PT to be in '15 -Jasmine Marcus

Fear of Failure: Physical Therapy Jobs for New Grads

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 16:02:17 -0400

Fear of Failure: Physical Therapy Jobs for New Grads:

Great post from a fellow PT tumblr about the job search as a recent grad!

pt2b15 replied to your post: Almost Employed

That’s annoying that they lead you on like that. Between you and your classmates, is it difficult to find a job as a new grad?

I should say that I haven’t been looking for jobs as hard as I could, what with illness and studying…

Ready to Intern in November

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 10:39:55 -0400

This week I filled out a list of the top 10 places I want to do my first Clinical Education Internship in November. The realization that it’s just around the corner is thrilling. Of course I’ll be excited to be on a work schedule with no homework at night, but I’m even more excited to learn. I’m realizing that I learn best from being able to see and do things, and not from memorizing my notes. Practicals are one of my best areas in school, and many of the things I’ve learned the best are things I’ve already seen on patients, and I haven’t even seen a patient since before I started school. I can’t wait to start putting the things I’ve learned together by seeing and using them with real patients, and I can only imagine how much I’ll learn in the process. I’ve probably never been so eager for November to come!

PT Update on Boston Marathon Attack Survivors

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 17:56:07 -0400

PT Update on Boston Marathon Attack Survivors:

Great update on how the Boston Marathon terror attack survivors are doing in Physical Therapy:

Lack of Evidence

Sun, 09 Jun 2013 19:29:30 -0400

Lack of Evidence:

As a group, doctors dislike ambiguity. We pride ourselves in the scientific girders of modern medicine and are most comfortable when we are dispensing medical care to our patients that comes from a double-blind clinical trial, that fits into a validated clinical-prediction rule. But very little of medicine falls into that absolute category.

As we take classes on Evidence Based Practice and do our own research, I’m often struck by how little (quality) evidence is out there for many physical therapy treatments. It turns out this is true in medicine also, as the medical writer Danielle Ofri points out.

Today in modalities class we had a guest lecture on Dry...

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 18:03:00 -0400

Today in modalities class we had a guest lecture on Dry Needling. It is similar to acupuncture, but based on physical therapy knowledge and can be used by PT’s in certain states alongside more traditional PT techniques. At the end of class we were given a brief lesson in how to Dry Needle and allowed to try it first on a banana, and then on ourselves. Since it is not legal for PT’s to Dry Needle in New York, and since it was only a short lecture and not a full course, we were not allowed to try it on our classmates the way we try everything else we learn. It was a bit bizarre to intentionally stick myself with a needle, but besides for a little soreness (from penetrating the muscle), it didn’t hurt.

Edit:

The professors said it’s illegal in some states because acupuncturists lobbied to be the only ones who can use needles on patients in those states.

Hi! thanks for the follow! I'm looking into going into physical therapy next year. How's the work load compared to your undergrad?

Sun, 02 Jun 2013 10:53:56 -0400

The short answer: it’s different for everyone, but typically more challenging and more time consuming than in undergrad.

The long answer.

Excited for a New Semester

Tue, 28 May 2013 22:18:35 -0400

Today was the first day of summer semester, the third and final semester of my first year of PT school. Although it’s only been 10 days since we ended a grueling spring semester, and this semester looks like it’s going to be about 14 weeks crammed into 8, and now I have to sit inside for 40 summer days, I was actually pretty excited. Despite waking up at 8am for eight hours of lecture, I was alert and attentive throughout it all.

This semester seems like the beginning of the next level of school. Whereas before our classes covered the basics of anatomy and therapeutic exercises, now it’s finally time to build. The foundations were definitely interesting, but it’s thrilling to begin learning things that can be directly applied to patients, such as soft tissue massage and modalities. I’m also eager to begin Orthopedics, since that is the area I plan on specializing in. It’s going to be a jam-packed eight weeks, but I can’t wait to get started!

