Apr 06 2022

Nottage, Alexis

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Professional Goal Statement:


In my future role serving as a physical therapist, I would like to utilize and optimize movement to improve individuals’ quality of life and facilitate the return to activities they enjoy. I plan to seek a position in an outpatient orthopedic clinic, that treats a diverse patient population. I would like to remain competent treating individuals of all physical ability levels, from deconditioned individuals to athletes. I plan to take each individual’s unique needs and preferences into account when determining their plan of care, and always ensure that the patient is at the center of all decisions. Additionally, I would like the space that I’m working it to feel like a community, where patients feel like they can come to find solutions and improvement in their function, abilities, and performance.

Career Plan:


Education:

  • Bachelor of Arts in Exercise and Sport Science – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2014-2018)
  • Doctorate of Physical Therapy – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2019-2022)

Clinical Education:

  • Hospital-based outpatient – Scotland Health Care System, Laurinburg, NC
  • Acute care – Mission Health, Asheville, NC
  • School system – Wake County Public School System, Raleigh, NC
  • Hospital-based outpatient – Duke Health, Durham, NC

Elective Coursework:

  • Advanced Orthopedics Assessment and Intervention
  • Integrated Clinical Experience – focusing on lower extremity evaluations and orthotics
  • Child and Family Assessment and Intervention
  • Topics in Sports Physical Therapy

Objectives:

  • August 2022 – graduate from UNC DPT and pass Physical Therapy Licensure
  • October 2022 – attain a Physical Therapist position working in a clinic that facilitates mentorship, evidence-based practice, and growth as a therapist
  • Early 2023 – take continuing education courses on specific area of interest
  • Summer 2023 – start seeing a specialized patient population
  • 2025 – have established relationships with referring providers

Specific Strategies:

  • Follow a study plan for the summer of 2022 to best prepare for NPTE board exam
  • Gain as much exposure as possible to different experiences during my final clinical to help inform my decision about what setting I want to work in
  • Become more familiar with the Clinical Practice Guidelines during my final rotation
  • Continue to build relationships with physical therapists that I’ve come into contact with during the past 3 years to aid and guide my job search

Self-Assessment:


Strengths:

  • Professional communication with patients, other physical therapists, referring providers, and other healthcare providers
  • Ability to facilitate comfort when interacting with patients and provide individualized care
  • Engaging patients in their active participation in their home exercise program
  • Incorporating health promotion strategies into physical therapy sessions

Areas for Professional Development:

  • Continued growth in assessment, evaluation, and intervention skills with higher complexity patients
  • Specialize in a specific area/treatment type
  • Gain experience with more athletic population

Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Reflection:


During one of our first classes in physical therapy school, Psychosocial Aspects of Disability and Illness, we opened with taking implicit bias testing. The results of these tests showed how predominant implicit biases are, and how problematic that is for specific groups of individuals within the healthcare system. While a lot can be learned about this topic through attending lectures and reading books, I’ve found the best way to become more culturally competent is through interacting with and listening to diverse groups of people. During most of my clinical rotations, I was exposed to patients with low health literacy and limited financial resources. This added pressure to ensure that the 45 minutes we spent together in therapy are packed with valuable education and resources. It also taught me that these psychosocial factors will naturally come to light during authentic and compassionate interactions with patients. In addition, I learned to never assume anything, and to always ask questions. Asking questions allows you to learn more about the individual and their particular situation, and helps ensure inclusion to all groups of people.

Products:


Reflective Statement:


Throughout the past 3 years, I have learned the many ways in which physical therapy is so much more than giving patients exercises to address their impairments. Physical therapy can aid in the psychosocial aspects of a patient’s life by educating and supporting them in achieving a greater quality of life. I plan to continue to provide patient-centered care, while being cognizant of the psychosocial factors that are influencing their abilities and decisions. Additionally, I want to always be an advocate for physical therapy by being vocal about the ways in which physical therapy can address health problems and by providing effective and evidence-based care.

Two of the greatest things that I’ve taken away from these past 3 years are the importance of being adaptable and building relationships with both patients and colleagues. While the majority of our PT school experience was not ideal, with more online classes than in-person classes and numerous obstacles during our clinical rotations, we learned how to not only survive these situations, but how to succeed in them. Support from friends and classmates helped navigate these obstacles and maintain motivation to continue on. I’m grateful for the faculty members that attempted to make our less than ideal experience the best possible one by listening to our concerns and addressing them. Additionally, I’m very thankful to be going into a field where individual providers have independence to practice the way that they see fit. I cannot wait to practice physical therapy in the way that I believe it should be practiced in, while ensuring that education and advocacy for our profession are at the forefront.

 

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One Response to “Nottage, Alexis”

  1.   Lisa Johnstonon 15 Jun 2022 at 12:03 pm

    Alexis- Nice to see al you accomplished and to see some examples of your work. I really liked your COVID inservice. Great job! I wish you the best of luck as you move on to your next adventure. Please keep in touch! Lisa

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