I have thoroughly enjoyed every moment of my mentorship this year. Throughout my shadowing at Georgia Physical Therapy, under the guidance of my mentor, Jennifer Hughes, I have not only gained valuable experience in a healthcare workplace, but I have also strengthened several of my interpersonal skills. By speaking and getting to know several of the patients, I was able to step out of my comfort zone and gain confidence and further develop my communication skills. I also was able to get a lot out of my mentorship by asking questions and taking initiative. I enjoyed getting to know my mentor Jen, and greatly appreciate the time she took to help me understand and be exposed to new things.
I consider myself very lucky to have been exposed to all the sides of a career that I never knew much about, a career that I might also pursue in the future. Seeing the behind the scenes of physical therapy has opened my eyes to the true lifestyle of a healthcare professional. I especially enjoyed going early before school to mentor and seeing how dedicated and enthusiastic Jen and her patients were, even on a busy early morning. I have also been exposed to several conditions as many new patients came to GA PT throughout the course of this year, and have seen many patients physically recover and get back into sports and other activities ,which has been an extremely rewarding experience. Additionally, researching and learning about hydrotherapy and seeing how how patients utilize it has been one of my favorite parts of my mentorship. My advice for future Honors Mentorship students is to really step out of your comfort zone throughout the year, ask questions, and get to know the patients and employees at your mentorship. In my experience, I have found that taking these steps has significantly affected how much I gained from shadowing at GA PT. As I prepare to enter my college career, and step into the healthcare field in the future, I know that everything I have learned at my mentorship will help me along the way.
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I, Maria Mathew, was able to shadow Physical Therapist Jennifer Hughes at Georgia Physical Therapy throughout the school year, while researching the benefits of hydrotherapy in physical rehabilitation. By using studies from the past, medical journal entries, and by speaking to several patients, I was able to draw the conclusion that because of the innate qualities of water, hydrotherapy has many positive results in improving physical rehabilitation and decreasing recovery time.
When I present to my relevant group, I will be sure to employ the Triple P method described in this video. I will first prepare my presentation by going over my website with my friends and family before presenting to my class, so that I am comfortable with it. While I am presenting, I will make sure to have professional and confident posture as well. When I'm nervous, I usually pace and move my hands a lot, so this will be something I need to work on before I present. I will also make sure to keep good contact with the audience and not read straight off my website, but rather present it like a natural conversation. After watching this video and employing the tips I've learned from it, I believe I will be fully prepared to successfully present my website and capstone project to my relevant group.
This article was composed by Bruce Becker, a professor at University of Washington Seattle. It combines several claims and results of other studies clinically and reviews the scientific benefits of aquatic physical therapy due to the very physical properties of water. These properties include density, hydrostatic pressure, viscosity, buoyancy and heat capacity. The review also outlines the different areas of rehabilitation such as cardiovascular and respiratory in which aquatic therapy has positive results. Furthermore, it states that the benefits of aquatic exercise have been shown to equal or surpass other forms of exercise to assist in recovery time. I can use this article to support my research on the benefits of hydrotherapy. Because it was conducted in 2009, the data and claims made are relatively recent and prevalent.
MLA: PM&R © 2009 by the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 1934-1482/09/$36.00 Vol. 1, 859-872, September 2009 Printed in U.S.A. DOI: 10.1016/j.pmrj.2009.05.017 This week, I have talked to several of the patients at GA PT who regularly use the pool for hydrotherapy. I have asked some of them if they would be able to answer a few questions about their experience and levels of physical improvement after using the underwater treadmill, hose, and jets. I am planning on including this information as primary sources in my Capstone presentation. Additionally, I have taken pictures of the equipment and pool at GA PT in order to include as visuals in my presentation.
My essential question is : How does aquatic therapy accelerate physical rehabilitation and in which body system does it have the most beneficial impact?
The advantages of using aquatic therapy to improve physical well being after an injury is a very interesting topic to me, as I observe different patients using the pool at Georgia Physical Therapy every day and I want to know more about how the process works. The underwater treadmill, especially, is something I had never seen before my mentoring and has greatly sparked my interest. Also, aquatic therapy could be the forefront to the future of physical therapy and physical rehabilitation. For my presentation, I will most likely use Powerpoint and a video, model or demonstration. I think using a video will be very helpful in visualizing the improvements in injured areas of the body, as a result of aquatic therapy. For my “real inquiry” I will look for others who have studied this topic and conducted studies on it. I will also try, if permitted to, to interview some of the patients at GA Physical Therapy who use the physical therapy pool regularly in order to include primary sources in my research. I had the chance to interview Mr.Symon, a Physical Therapist whom I recently met, through a mutual family friend. Below is the interview. Following each response by Mr. Symon, is my personal reflection.