How to Thrive in Second Semester of PT School

Wed, 22 May 2013 13:28:11 -0400

After last semester I discussed How to Survive First Semester of PT School, and I also offered some reflections. This time around, I wrote How to Thrive in Second Semester:

1. Stay Organized. In college, my room was constantly covered in piles of papers and clothes. I did a big clean about once a semester, and spent the rest of the time climbing over piles. In grad school, I’ve switched gears. I keep handouts for each class hole-punched and divided into binders. When it’s time to study, I know exactly where my notes are and don’t need to waste time finding everything. But it’s extended past my school supplies. I’ve found that I study better when my surroundings are in order, so rather than frantically cleaning each time I invited a friend over, I kept up with it, cleaning a little bit each week. That meant my apartment was constantly dusted and orderly, so even though I spent a few minutes cleaning every few days, I felt better afterward when it came time to study on the couch.

2. Get advised. I this mentioned last semester, but I can’t stress this point enough. After a few of my midterm grades were lower than I would have liked, I met with almost every professor I had. I met with the ones whose tests had given me trouble to get advice on how to proceed. But I also met with professors in whose class I had done well to see what I was doing right. This helped give me the confidence boost I needed going forward. It paid off extremely well; as I saw my final grades rise in each class.

3. Study with friends. I knew last semester that I needed more group study time, but hadn’t yet put this into action. I ended up finding two friends with whom I study extremely well. Even if we don’t always know the material perfectly by the time we get together, the sessions are always helpful. Talking the material over forced me to deepen my understanding of it, and I was always reminded of at least one detail that hadn’t made it into my notes.

4. Stay busy. This is another idea I mentioned previously. I realized how important it was first semester to continue going to the gym and begin learning aerial yoga. But in addition to staying physically active, it’s also important to staying socially active to combat the stress of school. Whereas in the fall, I often told my college friends I was too busy to hang out, I made more time for them this spring. And I found that similar to going to the gym, scheduling in these social breaks made me more efficient in the time I did give myself to do work, and also made me happier after. This carried over into my studying, motivating me to work harder.

All of these tips helped set me up to study and learn even better than I had previously. While I knew I would succeed, these methods often gave me the extra oomph I needed to continue. And although I don’t know my final grades yet, I know that I did very well this semester and made some improvements over the fall. More importantly, I realize how much I’ve learned. Between noticing gait deviations as I walk down the street, and being able to advise a relative on how to treat a cut, the material I’ve studied is permeating every aspect of my life. Next week, I begin eight weeks of summer semester, and then I’ll finally be done with my first year!

Hello! I stumbled upon your blog and I found it very helpful so I decided to follow it (and your twitter, sorry if I'm coming off creepy haha) I am an undergrad student interested in attending a DPT program after I graduate. I just wanted to say thanks for writing about your experience to help people like me :)

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:54:43 -0400

That’s not creepy at all, thanks so much for following me both here and on Twitter. Good luck in your pre-PT school journey and let me know if you have any questions along the way!

Hi, I'm currently applying for PT Aide positions and just can't seem to catch a break. What is it that PT clinics are looking for? I research the clinics and their methods, I talk about my experiences and still get nothing :( Any feedback would be great!

Tue, 14 May 2013 21:44:05 -0400

Is it possible to ask some of the places where you’ve already interviewed if there is anything you can improve on for next time? Maybe to gain some PT experience, you can try volunteering or shadowing a PT at a local hospital first. From my experience, a PT Aide should know a bit about the body and physical therapy, and be open to learning more. An Aide should be responsible, and able to multi-task and take criticism. And an Aide should have good people skills to be able to work well with both fellow employees and patients. Good luck in the search!

The Right Stance Can Be Reassuring â Studied

Tue, 07 May 2013 16:30:20 -0400

The Right Stance Can Be Reassuring â Studied:

To look and perform your best, academic and image experts recommend a two-minute power pose before any stressful situation. During the event, keep an expansive posture with your chest open, but not puffed, and keep your head level or slightly raised.

In neuro this semester, we covered emotions and one theory of their formation is that a person feels something subconsciously, then physically reacts to it (for example, by frowning or smiling) and then consciously perceives the emotion. Just in time for my neuro final is an article about how standing confidently can increase confidence. Now I need to remember to strike a powerful pose before the best!

I spiced up some of my workouts this week by incorporating exercises I’ve learned in...

Sun, 05 May 2013 15:19:52 -0400

I spiced up some of my workouts this week by incorporating exercises I’ve learned in Therapeutic Exercise. Studying for finals + exercising = PT student multitasking at its finest!

