Please let me know your thoughts on my personal statement essay. The question from PTCAS was "what personal characteristics and motivating factors have led you to pursue the profession of physical therapy?
There are many aspects of my life which have shaped my decision to pursue the profession of Physical Therapy. I have always known that I wanted to pursue a career in healthcare but was not sure which field was the right one for me.
My first encounter with Physical Therapy started four years ago. I just graduated High School and found a job as a Physical Therapy technician in a busy out-patient clinic. The first thing I noticed about this field was how important it was that the patient stay motivated throughout their entire treatment, even after the Therapist was gone. To me Physical Therapy was a field of professionals who taught others how to help themselves and that the education patients would acquire would follow the patient even after their Therapy was finished. I noticed that each case was different and required a dedicated Physical Therapist to get them through their physical ailment. To me, I noticed that Physical Therapy did not just require the academic background and knowledge of the application of modalities. This profession also required a caring, understanding and motivating individual who could get a patient to adapt to their treatment plan and achieve their rehabilitative goals.
Another factor which led me to believe that Physical Therapy was the career that I wanted to pursue was the fact that before coming to this decision, I actively explored other fields of healthcare. I was still working as a Physical Therapy tech., but I also found employment as a Medical Assistant, became a Certified Nursing Assistant, shadowed Physician Assistants and Occupational Therapists. I enjoyed working in each one of these fields but realized that my passion was elsewhere and I always found myself referring back to Physical Thrapy. To me, I saw more value in seeing a patient advance in their physical progress and found more satisfaction in motivating and watching them achieve their goals. I am glad I had the chance to experience other fields because this is what led me to realize that Physical Therapy is the field that I would want to excel in.
One trait that employers and patients have told me that I possess is resilience. At my current job in Physical Therapy I am always faced with new obstacles. Instead of giving up or passing the obstacle to another person, I research the issue and have learned to adapt to each situation. My job today consists of assisting the Physical Therapist in explaining the home exercise program and motivating the patient to continue to be active with their program at their home as well as at Therapy, and teaching patients how to use their durable medical equipment (back braces, TENS unit, canes, etc.) There has not been one obstacle that I have turned down while working at this Physical Therapy clinic. More recently, our clinic was put in a position where we found ourselves without a medical biller. I then added this position to my job duties and taught myself how to bill medical Insurances for Physical Therapy services. I am now also in charge of patient registration, Insurance verification and assisting in patient education seminars.
I feel that my current job has given me the opportunity to appreciate the different aspects of Physical Therapy. I have assisted the head Physical Therapist by creating presentations for different support groups, teaching patients who have suffered from various diagnoses including stroke, Parkinson's Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, chronic pain and post-operative orthopedic cases how and what Physical Therapy can do to better their quality of life. Today I have found a passion in my work of assisting in inspiring and teaching others that they have the ability to help themselves get better. This aspect of my current job is what motivates me to want to become a professional in this field.
With my experience, I feel that I can get through any difficult situation. I believe that having a resilient and adaptable personality will allow me to excel in the field of Physical Therapy. I believe that in Physical Therapy, no two patient cases are the same and each patient will react differently to their treatment. Being resilient and adaptable will be the traits that will allow me to help the patient achieve and maintain their therapy goals. I have the motivating, caring and understanding personality needed for this career. I feel that all I need now is the professional and academic training to transform me into a highly skilled Physical Therapist.
