Physiotherapy Personal Statement

Participating in sports has led me to the career of physical therapy. I have been an athlete all of my life. I have played every sport from tackle football to softball and every sport the community of Sitka offered. Being involved in several sports at one time helped me realize how easy it is to get injured and how crucial it is to have a physician that is supportive and understands an athletes injuries. By going to McKendree University I will be able to become a physical therapist and help injured athletes recover.

I spent the past few summers volunteering and working as a physical therapists’ aide, a move that enabled me to acquire a first-hand experience of the nature of the job, thereby heightening my desire to join the profession. As a young girl, I felt bad whenever I could see someone in pain. I, therefore, hoped that once I grow up, I would be able to help every possible way I could. I first heard of the career through my mother's mentioning, so I decided to give it a try by providing voluntary services.

My grades are very important, and I work diligently towards maintaining academic success. I am passionate about learning new information that I can use in real life. I never give up, and if I do not understand something completely, I will seek help and study until I have a proper understanding. I also enjoy learning from the actions of physical therapist assistants. I have completed over 350 hours of observation, and I have learned so much about the profession from the therapists.

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.

I define myself as a person who helps others no matter what, I have an unbelievable passion for helping others because of the morals my father has taught me. My close relationship with my father has developed greatly since he would be gone for months at a time due to his affiliation with the U.S. Marine Corps. I have made many connections with others due to our parents serving in the military. Unfortunately, this connection revealed that many parents and loved ones became disabled during their career in the military. Personally, I could not imagine what my life would be like if my father lost his ability to do basic things.

While I was shadowing a physical therapist over the summer, I helped with hippotherapy, horseback riding as a means of therapeutic treatment, and met a young girl with Rett syndrome named McKenna. She can’t speak, walk, use her hands, or understand much, but she has the best smile and laugh that I have ever heard. As I helped McKenna ride her horse, Dixie, every week, I began to see her balance and coordination improve. While at her first few sessions her parents had to carry her over to the horse, by the end of the fourth week she would run over the best she could while holding her mom’s hand. My experience made me realize how much a little help can make a huge difference in a child’s life, not limited to physical changes, but emotional as well.

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

The streets of my hometown have not been this flooded since the Ohio River rose over the ten-foot flood wall in 1937; only this time not by water, but by prescription pain pills. I grew up in the foothills of Appalachia, where pain clinics were widespread throughout the Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia tri-state area until 2010. Physical therapy is an option that residents of my hometown are not fully aware of. The opioid crisis that is currently being fought by the APTA is something that continues to go on in front of my own eyes. Unfortunately, the area continues to be unaware and underserved.

After high school, I’d wish to pursue a degree as a physical therapist assistant. Ever since I was younger I always knew that I wanted to become a PTA or else an athletic trainer. Sports introduced me to physical therapy and physical therapy assistants. I’ve played sports ever since I was a little girl. I also got injured many times playing sports which led my to go to physical therapy. I’ve always thought that the body was so fascinating and always want to learn more about it. I participate in Health Occupations where I am able to actually go shadow a physical therapist and see what they do.

I am a 28 year old from Killeen, Texas. My goal is to become a Physical Therapist and specialize in sports medicine. My long term goal is to start my own Rehabilitation Center centered on sports medicine physical therapy with services in general Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Speech Therapy as well. This rehabilitation will work as an outpatient and have an intensive outpatient setting if needed. I graduated in 2008 with my Bachelors of Arts in Physical Education from Berea College in Kentucky.

The physical therapy profession is concerned with treating individuals of all ages. In the future, I plan on being able to comfort individuals undergoing physical therapy by being able to use my compassionate nature, caring, understanding, and the expertise that I will gain, while serving as their physical therapist. In doing the previously mentioned things, I hope to be considered as an important asset to society. I believe that people will be able to increase their viability by seeking my assistance.

My interest in healthcare professions, specifically Physical Therapy started around the beginning of high school, when I took an interest to all of the health science courses such as biology and nutrition. This interest sparked because of an accidental fractured leg my friend had which required a physical therapist to rehabilitate. Only because of the critical role physical therapists played in the rehabilitation process, was he able to return to the track and fields. My professional goal is to become a part of this process and be the reason why individuals are able to lift their arm and walk again.

After graduation I aim to work in the health industry as there are different options of occupations. The health industry is associated with insurers, providers and the community. Providers to the public have occupations such as clinical psychologists, nurses, doctors, dietitian, physiologist and other professions. This essay will go through the industry, professional skills that are required and personal skills.

Life can change in a split second when an unanticipated injury or disease hinders someone’s normal daily life. Modern medicine, physicians and families can only do so much but physical therapy can help recoup the life many of us take for granted. It often isn’t until we lose something that we as humans realize what we had such as the value of our body’s ability to take us through each day. A physical therapist is the person who stays with a patient for the duration of the rehabilitation process. A physical therapist leads the patient through the process of regaining physical strength and helps the patient regain control of their future. Much like many careers that involve interaction with individuals, physical therapy reaches beyond

The principal aim of my career has always been to serve the society and my inclination towards public health stems from the very same desire. I grew up in India which has a lot of socio-economic deficits affecting health of our population. My family has always focused on prioritizing education and instilled the sense of responsibility to give back to the society we live in. Studying Physiotherapy in the early years of my career helped me pursue the dream to be able to serve people. I went to Institute of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation in India for my graduation followed by eight months of internship in Army Hospital, India. This had given me the foundation of principles of therapeutic assessment and intervention. As I practiced further, I realized that a gap existed between the practice in my country and the ones with better developed healthcare systems and this motivated me to pursue MSc Physiotherapy in UK and gain some clinical experience.