Physical Therapy Personal Statement

The American Physical Therapy Associations (APTA) vision statement sets a standard of quality care that should apply to every health care facility where physical therapy is practiced. In my opinion, when the APTA mentions improving the human experience, it is an attempt to encompass an enhancement in people’s ability to freely participate in the activities of their choice. Ultimately, the decisions that a person choose determines his career growth and relationship between him and the clients (Porter and Teisberg, 2006). From personal experience, losing the ability to take part in these activities can have a detrimental effect on one’s overall quality of life. In March of 2014, I was diagnosed with osteochritis dissecans on my left knee and

While a sophomore in high school, I had the opportunity to take a sports medicine elective class. At first, I was not too sure about it, but I thought I would give it a try and I ended up loving every second of the class, especially the hands-on experience. After taking both levels of the course, I learned a great deal about taping, special tests, the different treatment modalities, all the joints of the body and common injuries for each, as well as the different career options under the sports medicine umbrella. Since I enjoyed the course, I signed up for my school’s Athletic Training club where I was a student trainer for the wrestling and soccer teams. I worked alongside the school’s head athletic trainer to help tape, stretch, and provide first aid for the athletes both on and off the field. We also worked to provide and implement rehabilitation plans to help the athletes return to play after an injury. From this experience, I learned that I enjoy working with athletes and I wanted to pursue Athletic Training in college. After researching the different colleges in Georgia that offered

Being an athletic trainer in various sports for over five years, Pete has a great deal of insight and suggestions for someone who is interested in the field. As I am now considering a supplementary degree in athletic training, Pete has been exceptionally helpful in guiding me through that world. As many of my courses in Kinesiology also apply to an Athletic Training degree, he proposes that I get another bachelor’s degree, as it would take only a short period of time. In lieu of that option, he recommends that I begin a master’s program in athletic training upon completion of my current degree. Nevertheless, I must first decide if this career is the proper choice by evaluating the negative and positive aspects.

The students walked into the office that Friday afternoon looking confused. Many asked “Where’s Cory at? I need Cory to wrap my ankle.” Cory is our schools athletic trainer. I started shadowing him my junior year. He has been my role model since the first day I came in. My intentions that day were to simply ask him the essential questions anyone has when looking for a major to pursue: what do you do on a daily basis, college requirements, and the years of college education required, and do you enjoy coming to work? He told me the best way to learn about athletic training was to follow him. Now going into my senior year, I am his student helper and starting my athletic training education early.

When I broke my Tibia and Fibula playing football my sophomore year of high school, I started to really think about what I wanted to do with my life. I had a lot of love for playing football, and I knew that I did not want to stray too far away from the sport. It wasn’t until I started going to physical therapy that I realized that I didn’t have to, so I decided that I wanted to be a physical therapist, to help other people get back on their feet. However, my junior year, we got a new athletic trainer at my high school. So, I decided to ask Mrs. Pam if she would mind if I shadowed her, to learn more about what she did, and how to help other players with their injuries. She agreed, and I spent my junior and seniors years shadowing her. I learned

For as long as I can remember, my profession of choice has been an occupation in the healthcare field. My dad often reminisces on when I was three when he would ask me “What’s your name?” I would reply with “Dr. Peppers.” Well sixteen years later my dream of being a doctor no longer exists, however my goal to become one of the best athletic trainers in the country is burning with passion. Growing up I wanted to be several different occupations like a trauma nurse, an obstetrician, or a physical therapist, before realizing after two years of high school sports medicine that athletic training was my niche. In coming to better comprehend athletic training as a career, my experiences in my classes and clinical here at Winthrop along with my high school experience in sports medicine has shaped my understanding of the athletic training world.

9th grade I fractured my lateral condyle of the femoral head, leaving me with 2 months of physical therapy. At first I hated it never wanting to go, saying my trainer was too young to even know what he was doing. However, when my trainer, Adam, started to make it a game with me on how fast I can progress my competitive side came to play and i couldn't help but want to take him up on his offer. As the weeks passed by I started loving the atmosphere watching patients work towards

I had the amazing privilege to observe Erin Herrmann, who is the head athletic trainer at Putnam City North High School in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The reason why she was chosen for my observation hour was because she has the job that I am yearning to obtain after I earn my master’s degree in athletic training. This occupation is completely relevant to exercise physiology because athletic trainers have the opportunity to help injured athletes to recover by creating, facilitating, and assisting athletes with their rehabilitation assignments.