Q1: How long have you worked as a physical therapist? Mr. Symon: I have been working for 30 years. It blows my mind to see the amount of experience a lot of the physical therapists and other healthcare professionals have and how enthusiastic they are about their jobs and serving and treating patients, even after several years. Q2: Where have you worked? Mr. Symon: I have worked in New Jersey, Virginia, Alabama, Michigan, North Carolina, Georgia, all over the US. I was very surprised to hear all the different places Mr. Symon has worked. It is very interesting to know that as a physical therapist, there are job opportunities all over the US. Q3: Did you always want to be a physical therapist growing? Mr. Symon: No, when I first came to America as an immigrant, I chose Physical Therapy because it was the job readily available and I could start working as soon as I graduated. In a way, I can understand how he felt and what his thought process was, as both my parents are also immigrants and they came to America also for work. It is interesting to think about how my life and education and career options would change, had I not grown up in America. Q2: What does a typical day in your life as a physical therapist look like? Mr. Symon: It’s very simple. I wake up, go and see 4 – 5 patients. Sometimes more, but I prefer 4-5 so that they can get best quality of service possible. I think this is a great mindset to have, especially in the healthcare field. I hope to also always try to give the best quality service to all the people I see. Q5: Can you give me an overview of your studies and education process that led you to practice physical therapy? Mr. Symon: I got a bachelors degree from the University of Illinois in Chicago. I became a Physical Therapist immediately. I find it very interesting that about 30 years ago, you could start practicing right after graduating college. Today, however, in order to start practicing, you must obtain a bachelors degree, complete a Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree Program, and take all the examinations required by your state. The amount of education needed to become a Physical Therapist has increased noticeably in the past years. Q6: During your studies, were you able to do any internships or shadowing? If so, how was your experience, and how did it effect your decision to be a physical therapist? Mr. Symon: In my day, we did not do internships or shadowing. Instead, I was placed in different settings for 3-4 weeks through which I gained experience before I began practicing. I was in 2 general hospitals and 1 administrative office. The ability that us students have today, to get exposure and experience in our career field through shadowing and mentoring, long before we begin our college or medical school education, is something I am very grateful for. Q7: Looking back, what would you differently if you could? Mr. Symon: I would definitely be a programmer because that was my dream growing up. However, I love what I do. I was surprised to hear that Mr. Symon wanted to be a programmer growing up but never really got the chance to pursue it, because of the time and year in which he came to America and began working. I consider myself very lucky to have so many career options available, and also to have the time and resources to pursue any one of my choice. Q8: What is one of the most memorable or rewarding moments you have experienced as a physical therapist? Mr. Symon: My most rewarding experiences are easily when you are able to help someone to walk again after they are told by several doctors that they will never walk again. Several people are misdiagnosed by other professionals. This answer really put in words the ultimate goal and dream with which I want to pursue a career in healthcare, to use my knowledge and skills, to help patients get better in any way I can. Q9: What would you say is the most challenging part of your work? Mr. Symon: The paperwork is definitely the most annoying or obnoxious aspect. The aspect of healing and helping people is something that brings pleasure and joy. But the downside is I am required to record and report every detail of every minute I spend with a patient. This not only takes away time of valuable patient care, but also places the importance on the paperwork rather than on the patient. The paperwork and computer work required by physicians and physical therapists, is something I have witnessed while shadowing in both Emory Hospital and Georgia Physical Therapy. It is definitely an aspect that I would not have thought of, when picturing a career in healthcare. Q10: Finally, for someone who is interested in studying physical therapy, what is your best piece of advice? Mr. Symon: My best piece of advice is just to always keep in mind why you want to do what you want to do. This is true for all healthcare fields. Don't get bogged down by the paperwork but keep in mind that it is an aspect of this field. During my day, physical therapy was a bachelors career. Now it's a doctorate! So, on your journey of education, always remember your reason for choosing this path. Otherwise, it's easy to get frustrated. Mr.Symon's advice was very true, helpful and necessary. As I get closer to finishing high school and starting my college education and journey toward a career in healthcare, the desire and passion I have must be my driving force, especially when faced with inevitable struggles and obstacles. Speaking with Mr.Symon helped me learn about several aspects and sides to Physical Therapy that I otherwise would not have considered. I greatly enjoyed speaking with him and hearing his side of the story, his point of view as an experienced Physical Therapist and will certainly take his advice with me into my future.
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AuthorMaria Mathew Archives
May 2018
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