationally and internationally. One example would be Trigger Point Dry Needling (TDN), a treatment technique that utilizes a very fine acupuncture needle to "shut down" painful or knotted areas in muscles. I've seen this type of treatment work numerous times on patients, and the positive results and relief that it gives patients has been enlightening to see. As a future therapist, this is one of many goals of mine, to become specialized as a healthcare provider, and continue to practice evidence-based practice by integrating the best available research, clinical expertise, and patient/client values, along with envisioning all of APTA's Vision 2020 other elements. It's one of TexPTS's internal missions in believing in identifying and developing highly engaged, enthusiastic teammates. I've been internally grateful having the opportunity as being a recipient of this mission. At TexPTS, one of their missions is to be able to have technicians have hands-on experience working with patients throughout their therapy. I continue enjoy living an active lifestyle as I'm constantly involved with health & wellness even outside my PT work. Along with working at TexPTS, I've worked as a Health & Wellness Coach for Townlake YMCA of Austin. With this, I help run and work with members in a program called FitStart, a YMCA of Austin signature program designed to help members set and achieve their personal wellness goals. This has been a rewarding experience for me, as I have grown to love everything the Y stands for through their missions, values, community service work and overall vision as a non-profit organization.
Another grateful opportunity I was given earlier this year was the responsibility in managing and leading a program within TexPTS called Fit for Work, an occupational health practice that provides employers with consultative services to decrease injuries, reduce workers' compensation costs, and increase productivity and profitability. Along with myself and the overseeing help of Jason Brown, PT, DPT, OCS, we two have been helping lead a successful program where we conduct effective and credible WorkSTEPS post-offer testing based upon a comprehensive physical demands analysis of essential job functions and capabilities for multiple of candidates in the pre and post hiring process as well as current employees. Fit for Work helps avoid companies costs by assessing a job candidate's physical ability, and providing a baseline of performance in light of injury and a return-to-work situations.
I have to admit, at first the main purpose of applying to the DPT program with UNT Health Science Center was due to my being a UNT of Denton Alum and how the campus is located in Fort Worth, Texas. I was born and raised in Fort Worth and love everything about Tarrant County, it's home. As I started getting closer to graduating with my undergrad, I attended a UNT HSC Take Flight Job Shadow Program in Spring of 2012. Here I met up with Jimmy Renfo in career services along with other UNT Allied Health pre-health students as we were able to meet with our prospective departments, walk the buildings and campus and get the chance to speak to professors and students. This is when I got the chance to meet with Dr. Michael Connors in the PT department, learn about the great DPT program and ask questions about everything. I took everything I learned from there and knew that I wanted to get my degree here soon after. Knowingly, I took Dr. Connors personal advice in which he told me to go grab a job as a PT tech and learn it if this is what you really want. Well I did that and now I am here applying to the UNT DPT program. I am hoping I can be apart of this programs mission which is "to produce highly qualified physical therapists who will enhance the health and functional abilities of the people of Texas with a distinctive focus on Tarrant County, rural areas, and beyond; to participate in research that impacts the practice of physical therapy; and to provide high level physical therapy clinical services." I extremely intend on serving my home of Tarrant County when I'm done receiving my degree. In conclusion, I present myself as an excellent candidate for your program and strongly believe UNTHSC will make me best therapist I can be.