Sports have always been a part of my life for as long as I can remember but medical treatment has as well. Throughout my life, I have encountered extraordinary people who I know realize would act as gardeners nurturing my plants, my interests. Since middle school, I faced numerous injuries ranging from groin pulls to tendonitis to lower back pains. These abundant and varying injuries lead me to seek medical attention and subsequently, I spent a lot of time with physical therapists and athletic trainers which is where my interest was planted. Junior year of high school, my sprouting interest was further watered by Ms. Kazimer, the honors anatomy teacher.

As a sophomore student my main priorities were mainly taping, wrapping, and doing basic first aid. Now as a junior athletic training student, I am finally allowed to get more involved with the athletes such as evaluating, diagnosing, managing, and also treating patients. The last few weeks in clinic, I learned a bunch of rehabilitation exercises for the lower extremities, which helped me get more involved during soccer practices because a lot of the athletes like to get treatment and do their exercises during practice. I also enjoy that once you are accepted in the professional phase, you can start doing more hands on exercises and treatments with patients, rather than sitting in the corner watching other athletic training student working with patients. Another important skill outside of the classroom that I have been getting better at with having the ability to get more involved with athletes is learning to communicate with each individual in order to come to senses on how they are progressing during treatments and

Not only have I viewed physical therapy from the eyes of a physical therapist, but I’ve also seen it from the eyes of a patient. Unfortunately, I tore my ACL while playing soccer in October of my senior year, and I broke my wrist in a car accident the following month. Doctors ended up having to surgically repair both injuries, thus I had to attend dozens of physical therapy sessions for both body parts, before and after each surgery. Experiencing physical therapy as a patient was life changing, and it solidified my decision to become a physical

As an undergraduate student at North Georgia, I have experienced some of the most memorable moments of my life, which include creating friendships, exploring new ways of thinking, and gaining newfound knowledge and perception of the world around me. The positive atmosphere that surrounds the college instills a unique sense of camaraderie between students and professors. The values and traditions implemented by the University have molded me into a more mature and rounded individual. Because of my success as an undergraduate at North Georgia, I wish to remain at this institution for the remainder of my college career. The doctorate of physical therapy program has persistently displayed student success through remarkable pass rates on the state

Dreams shouldn’t be brought to a halt due to financial expenses. My mother and father immigrated from Vietnam and Malaysia respectively with nothing more than the clothes they wore, identification papers, and some basic necessities. They know firsthand how it feels to have their dreams continue to be unattainable. As a child of immigrants, it is my responsibility to live up to the expectations of the dreams my parents had sacrificed so much for. My parents went through hardships and sacrificed their own dreams so that I could be able to achieve mine.

I did my hours this week in the training room. It was a cool experience getting to see athletic trainers in a different setting. I was able to watch a patient do rehab with the swim ex. The swim ex looks like an excellent tool for rehabbing injuries. The patient was rehabbing a broken ankle. The swim ex allowed him to strengthen his ankle without putting great strain on it. The Patient did numerous different exercises while in the swim ex. The athletic trainer, Cassie, kept track of all the exercises that he did. I was able to realize the importance of trying to build on each rehab session. After the swim ex the patient did a lot of dry land exercises to strengthen his ankles. One of the major things I noticed as the patient did his exercises, was that the patient did the exercises to both his injured ankle and his healthy ankle.

My undergraduate education in Kinesiology has provided me with an in-depth insight regarding the physiotherapy profession and has supplied me with sufficient knowledge to form the foundation of human anatomical and physiological science. A physiotherapist is a part of the healthcare system and holds an extensive role in providing quality healthcare services. The primary responsibility is to treat patients with physical complications due to injury, illness, surgery or aging. The goal of a physiotherapist is to rehabilitate the patient to help him/her return to normal level of function. They attempt to restore body systems such as neuromuscular, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular and respiratory systems by using a variety of treatment methods. The