Graduate / What is professionalism in the context of a physical therapy doctorate program? [4]

PT Grad School Admission Essay

Admission Essay - Draft 1

Prompt: What is professionalism in the context of a physical therapy doctorate program?

As a 46 year old graduate student, I bring to the field of physical therapy a level of maturity, built from life experiences, which provides me with a unique set of skills. Of course, a professional physical therapist must abide by the standards of practice set forth by the American Physical Therapy Association, just as I have followed the rules established by the American Massage Therapy Association as a certified massage therapist for 18 years. However, to be an effective practitioner I wouldn't just follow the rules, I would utilize aspects of my personality such as compassion for wellness and physical activity, respect, and empathy. Adequate care is built on trust and respect just as much as extensive knowledge and training.

A treatment program shouldn't be rote, it should be based on the unique dimensions of a patient's case. As a certified massage therapist I've had the opportunity to work with talented practitioners who follow the same philosophy of individualized care. As a chiropractic assistant, where I held duties such as applying cryotherapy and heat treatments, traction, and pre/ post adjustment soft tissue work. I admired the way the chiropractor, Dr. Adam Benjamin, treated his patients. He was kind and caring and took the time to understand their injury, modifying their care as needed. If a certain treatment wasn't working, he made modifications or chose a different modality. He was also passionate about his work, always learning new techniques and striving to give the most comprehensive care to get his patients back to moving pain free.

Dr. Benjamin was always respectful. He never spoke down to his patients, explained their treatment in simple terms and didn't overwhelm them with technical jargon. He listened to their worries and concerns and did his best to design treatments based on their goals. We worked well together as we had a shared passion for patient care and both felt satisfaction when they improved. We weren't just providing relief, we were helping people return to physical activity, independence, and self reliance. I trusted him so much that I brought my mother in for treatment, which she was thankful for and she doesn't trust anyone! I loved how much the treatment made her feel happy and I wanted to be able to provide that kind of joy to my clients. However, I lacked the training and after some consideration, saw physical therapy as a path to becoming a well rounded practitioner.

I signed up for classes at CSUEB as a Kinesiology major without hesitation, making the commitment to a Bachelor program which was no easy feat, given I was still operating a full time massage practice. However, this proved to be advantageous as I was able to put into practice the things I was learning in school. In my internship, I taught strength and balance to cardiac rehab clients through Eden Medical Center. I was part of a paid research team that conducted field correlation studies, linking cognition and cardiovascular fitness in elderly populations. I even got my mom to start to walk and hydrate more often. These experiences encouraged me to continue, despite the academic workload. I even started to imagine the population I wanted to affect most when I worked with elderly clients. Even my older massage clients motivated me to want to work with older patients given many of them have been working with me for over 15 years and they valued exercise the way I do, staying healthy and staying connected to our communities. I knew I had made the right decision to want to be a physical therapist because I had the skills as an intuitive practitioner and I know I must also maintain a level of professionalism that would incline someone to want to work with me.

Professionalism means taking pride in the profession one represents. As a physical therapist, professionalism means respecting myself and those who come under my care. While specialized techniques are important, compassion, empathy, strong communication skills, and a passion for lifelong physical activity makes me a well rounded practitioner and creates a trusting patient-therapist relationship. I bring a unique dimension to the field of rehabilitation in that I have life and clinical experience and have a desire to provide people with relief from pain. As an immigrant from Vietnam, coming to the U.S. in 1971, I am proud to say I will be the first one in my family to graduate from college and am excited about the new path I have chosen.