DPT Portfolios

Christina Aluri
UNC DPT, 2013 Candidate

Professional Goal Statement

My goal is to work as a pediatric physical therapist in a pediatric inpatient rehabilitation setting and eventually become a Pediatric Clinical Specialist. I also plan to volunteer within my community and abroad.  Later in my career I would love to teach pediatrics at a physical therapy program.

 

Career Plan

3rd Year PT School:
-complete final clinical rotation at Levine Children’s Hospital (LCH)
-observe pediatric orthopedic surgery at LCH
-present pediatric in-service presentation at LCH
-pass NPTE in July
-gain licensure in Virginia
-graduate from UNC
-renew APTA membership

 

1st year after graduation:
-get a job in pediatrics with good mentorship opportunities
-begin to take pediatric continuing education classes
-learn about VA Medicaid and local pediatric resources
-fulfill continuing education requirements
-look into opportunities to volunteer abroad (attend 2014 UNC PT Outreach Guatemala trip?)
-attend annual pediatric section meeting

 

2nd year after graduation:
-move with my husband to his residency
-transfer licensure
-get pediatric inpatient rehabilitation job
-be a clinical instructor

 

Few years after graduation:
-consider doing a pediatric residency or fellowship

 

A few years later:
-study and take exam to become a Pediatric Clinical Specialist

 

A few years later:
-teach pediatrics at a physical therapy program and continue clinical practice

 

Self Assessment

Strengths

• Variety of pediatric clinical exposure:

Acute setting:
-3 month clinical rotation in inpatient rehabilitation at Levine Children’s Hospital
-NICU observation at Wake Med, Duke, and Levine Children’s Hospital
-PICU observation at Levine Children’s Hospital
-Specialty pediatric clinic observation at Wake Med’s Special Infant Care Clinic and UNC’s Hemophilia Clinic
School setting:
– 2 month clinical rotation at Gateway Education Center and Bessemer Elementary
-observation at Alamance County School System
-provided consultation at Fundacion Ensename a Pescar (“Teach me to Fish”) a volunteer-run school for children with disabilities in San Juan Alotenango, Guatemala

Natural setting:
– 2 month clinical rotation at Greensboro Cerebral Palsy Association’s Early Intervention Program at Gateway Education Center
-Las Obras Sociales del Hermano Pedro, a long-term care facility for children and adults with disability in Antigua, Guatemala
-volunteer at Helping Kids with Hemiplegia: a Constraint Induced Movement Therapy summer camp
-volunteer at Appalachian Therapeutic Riding Center’s summer camp
-observation at Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute

Outpatient setting:
-2 month clinical rotation at Oleander Rehab, a hospital-run outpatient clinic with pediatric PTs
-2 month clinical at Blue Ridge Regional Hospital Physical Therapy Clinic

Pediatric aquatic therapy:
-Gateway Education Center
-Oleander Rehab
-Adaptive Aquatics Swim Lesson instructor
-Orange County at Homestead Pool

• Exposure to other pediatric therapy sessions (OT and SLP) at Gateway Education Center and Levine Children’s Hospital

• Work in interdisciplinary pediatric settings at Gateway Education Center and Levine Children’s Hospital

• Presented an interdisciplinary pediatric in-service at Gateway Education Center titled “Toe Walking and Autism Spectrum Disorder”

• Presented Capstone presentation on PT Outreach Trip to Guatemala titled “Improving Motor Development in Children with Down Syndrome”

• General knowledge of early intervention, school, and inpatient rehabilitation services

• Experience reading, interpreting, and applying research literature to clinical practice

• APTA Pediatric Section Member

• APTA Aquatic Therapy Section Member

• Experience working with adaptive equipment vendors and orthotists

• Experience working with patients from premature to teens and young adults

• Experience working with common pediatric diagnoses as well as rarer diagnoses

• Taken elective pediatric coursework in third year

• Familiarity with several pediatric outcome measures (WeeFIM, Peabody, AIMS)

 

Areas for Professional Development

• Need to obtain a pediatric physical therapy job

• Limited amount of pediatric residencies and fellowships

• Need to develop further understanding of Medicaid, CAP, and Private Insurance coverage

• Need to gather more experience with high risk infants and exposure to preemies to be qualified to work in the NICU

• Need to learn about local resources for children and their families

• Need to continue to learn about appropriate adaptive equipment and orthoses

 

Objectives

1. Continue to develop pediatric knowledge base and clinical skills.

2. Acquire a pediatric physical therapy job with mentorship opportunity.

3. Pursue pediatric continuing education options.

 

Specific Strategies

1. Maintain good communication with mentors and pediatric contacts.

2. Maintain licensure and continuing education requirements.

3. Attend pediatric continuing education.

4. Work as a clinical instructor.

5. Volunteer locally and abroad.

6. Establish contact with local physical therapy program and volunteer to held teach pediatric topics.

7. Learn about local resources for children and their families.

Examples of Doctoral Level Work

Capstone Presentation:
Enhancing Motor Development in Children with Down Syndrome

In-service Presentation:
Autism Spectrum Disorder and Toe-Walking

Case Study Presentation:
Congenital Muscular Torticollis (PowerPoint)
Congenital Muscular Torticollis (Handout)

 

Reflective Statement

I am very grateful for all of the wonderful experiences UNC has provided me with and am more certain than ever that my passion is to serve children and their families as a pediatric physical therapist. This passion will guide me in my efforts to become a better clinician, patient advocate, and volunteer. Through my time at UNC I have found that I especially enjoy working with under-served populations locally and abroad and am excited to devote my vocational and avocational life to help meet this need. Thank you!

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