Apr 10 2016
Foster, Andrew
Professional Goals:
My goal upon passing the national board exam is to take a job position at an outpatient general orthopedic/sports medicine practice. Within the first 5 years I plan to further develop my knowledge and skill-set while perfecting my own unique personality as a Doctor of Physical Therapy, and what I have to offer my patients. During this time I plan to delve deeper into the business side of things and specifically understand the ins-and-outs of running a clinic as head administrator. Within the first 5 years I plan to move into a position of leading a clinic and further improve my marketing and social skills with physicians, surgeons, the public, etc. for improved success and future business endeavors. Once I have developed a strong and respectable foundation, I plan to own an orthopedic/sports medicine practice that provides exceptional quality care to all my patients.
Career plan:
- December 2010: Bachelors of Science in Animal Science, North Carolina State University
- January 2011 – July 2013: Personal Trainer and Aquatics director, Perfectbody Sports Complex; Danville, VA
- August 2016: Doctorate of Physical Therapy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- January 2017: Pass National Physical Therapy Examination and become licensed in the state of North Carolina
- February 2017: Begin working as a full-time physical therapist in an outpatient orthopedic practice
- 2017: Become Dry Needling certified
- 2019: Become CSCS certified
- 2020: Become lead DPT and clinic Administrator
Self-Assessment:
Strengths:
- Eagle Scout and strong leadership qualities
- Highly motivated to learn and work hard
- Demonstrate professionalism in all endeavors
- Strong skills in developing rapport and interpersonal communication with patients.
- First to arrive and last to leave
Areas for further development:
- Develop a clear understanding of billing, coding and administration of an outpatient physical therapy clinic, as well as overall business practice and management.
- Further develop an understanding of all insurance providers and improve efficiency of documentation.
- Develop a unique skill-set in performing manual therapy (joint mobilization, manipulation, and soft-tissue techniques) in orthopedic and sports physical therapy.
- Increase depth of knowledge in orthopedic practice and neuroscience and surgical procedures to improve understanding of concepts and patient care.
- Improve efficiency with evaluating complex patient diagnoses
- Develop a keen understanding of community resources and knowledge of entrepreneurship and marketing.
Objectives
My special area of interest is orthopedic and sport physical therapy, treating pediatrics through older adult populations and emphasizing sport rehabilitation and return to sports activities.
- Complete DPT degree in 2016, upon successfully completing remaining courses
- Prepare for and pass the DPT board certification exam in January 2017
- Refine orthopedic and neuro skills to provide the best care possible to my abilities
- Obtain employment in NC
- Develop the skills and education necessary to head a clinic
- Attend continuing education courses and become certified in special areas of interest including Dry Needling and CSCS
Specific Strategies
- Complete and obtain passing grades for the classes of our UNC curriculum.
- Complete my final clinical rotation located in Chapel Hill that offers therapeutic approaches in my specific areas of interest.
- Create and execute a study plan for the physical therapy board examination.
- Develop a solid and respectable reputation in UNC Chapel Hill and the surrounding triangle areas through relationships with other physical therapy colleagues, orthopedic surgeons, primary care physicians, nutritionists, and massage therapists.
Course Work and Capstone:
PHYT875 Advanced Orthopedic Elective, Fall 2015 – This elective helped me obtain a deeper understanding of the pathophysiology and biomechanics of the tissues in the human body and its influence on physical therapy. I created a Scholarly paper on epidemiology, functional anatomy and sport specific biomechanics, risk factors, and treatment and prevention strategies for little league elbow syndrome. This project can be found here: Little League Elbow Syndrome
Reflective statement
The past three years has been a challenging but most wonderful journey growing as a health professional in the UNC DPT program. I am so grateful for the experiences and time spent in the UNC DPT program, which has undoubtedly confirmed my decision to enter the physical therapy field. I am honored and privileged to have joined such an amazing family here at UNC and walk away knowing that I have worked with some of the most knowledgeable and warm hearted people (faculty and classmates) that I could ever hope for. It has always been my dream to become a vital member of the health care team and the invaluable knowledge I have gained will allow me to live out my dream while interacting and treating a diverse population of individuals. Although my time here at UNC as a DPT student is drawing to an end, I know that this is only the beginning of a fun and adventurous future in the wonderful and exciting world of physical therapy. I cannot express my gratitude enough to all of those individuals who continued to support and never give up on me. I will do all that I can in moving forward in life after DPT school to represent the UNC DPT family and program, and profession of physical therapy with respect and honor.