How the HECK is it December already? 2020 is almost over (thank GOODNESS!), but I am excited that it’s finally time for the holidays! So I’m back with another monthly Q&A, because we take consistency seriously over here! If you missed last month’s Q&A, you can check it out here! Let’s get into it, you asked some great questions this month!
Lifestyle
Where are your glasses from? I love them!
Thank you so much! They’re “Notting Hill” (size medium) from EyeBuyDirect!
What are some of your favorite hobbies you enjoy outside of PT?
- Blogging/content creation
- Binging TV shows (I have SO many shows to catch up on, I’m currently watching The Bachelorette as we speak) and movies
- PC games
- Annoying Jon 🙂
- Napping (that definitely counts right?)
Physical Therapy
Have you sought out any academic accommodations for your anxiety?
Thankfully I haven’t had to, but I’m sure my program would have worked with me if I needed to! I did utilize CAPS (Counseling and Psychological Services) for counseling and medication though, which was included in my tuition.
Were you open about having anxiety during your PT application period?
I DEFINITELY was. I actually wrote one of my program-specific essays about my anxiety around people-pleasing, which I will leave below. The prompt was: “Describe a situation where you were faced with failure. How did you navigate this situation and what did you learn from it?”
Prioritizing my needs is not selfish; it is human. This thought repeated as I nervously awaited my appointment at the university health center. It was the end of my junior year, and I had finally admitted that I was unhappy. The catch was why. How was I allowed to be unhappy? I had a home, food, good grades, and loving friends and family. This feeling seemed unwarranted, so I sought help. Following several appointments with a therapist, she presumed that I was experiencing anxiety, largely because I was a people-pleaser. I was a passenger, always doing what I thought others wanted and neglecting my happiness. This stemmed from deep-rooted issues involving my confidence and self-esteem, as I constantly felt like a failure. A year later and I am not perfect, but I am living for myself. The therapist helped me establish boundaries and accept that it is impossible to please everyone. I began doing things that I enjoyed, focusing on my feelings. I worked on my self-image and practiced honesty. I am learning how to cope with my anxious feelings and that it is okay to not be okay. I took control of my life, and I am now the driver.
I recently didn’t get into Dukes DPT program and this is the third school I didn’t get into. I’ve applied to about 10 schools and I know it’s competitive, but I’m getting a little discouraged. I wanted to know how your application process was a couple years ago and what advice you would have for me?
Check out this post for more insight into my application process back in 2017. My advice: Remember your worth, and that you’ve worked hard to get here. It is still pretty early in the application process when it comes to acceptances, so try to remain positive; a lot of students are waiting to hear back from schools, and COVID only makes things more complicated. There are still 7+ schools that could accept you, keep the faith sis!
What would you have done differently when choosing PT schools, if anything?
This is a great question and something I never really thought about until now. I honestly don’t think I would have done anything different (boring I know)! I knew I wanted to stay in NC for school (to be near family and Jon), so I only applied to in-state programs. I researched the heck out of each school (even though I was set on Duke as my top choice hehe!), and made sure that my statistics would line up and that I would feel comfortable attending each program.
How did you prepare for your cumulative practical exams?
We only had a few cumulative practical exams, but making sure to practice with as many people as I could was helpful for me. Getting your hands on as many bodies as you can is so important, as your future patients will not be identical. As much hands-on practice is key!
Have you ever had a bad practical?
YES and I will never forget it. It was my first Cardiopulmonary practical at the end of 1st year, and I cried with one of my professors afterward (who thankfully was super understanding). At the time I was very interested in practicing in this setting upon graduation (my how things have changed lol), so I felt pretty discouraged after not performing how I expected to. I ended up passing the practical (barely), but in the moment I just KNEW I failed it. My biggest piece of advice from that experience: give yourself time to think, be patient, and trust your knowledge!
Any information on cardiopulmonary PT? What does it consist of? Is it a popular specialization in the PT world?
Cardiopulmonary PT involves the rehabilitation of heart and lung conditions. I found a great blog post all about cardiopulmonary PT that can more thoroughly answer your question. I actually had a short clinical experience in this setting during my first year, and you can read about it here.
Got an interview at Duke! Any advice?
Congratulations! Unfortunately when I applied to Duke there wasn’t an interview process, but this post should be helpful for you!
Are there a lot of options for out of state rotations? I want to see CA, NY, CO, etc.
At Duke there is! I have classmates currently all around the country for clinic rotations. Check out this post for more information on the clinic rotation selection process at Duke!
How do you stay motivated and have confidence in becoming a DPT? Do you deal with imposter syndrome and if so how do you work on overcoming it?
Man is it hard! I struggle daily. I have to constantly remind myself that I am qualified and that I have worked hard to get here; I deserve to be here. Trying to avoid comparing myself to those around me is also really helpful. I try to find inspiration from current healthcare professionals, especially current physical therapists, as it gives me something to look forward to.
Favorite course in PT school so far, and biggest lesson learned this year?