Interesting graphic showing common sports and workplace injuries...

Sat, 04 May 2013 11:25:05 -0400

Interesting graphic showing common sports and workplace injuries that lead to needing PT

Weekend Reading

Fri, 03 May 2013 18:19:00 -0400

Weekend Reading:

1. A father-son team survived the Boston Marathon terror attacks. The race was just one of hundreds they have run together, the father pushing his son (who has cerebral palsy) along in a wheelchair the whole time.

2. This week’s NYT Modern Love column is written by a woman whose marriage is tested after her husband undergoes a traumatic brain injury

Physical Therapy - Best Jobs of 2013

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 13:41:00 -0400

Physical Therapy - Best Jobs of 2013:

The Wall Street Journal published a new job rankings report with Physical Therapy the #9 Best Job of the year:

CareerCast.com ranked 200 jobs from best to worst based on five criteria: physical demands, work environment, income, stress and hiring outlook. To compile its list, the firm primarily used data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and other government agencies.

Israeli Trauma Training Saved Lives in Boston

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 17:15:15 -0400

Despite the loss of three lives in the tragic terrorist attack last week at the Boston Marathon, one common refrain is amazement that more lives weren’t lost. There are many reasons that the majority of the many injured bystanders were saved, and it turns out that one reason is training from Israeli medical workers, who unfortunately have more experience dealing with the devastating effects of terrorism.

One doctor working in Boston, David Spector, who had previously worked as a surgeon in Tel Aviv, Israel after serving in the Israel Defense Forces, noted that the Americans were much more prepared to handle the attack than he would have imagined.

Here is another article that details the Israeli influence on American trauma medicine:

“The only field or occupation that benefits from war is medicine,” said Dr. David Cifu, rehabilitation medicine chief at the Veterans Health Administration.

One place help has come from is Israel, which for decades has dealt with the aftermath of Palestinian bombs, like the ones in Boston, often laden with nails, ball bearings and other metals.

In the immediate aftermath of the attack, Massachusetts General Hospital director Dr. Alasdair Conn said the hospital’s triage knowledge had come from Israel.

“About two years ago… we asked the Israelis to come across, and they helped us set up our disaster team so that we could respond in this kind of manner,” he told reporters on Monday.

Some of the subjects presented by Israeli doctors included “how to coordinate ambulances to distribute the wounded to area hospitals according to their type of injury, performing more CT scans than usual to locate deep shrapnel wounds and ways to identify and classify wounds.”

For this and many other reasons, I’m excited to (hopefully) spend one of my physical therapy internships in an Israeli hospital.

War and Sports Shape Better Artificial Limbs

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 21:25:58 -0400

War and Sports Shape Better Artificial Limbs:

In light of the Boston Marathon terror attack, an article about advances made in prosthetic technology. “… Athletic endeavor — whether competitive or recreational — helps amputees recover emotionally, psychologically and physically, even if they were not athletic before their injuries. “

After a semester of cadaver lab and countless surgery clips watched, it’s hilarious that...

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 10:26:53 -0400

After a semester of cadaver lab and countless surgery clips watched, it’s hilarious that I’ve never seen my classmates more grossed out than yesterday when we had a guest lecture by a speech language pathologist, and she showed us video of an endoscopy while a patient swallowed some food.

Average PT Salaries

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 16:59:00 -0400

Average PT Salaries:

I found some interesting graphics at PTAdvance Web about PT salary information. They break salaries down by age, experience, specialty, geographic location, etc. Overall, the average PT earns about $82,000 a year. Also, even though women up make the majority of PT’s, they also learn less than men on average. The numbers are very interesting. What do you think?

Aerial Yoga Takes Off!

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 20:14:00 -0400

I’ve mentioned my aerial yoga hobby before. This article tracks circus arts as the latest trend in working out. Some of my favorite quotes from the article:

“There’s strong and then there’s circus strong.”

“It’s not just strength, but also flexibility and balance. You’re learning how to stay tight, which takes muscle control. And there’s no impact.”

“People who keep at it eventually get rewarded with tricks, which is more motivating than a certain number of reps.”

“It becomes addictive to flip around.”

If you haven’t tried circus arts yet, I highly recommend them. Check your local deal sites for discounts.