Blog #8

I have always been interested in the idea of physical therapy, especially pursuing it as a career. To become a physical therapist you have to complete an undergraduate degree, as well as go to graduate school for 3 more years to receive a doctorate in physical therapy. With the large commitment to schooling that the job of a physical therapist entails, I wanted to learn more about it to see if it was something that I wanted to pursue. Because of this, I thought that observing a physical therapist would be the perfect opportunity to see what the daily job of one is like. 

For my project, I wanted to learn about the specific things that physical therapists do with patients, as well as the certain exercises and recovery methods used. I came into my project with the expectation of following my mentor around and watching as she worked with patients, and my experience was just that. Each day of my project I thoughtfully observed the exercises that the patients completed, after being told their conditions and injuries to gain a better understanding of the context. Going into my project I also did not think that I was going to be able to contribute to the clinic as much as I did since I was just there to observe. But I was wrong, as I regularly helped to disinfect tables, go on runs to the printed to pick up freshly printed exercises for patients to complete at home, and retrieve and return equipment used in each session. My mentor and all of the other physical therapists I spent time with at the clinic were very nice and helpful to me when explaining injuries and answering any other questions I might have had. 

The only thing that I can think of that was lacking in my project was the number of things that I inquired about during my project. I feel like I could have asked more questions to the physical therapists I observed, specifically about rehab techniques and how they influenced the healing of the injuries and body parts in question.

During my time on the project, I learned about all of the documentation that physical therapists have to record from the sessions with their patients. I also learned a lot about specific rehab techniques for patients with hip and knee injuries, as those were the most common conditions/injuries that my mentor would see. I was able to learn more about how a typical new patient evaluation goes and what the physical therapists have to look and test for to create a beneficial treatment plan. 

I can't really see Hawken School partnering with the University Hospital Mayfield Village Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine Health Center for anything other than future senior projects. 

Rising juniors and seniors should choose a project that has some meaning to them. They should be interested in the project that they pursue, but it is very beneficial to focus on something related to a possible career choice. Doing so allows you to see if you would be interested in a job in that area, which can be helpful when picking a major for college.

My most important takeaway is that there is much more to being a physical therapist than just helping people regain motion and function. It is also a job where you can make connections with your patients since you normally see them frequently as consistency is very important when rehabbing. You are physically able to see your patient's progress, and it is so rewarding to do so. 

I am so thankful to have been able to observe with my mentor Rosie and the rest of the physical therapists at the Mayfield Village physical therapy clinic during the extent of my project.