Hey all,
This is a tricky prompt in my opinion because for me, I had no real "decision-making" process. Physical therapy appealed more to me because of patient-interaction and the integration of exercise in recovery, but what really sold the career to me were the experiences I had. Any feedback on structure/organization/content/wording would be GREATLY appreciated. I've looked at this thing so many times and kind of feel like its blurring together...oh the joy of personal statement writing. Thank you in advance! :)) *limit: 4500 characters w/ spaces..*
Describe your decision making process in choosing physical therapy as a career choice versus other health care careers.
I entered my undergraduate career intending to join the healthcare industry. I enjoy teaching and helping people attain their goals, and thus explored careers. I shadowed chiropractors, physician assistants, athletic trainers, and physical therapists. In none of these cases did I feel as passionate as I did while working in physical therapy. The learning experiences I had while volunteering sparked my unyielding desire to pursue physical therapy.
Sophomore year I volunteered in the Athletic Training room and enjoyed every shift. As an Athletic Training Student, I was responsible for designing treatment programs for injured collegiate athletes and working with a team of individuals. I practiced applying my knowledge of injury-specific treatment plans and the intangible skill of athlete-trainer communication, both pivotal in patient progress. One case that reflected this is the time I spent with Tom, a baseball transfer from Chicago. Tom suffered several injuries during his career, requiring two surgeries on his lateral femoral condyle and a fifth metatarsal broken in two places. His frustration with his limitations hindered his progress. As an athlete, I understood the mental challenges that accompany injury; ten years of club volleyball had exposed me to numerous sprains and strains. So, I chose to attract Tom's attention to his progress and positive topics unrelated to injury. For example, asking him about Chicago or his favorite pizza spots in San Francisco instead of drawing attention to his knee. My time with Tom emphasized the value of caring for the whole patient and not focusing solely on the injury. My supervisor once told me, "People won't care how much you know unless they know how much you care." After a while, Tom's attitude improved. A positive rapport between patient and practitioner was key in recoveryïespecially for an athlete.
I continued my volunteering at UCSF's Health and Wellness Clinic. Having only worked with athletes, my experiences there were eye opening. Take Alex, a 12-year old with severe vertigo whom I met on my first day. As the physical therapist conducted a series of tests on the Balance Master, increasingly difficult stages compromised Alex's balance. She lost her position on the force plate and gasped with fear as it tilted. She gripped her vest, white-knuckled, and by the final test was nearly swinging from the harness. When I asked her how she felt, she tearily replied, "It feels like a tornado is about to pick me up and throw me around." Alex's visit underscored the heterogeneity of patients referred to physical therapy. Over the next six months, I saw the therapists at UCSF apply innovative solutions to other unique cases and encourage me to adopt the same mindset. I once saw a therapist alter a shoe to use with a robotic apparatus to better assist a stroke patient. In a research session, I used dance steps and high-fives in a warm-up for Parkinson's patients prior to dual-tasking and aerobic exercise. That seemingly boundless creativity was as impressive as it was inspiring, and it motivated me to explore other treatment settings.
Through my experience at a local retirement community, I met Winston, an elderly Iranian with Alzheimer's Disease. His broken English posed an additional complication to his treatment. Winston's situation stressed the value of adaptability in meeting individual patient needs. His gait pattern included short shuffles and when he sat, his eyes shut and he appeared asleep. When asked the date, he said it was 1972 and we were in Russia. The therapist decided that I monitor him while he biked until she returned. When she left, he closed his eyes again. I realized he needed clear instructions, so I spoke to him in Farsi. He asked me to show him how to bike because he did not remember. I evaluated the learner, task, and environment; simplifying each step, I told him to pedal as I applied light pressure to each knee, making a circular motion with my hand. After auditory, visual, and kinesthetic cues, Winston pedaled at a normal pace. "Thank you," he smiled. I was in awe; a patient who could barely walk was now biking like a healthy person. He continued to pedal while telling me that, as an active young man, he was famous in his town for hiking mountains before anyone else!
The diversity in my volunteer experiences presented no need to deliberate my options. In light of my experiences, the choice became obvious. Physical therapy is my passion and my chosen profession.
