My friend Yusra posted her lessons from her first year of PT school last year, and that inspired me to post mine! I have learned and grown a lot over this past year, and I am excited to share these lessons with y’all!
1. The “P” in “DPT” stands for PASS
(Shoutout to my friend’s dad for this line) My program is a pass/fail program, so those days of unhealthily stressing about my GPA are over! As long as I get an 80+ on assignments/practicals/exams etc., I am in good shape. It is impossible to know everything, and that took me a while to realize and really understand. But wow it is such a freeing feeling! I don’t NEED an A to feel worthy. My patients aren’t going to care if I got a 82 on the exam or a 92. I can stop putting these unrealistic expectations on myself and really focus on learning, not a letter grade.
2. Comprehension > Memorization
Yea, memorization got me through anatomy, but that won’t really get me through any other classes. This is going to be my career, so memorizing then brain dumping isn’t going to cut it. I am studying for my future patients now…not just studying to pass an exam. I need to learn and comprehend this material, and that will take time and effort. I’ve had to change and adapt my study habits to be able to do this. I now create white boards to summarize large amounts of information. I also study with a friend, and we talk about things out loud and quiz each other (more active vs. passive studying). It took me almost all year to realize this, but hey, better late than never right?
3. It depends, and that’s okay
This is a common phrase in the PT world, and this used to frustrate me. PT is never really black and white, it’s more gray. Every patient is different, even if they have the exact same diagnosis. What works for one person may not work for the other. How my teammate studies may not be how I study. I have had to become comfortable with ambiguity, which is not something I welcomed with open arms. I am the type of person that needs an answer…one that is always correct. But this PT school journey has shown me that life doesn’t really work like this, and that’s okay! It is actually a freeing feeling! For example, my clinical reasoning may differ from my professors, but as long as we come to the same conclusion, it’s not that big of a deal. There is never one answer that is 100% correct, and I am slowly learning to embrace that.
4. Perfect practice makes perfect performance
One of my professors has a saying that he always emphasizes to us: Practice doesn’t make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect and imperfect practice makes performance permanent. I didn’t really understand what he meant when he first said this to us, but man do I get it now! Example: If you are practicing for an upcoming practical, you need to practice every time as if it were the real thing. Do everything correctly, and don’t skip over anything. If you get into the habit of doing things “half-way”, you will end up doing that on the actual practical (and you don’t want that).
5. It’s hard, but try to focus 100% in class
There are so many times where I’d catch myself zoning out during class, and then subsequently missing important information. Honestly, my teammates are probably tired of hearing me ask “what did he/she say?”. I have learned that if you focus during class and really try to understand the material the first/second time you see it, you won’t have to do as much work later (wow shocker right?). This is something that I want to do as much as possible during my second year. It’ll save me so much time, and in turn I’ll better comprehend the material.
6. Friends are important
You can’t get through PT school alone. You need people in your corner! Whether it is someone to study with or someone to grab dinner with after a long week…find your person/people! They will keep you sane, trust me. OH! And try not to focus on being good friends with everyone; it’s nearly impossible. This is very stressful, and you will end up feeling super lonely (@ myself :/). Find your group and stick with them.
7. PT school is not a competition
So you didn’t get the highest grade on your cardiopulmonary exam, it’s okay! Try not to worry about what other people are doing; your classmates are not your competition. All you can do is your best, and that will ALWAYS be enough! Even if your best is a whopping 68, the world will not end. On the first day of orientation, one of our professors referred to our quizzes, exams, and practicals as “celebrations of knowledge”. At first, I didn’t believe him. I thought this was corny. I had the toxic idea that A’s = competence, but that is not true at all. Assessments are opportunities for growth. They give you a chance to see what you actually know, and to find out what you need to focus on in the future. If you miss something this time, you will get it next time! I am grateful that my program fosters an environment of collaboration, and we are all willing to help each other out vs. tearing each other down.
8. HAVE FUN (and take breaks)
You don’t have to study 24/7! In fact, that is super unrealistic, and you will burn out QUICKLY. I don’t know anyone that is productive 100% of the time. So go out with your friends! Take that vacation! Watch that Netflix movie! Don’t beat yourself up for not studying after a long day of class; it’s okay to take a nap instead. PT school will be there, and you deserve a break (and some fun!) every now and then.
9. Call your mom!
She misses you. She loves you. She wants to hear from you! Don’t neglect your friends and family while in PT school. You need them. Even if it’s just a quick phone call on your way home from class, KEEP IN TOUCH! I know a lot of my friends and family don’t reach out to me first because they assume I’m busy and don’t want to bother me. This means that I have to take the initiative and remember to check in with them. Just hearing my mom’s voice has made a crappy day better, so I am constantly reminding myself to talk to her as much as I can.
10. You belong here
You ARE good enough. You put in the work to get here. Your acceptance letter wasn’t a mistake. Your faculty and professors believe in you, and they know you will succeed in this program. Try not to doubt yourself, and give yourself grace girl!
I just want to take a second to thank you guys for all of the support during this first year of PT school! Your messages, encouragement, advice, and well wishes have been so meaningful to me. I am excited to continue having you all along for the journey, and I am ready to kill my second year!
Leave a Reply