November is my self-determined month of consistency, and monthly Q&As are something I want to incorporate into my content! I have organized the questions by topic: Life, Physical Therapy, and Blogging!
Lifestyle
Favorite fall pastime?
Honestly anything that involves being outside! Fall is by far my favorite season, and I love just enjoying the changing leaves and the cool air.
How have you been practicing self care?
I have definitely been slacking on my self care game lately, but these are things I usually consider self care:
- Napping
- A consistent morning routine
- Going on walks
- Gratitude journaling
- Watching YouTube
- Reading for pleasure
- Treating myself to a nice meal
How long have you been with your boyfriend?
Jon and I started dating in November of 2015; our five-year anniversary was actually earlier this month! If you’re also in a long distance relationship, check out this post to see how Jon and I have made it work for so long.
What are your hobbies or hobbies you would love to try out someday?
Current hobbies:
- Blogging
- Gaming
- True crime videos/podcasts/books
- Reading
Hobbies I would love to try out:
- Gardening (I want to be a plant mom so BAD y’all!)
Did you start holiday shopping? Where?
Not yet! I am currently living with Jon’s family during my 2nd clinical rotation, so I won’t need to purchase any decorations or anything. Target and HomeGoods/Marshalls/TJMaxx are definitely my favorite places for holiday home decor though. As far as presents go, my family and friends will get my love and support for Christmas this year lololol (thanks PT school for stealing all of my money!).
Physical Therapy
Any advice for new students preparing to start PT school?
I wish I had a solid set of study habits before starting school. I didn’t have to study much in undergrad to succeed, and that all changed once PT school began. Take the time before beginning school to really find out what works for you, and how you best learn new information. I struggled transitioning from undergrad to PT school, especially because I took a gap year before starting. Here are a few posts where I reflect on my first year:
My First Semester of PT School
10 Lessons From My First Year of PT School
What made your application stand out when applying to PT school? Any pointers?
I actually have an entire blog post dedicated to this topic already! I think my application was pretty holistic, so I don’t think ONE thing stood out specifically. If I had to choose, I would say that my essays helped me stand out. For my PTCAS essay, I wrote about the lack of representation in the field of physical therapy for black women, and how I want to help increase the presence of underrepresented populations and treat underserved communities! My essay was very personal to me, so I believe that definitely worked in my favor. Overall, there are so many things I did to become the best applicant I could be, and I discuss all of these things in this post!
How do you keep yourself from getting burned out?
It is so important to have hobbies and things you enjoy outside of medicine; your occupation is NOT your identity! You can’t pour from an empty cup, so make sure that YOUR cup is full before you try to help anyone else. Blogging is definitely a way that I prevent burnout, along with taking necessary breaks and resting often. Work-life balance is so so important!
What do you wish more MDs knew about PTs? Incoming MD student here!
Honestly, I wish more MDs (and other health professionals in general) actually took the time to learn about the scope of our practice. We do SO much more than get patients out of bed or give them exercises. In this post, I talk a little bit about all of the wonderful things PTs do, along with sharing why I personally chose this profession!
Is there anything I can do over my undergrad’s winter break to help my PT school application? (RIP irl shadowing)
I’d suggest you:
- Get in touch with current PT students
- Study for/take the GRE
- JUST RELAX…focus on personal growth and your mental health
- Reach out to see if you can observe a Telehealth session, this is a unique experience for sure
- Start a blog/YouTube channel or a get back to a hobby that you love
- Try to find a mentor
- Practice interviewing via Zoom
- Brush up on your medical terminology
- Take a free course online (or a course that you need through your University if this is an option)
Is it worth accepting a private school offer if you get rejected from a public school?
If that is your only acceptance and you don’t want to reapply next cycle, then I would accept the offer! Make sure that the program is actually a good fit for you though (and that you’re ready for that private school tuition, it’s no joke!).
Best way to get observation hours? Is it weird to call places and ask/request?
It is not weird at all to call places! I’d suggest finding out what clinics and hospitals are in your area, and then going from there. Once you’ve found a clinic you’d like to shadow at, you can either call, email, or visit. I would suggest visiting the clinic if possible, as this will show them that you are very interested in volunteering. If you are unable to visit, then calling or emailing will be totally fine! I honestly emailed every setting I observed at, but I made sure to tell them a little about myself, and my goals for the future. In addition, you can ask classmates or family members if they know of any places/physical therapists that you could shadow. Luckily, a friend of mine applied to PT school a cycle before me and shared the places she shadowed at, so I ended up securing spots at two of them! Check out this post for more information on observation hours.
Best undergraduate majors for PT school?
I answer this question in this blog post! Short answer, you can apply to PT school with ANY major. Choose one that you will enjoy!
Blogging and Content Creation
Any tips for starting a blog? I wanted to focus on life as a SPT but you do it all!
JUST GO FOR IT! You will learn and evolve as you go, so don’t let your fear hold you back. I personally started out focusing on life as a PT student, and then branched out from there. Your blog is YOURS though, so you can focus on whatever you want! You should probably pick a few topics to stick to when you begin building your audience though, (commonly referred to as “niching down”). If you try to talk to everyone, you’re essentially talking to no one. You will find YOUR people, it just takes time!
How have you liked the transition to doing more lifestyle posts/collaborations?
I have loved the transition to more lifestyle content! I’m not going to be a PT student forever, and I also want to share the other parts of my life. Fashion is something I have ALWAYS loved (peep my old YouTube videos hehe), so I am happy to finally be incorporating that into my brand. I am so much more than just a (future) physical therapist, and I want my blog to reflect that! I have so much to offer, and I am excited that y’all are interested in seeing a variety of things from me!
I want to seriously get into blogging. What are some tips to be successful with it?
My BIGGEST tip is to stay consistent! Things won’t happen overnight, and you have to keep the momentum if you want to become a successful blogger. Here are a few posts I’ve written that should help you get started:
17 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting a Blog
5 Things You’re Doing Wrong As a Blogger
3 Things You Must Invest in When Starting a Blog
7 Books to Better Yourself & Your Brand
5 Productivity Hacks to Actually Get Things Done
Thank y’all for taking the time to leave me a question! Looking forward to next month’s Q&A!
Leave a Reply