Graduate / "the profession of physical therapy" - PTCAS Graduate Application Essay [4]

Instructions: Use your own words to create a personal essay that includes responses to the question below. Some programs require an additional essay question. Visit the individual program pages for instructions.

Which personal characteristics and motivating factors have led you to pursue the profession of physical therapy?

Dustin Stevens, a Sergeant in the United States Marines Corps and also a friend of mine, once said, 'Perseverance is maintaining a steady path toward a goal, especially when hardships or obstacles must be overcome.' I couldn't have put it better myself. In my eyes, Perseverance is what gets you through the tough times when the belief of achievement in non-existent or what is better known as failure. Failure can come to people at many different times and at many different angles.

There was a time in my life when accomplishment was nowhere to be found. The only things surrounding the people of New Orleans were the obstacles to be overcome. We all took one day at a time and more importantly one trial at a time, being certain to not put too much on our plate at once to ensure our safety and sanity. Two months after Hurricane Katrina made landfall, the return "home" was unimaginable. Home no longer looked what it used to a couple of months before. The flood lines on the houses, the sprayed paint 'X' on the front door which resembled the number of bodies found by rescuers. The city was in complete shambles. Schools were gone, along with houses and unfortunately the lives of many.

Overwhelmed by the stench left by the flood waters, we returned to our house. The drive from the New Orleans Airport to our home seemed to have been the longest car ride of my life. Not a word was spoken in the car while all eyes wandered around, taking in as much as our mind could handle. What once used to be pearling white steps were now stained with black dirt and brown lines left by receding flood lines. A twenty-five minute car ride seemed to have taken two hours, but home was finally reached.

The people of New Orleans all had one thing in common: Work needed to be done. Whether it was your place of work, school, or home, there was something that needed fixing. There was a goal set in everyone's mind, and the notion of completion was our mission. Nothing was going to stand in the way of our rebuilding efforts. Our own mayor had suppressed our hard work at times, along with the media and other out of state sources. Everything that made negative comments about the city of New Orleans, only made our willingness to rebuild that much greater. The love of our city and the passion that has been instilled in our hearts can be seen as one travels through this amazing and diverse city. The hard work of the residents and the enthusiasm

Five years later, we may not be where we were pre-Katrina time, but we unquestionably are on the road of full recovery. Houses have been rebuilt and lives have gone on with their daily activities. The characteristic of perseverance in the people of New Orleans is what has rebuilt New Orleans. When everything and everyone is in opposition to your goal of success, and you work your way through all of the obstacles, the process along the way becomes more of a learning experience.

This is why I have pursued the profession of physical therapy. I know the road ahead will be long and, at times, incredibly tedious, but I know that my background of perseverance and my drive of achievement will forever be in the back of my head, leading me toward a career as a physical therapist. Also, the true love in my heart for the people surrounding me can be seen shining through my personality. I tend to thrive off of the people around me. I want nothing more than to see the smiles on faces of the people I come in contact with. At that point, you know you have made a difference in their life, big or small.