A question I frequently get asked at work is: “what made you want to be a Physical Therapist?”. There are several reasons why.
I have always wanted to help people and work in healthcare in some way.
A friend of mine break her arm in high school, and it required Physical Therapy after she had her cast taken off. I tagged along on a few of her appointments because the PT was a family friend and was super cool about me observing. This was the first instance that made up my mind!
Seeing my friend go through the PT process was tough because I saw her having to do some difficult things, but I knew that this was the best way I could help others.
Growing up being an athlete and into many sports was another reason why I wanted to pursue this career. I gravitated toward sports medicine. Luckily, I never had a serious injury.
I was fortunate enough to take a sports medicine class in high school which also helped seal the deal for me. It was in that sports medicine class that I learned some of the techniques I still use today.
What do I love about being a Physical Therapist?
The simplest answer is I love helping people. It is a fantastic feeling when you see a person through their entire plan of care from that initial evaluation to discharge. To see them meet their specific goals and perform the tasks they want without pain or any other limitations.
Working with kids and teenagers, my day is filled with playing in a way that will help them achieve their goals. Young athletes especially are fun to come up with different activities to improve their injury.
I have worked with all ages throughout my career, and it is rewarding no matter what the patient’s age.
I also love that every day is different. And getting to meet new people every day. Things change every day including exercises, the type of pain a patient is experiencing, and even improvements in their condition.
The downside of Physical Therapy
I will admit there are times it is hard; I have treated or attempted to treat patients that do not want to get better or do not believe they will. Which can make the job difficult.
Another tough part of the job is PAPERWORK! I do not think there is any PT out there that likes to do paperwork, but it needs to be done.
Given those difficulties, is still believe the good outweighs the bad in this career.
If you are considering Physical Therapy as a career path, feel free to reach out to me! I will answer any questions you have and will most likely try to convince you to go for it!