Looking back, I would have to say my favorite course was anatomy during 1st year (when I was still bright-eyed and bushy-tailed haha)! I loved cadaver lab and learning the basics about the body. This foundational knowledge is so important, and I find myself reviewing it for clinical rotations quite frequently. Biggest lesson learned this year: no one is expecting you to know everything; if you need help, ASK FOR IT! I further expand on this lesson below in the next question.
Hardest part of PT school thus far?
Clinical rotations FOR SURE! This is the time for you to put everything you’ve learned thus far to the test, and it is dang hard. Now don’t get me wrong, working with patients is the best, but it is still a struggle. Between gaining my confidence as a clinician, trusting my gut, and not comparing myself to my CIs/classmates/other providers, my 3rd year is definitely a challenge. But I have to remember that it is supposed to be! This is my time to learn, fail, learn, and fail again.
Here are a few captions from Instagram that further expand on my thoughts and experiences during clinical rotations:
“You are very good at your job, you showed so much compassion for my daughter; you’re definitely in the right field.” That’s what my patient’s mom said to me after our treatment session today (for context, this patient has an intellectual disability—and of course I cried in the bathroom after like the sensitive gal I am). Today was a pretty overwhelming day for me in the clinic. My CI gave me more autonomy and I basically saw all 7 of our patients independently—and man was it hard!!! Inpatient acute neuro (especially in the ICU) is SO different from any other setting I’ve been in, and even though this is week 4, I am still not 100% comfortable. I am very type A. It is hard for me to accept the fact that I’m not going to be a perfect clinician right now, or ever. I can’t keep comparing myself to my CI who has been practicing for 3 years and is also a neurological certified specialist. But those words from my patient’s mom made me remember that how I treat my patients is truly what matters most right now, the rest will come with time and experience.
Clinical lesson of the day: IT IS OKAY TO ASK FOR HELP!!! You don’t get a special award for doing things on your own. Knowing your limitations is so so so important, especially when you are learning/doing something for the first time. This is something I ALWAYS struggle with, and am currently struggling with during this clinical rotation. It is so hard for me not do everything on my own. But I have to remember that it takes a village, and the people around me WANT to help me (like my CI!!!) so it’s okay if I need to lean on them when I’m unable to do something. This rotation is DANG hard. Working in the hospital is hard. I made a mistake today, but instead of continuing to beat myself up about it, I’m going to learn from it. That’s what this year is all about.
How prepared did you feel going into clinicals? Were you nervous?
I did not feel prepared at all (especially after bombing our practice board exam a few weeks prior), but I think this is pretty normal! Even once you start practicing, you won’t immediately feel “ready”. It will take time and experience for you to feel like you actually know what you’re doing, and that’s okay! I was definitely nervous as well (and still am!), but I try not to let that get in the way of my learning experiences.
How can I actually start putting in work as a pre-PT who wants to promote DEI?
DEI work is HARD and it is so easy to burn out fast. Ways to start that work as a pre-PT:
- Create infographics to share on social media
- Host webinars or chats with your university’s pre-PT club
- Raise money for a non-profit
- Start a book or journal club
- Talk to high schoolers about the importance of DEI in the profession of physical therapy
Is the salary for PTs small? Do you think the profession is dying?
According to Salary.com (click that link for more information!), the median salary for PTs is $88,8886. In my opinion, the profession is only growing! Each year the application process becomes even more competitive, as there are tons of students applying to program. According to the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA): There is a high demand for physical therapists in the workforce. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of physical therapists is expected to grow by 36 percent from 2012 to 2022, much faster than the average for all occupations. While demand for physical therapists varies by geographical region and area of practice, the unemployment rates are low across the country. The need for physical therapists is expected to remain strong into the foreseeable future as the US population ages and the demand for physical therapy services grows.
Blogging and Content Creation
How did you keep yourself motivated in the beginning stages of your blog (before 10k)?
Wooooo this was very hard. It took me almost THREE years to reach 10k on Instagram, and even though numbers aren’t everything, this milestone was a huge goal for me so that I could have the “swipe-up” feature. It was difficult to see other accounts in my “niche” growing so quickly, while I grew pretty slowly and steadily (I had a recent surge in followers—which I attribute to posting daily—my account grew from 4k to 10k between April-ish and now). Avoiding the comparison game as much as possible, and knowing that I was helping so many people and providing value helped me remain motivated. Things don’t usually happen overnight, so if you are passionate about something, you’ve got to be patient. Your time will come, just keep at it (easier said than done I know, but trust me)!
Your photo quality is amazing. What camera do you use?
Thanks for the love! I actually just use my iPhone 11 camera and Lightroom presets!
How did your first brand pitch go? Is there anything you wish you knew before?
I actually didn’t pitch a brand until this year (sometime over the summer)! All of my prior collaborations were pitched to me. I was definitely nervous pitching this brand, but thankfully they were open to working with me! Unfortunately, they didn’t have a budget for paid collaborations so we didn’t end up collaborating, but it was still a great experience for me to practice pitching and negotiating. Something I wish I knew before: a “no” is not the end of the world, and it may end up being a “maybe later”. You will learn something each time you pitch, and get better with practice and experience.
Thank y’all for taking the time to leave me a question! I am looking forward to next month’s Q&A, and continuing with this series!
Leave a Reply