STUDENT Physical therapy
You did it! You are now officially a student of physical therapy. All your hard work in undergrad and through the application process has paid off. Carry this energy and enthusiasm with you in to PT school. I have seen a number of first semester PT students struggle to stay afloat. PT school will be much harder and much more demanding than undergrad was. Expect this and be prepared to spend a lot more time studying.
Practical exams can be some of the most nerve wrecking experiences of your life. Now that I am on the other side of the situation as DPT faculty I love practical exams. This is the time that I get to see what the students took away from lab time and practiced with their peers. We know who practiced and who didn't. If you make a mistake it is not the end of the world. Forgot it and continue to perform. Do not let one mistake sink your whole experience. As a faculty member I use practical exams as a time to teach students. The students have had their time to practice and try to synthesize the information. I want to make sure they have understood and synthesized the information correctly. I don't mind it at all if students make a few mistakes in their process and reasoning because it provides a great teaching/learning opportunity. I do mind, however, if you come in to the practical exam and it is obvious that you have put no effect in to figuring out the reasoning behind the skills.
Take advantage of the time that you get to wear the title of "student". The moment you pass the board exams you are now a licensed PT and for all your patients know you are the expert and you know everything. While you carry the title of "student" this pressure does not exist. Ask questions, don't be afraid to make mistakes but remember to learn from them and get feedback when mistakes are made.
Lastly, professionalism is something I can not stress enough. Be professional with your classmates, faculty, and clinical instructors. I have seen students let their professionalism slip to the way side and not realize how big the issue actually was. You CANNOT go on clinicals if your faculty members doubt your professionalism. You are a representative of the program and faculty and they will not send you to a clinic if you are not going to represent them well.
Practical exams can be some of the most nerve wrecking experiences of your life. Now that I am on the other side of the situation as DPT faculty I love practical exams. This is the time that I get to see what the students took away from lab time and practiced with their peers. We know who practiced and who didn't. If you make a mistake it is not the end of the world. Forgot it and continue to perform. Do not let one mistake sink your whole experience. As a faculty member I use practical exams as a time to teach students. The students have had their time to practice and try to synthesize the information. I want to make sure they have understood and synthesized the information correctly. I don't mind it at all if students make a few mistakes in their process and reasoning because it provides a great teaching/learning opportunity. I do mind, however, if you come in to the practical exam and it is obvious that you have put no effect in to figuring out the reasoning behind the skills.
Take advantage of the time that you get to wear the title of "student". The moment you pass the board exams you are now a licensed PT and for all your patients know you are the expert and you know everything. While you carry the title of "student" this pressure does not exist. Ask questions, don't be afraid to make mistakes but remember to learn from them and get feedback when mistakes are made.
Lastly, professionalism is something I can not stress enough. Be professional with your classmates, faculty, and clinical instructors. I have seen students let their professionalism slip to the way side and not realize how big the issue actually was. You CANNOT go on clinicals if your faculty members doubt your professionalism. You are a representative of the program and faculty and they will not send you to a clinic if you are not going to represent them well.
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