DPT Portfolios

Professional Goal Statement

It is my professional goal to graduate from the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at UNC and become a practicing clinician in the outpatient orthopedics setting in North Carolina. I will approach every patient with empathy, determination, and establish realistic expectations from the start to ensure equitable care regardless of gender, race, age, or socioeconomic status. I will pursue continuing education opportunities to further advance my clinical skills and apply them in patient care. In order to provide more comprehensive care, I plan to attain board certification as an orthopedic clinical specialist. I strive to provide holistic, individualized, and evidence-based care to improve function and quality of life of patients of all ages. I will be an advocate for my patients and for the physical therapy profession.

 

Career Plan

Past Experiences:

• May 2019: Graduated from UNC Chapel Hill with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Exercise and Sport Science & a minor in Social and Economic Justice.
• August 2020: Began DPT program at UNC chapel Hill

Clinical Experiences:

• Clinical Affiliation I: Acute Care (8 weeks)
  • Atrium Health Union | Monroe, NC
• Clinical Affiliation II: Inpatient Rehabilitation (8 weeks)
  • UNC Hospitals Hillsborough Campus | Hillsborough, NC
• Clinical Affiliation III: Outpatient Orthopedics (8 weeks)
  • Sports & More Physical Therapy by ACCESS PT | Knightdale, NC
• Clinical Affiliation IV: Outpatient Orthopedics (12 weeks)
  • Duke Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy | Apex, NC

Future Plans:

• July 2023: Graduate from UNC Chapel Hill with my Doctor of Physical Therapy, Class of 2023
• Pass the NC Board Exam and obtain a Physical Therapy Licensure in North Carolina
• By December 2023: Begin working in an outpatient orthopedic setting
• Within 1 year of employment: Establish mentors to help me grow as a clinician
• By 2027:
  • Become LSVT BIG certified
  • Become certified in dry needling
  • Take continuing education courses
  • Become a certified clinical instructor to mentor students.
  • Obtain my OCS certification

 

Self-Assessment

• Strengths
  • Strong interpersonal skills, allowing me to build positive and professional relationships with peers, patients, and family members.
  • Receptive to feedback and constructive criticism
  • Flexible and motivated to learn, apply education, and to grow clinical skills
• Areas for Professional Development
  • Becomes involved in the American Physical Therapy Association
  • Public speaking
  • Better my understanding of insurance and reimbursement
  • Improve delivery of clinical reasoning to patients
  • Create and maintain a healthy work/life balance

Objectives:

• Graduate with a DPT degree from UNC in July 2023
• Pass the NPTE and obtain my PT license in 2023
• Attain a full-time outpatient orthopedic position in a clinic in North Carolina.
• Continue to develop orthopedic knowledge-base and clinical skills through continuing education courses and through experience.
• Complete necessary coursework to become LSVT BIG and dry needling certified

Specific Strategies:

• Develop and follow a study schedule to effectively prepare for and pass the NPTE
• Maintain relationships with past CIs
• Maintain licensure, continuing education, and grow experience.
• Attend and actively participate in journal club to stay up to date on research
• Become a clinical instructor to mentor students and better my teaching skills
• Utilize evidence-based practice skills to stay up-to-date with research and practice guidelines

 Electives:

• Fall 2022:
  • PUBH 610: Introductory Spanish for students in the health professions
  • PHYT 875: Advanced Orthopedic Assessment/ Intervention
• Spring 2023:
  • PHYT 874: Topics in Sports Physical Therapy

 

Justice, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

During the summer of 2020, prior to the program starting, we read the book Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People. This book brought to light that we all hold unconscious biases, despite trying to remain non-judgmental or open-minded. While reading the book and through class discussions it became evident that although these implicit biases exist, it is important to be aware of them so that we do not let them hinder our patient care.

In our first semester, in our Psychosocial Aspects of Disability and Illness course, we learned about and discussed issues leading to health disparities that various populations experience or are more prevalent. Some of these issues include lack of education, low socioeconomic status, discrimination, and access to resources and quality healthcare. This class taught me to always view a patient as a person and to think about their background and experiences, instead of viewing them as their diagnosis or making assumptions based off a first impression. I appreciated having this class early in the curriculum because it helped teach me about different cultures, connecting with patients, and having empathy for others and their unique circumstances.

Throughout the DPT program, we have continuously received reminders of how important use of language is. When providing patient care, it is vital that patients or family members understand the diagnosis, treatment, surgical precautions, etc. No matter the age or level of education, it is important to speak at the patient’s level. Through my clinical experiences, from a safety perspective, I have learned that if a patient is not doing what you ask then it is important to rephrase yourself, or utilize a different approach such as demonstration, tactile cues, or mirror feedback. During my rotation in inpatient rehab, we treated many Spanish-speaking patients. When an interpreter was unavailable for a session, it was challenging to communicate with the patient effectively, creating a language barrier. This experience led me to take Spanish for students in health professions as an elective course, and I have been able to use my limited skills to help with asking subjective questions in the clinic. This program has taught us that we need to advocate for our patients, and that is something I strive to do as I practice.

 

Product Examples

Capstone Project

• Therapeutic Exercise Resources for Treating Common Knee Pathologies: https://dptcapstone.web.unc.edu/2023/04/28/clinical-examination-and-therapeutic-exercise-resources-for-treating-common-knee-pathologies/

Inservice

• Physical Therapy Post-Platelet Rich Plasma Treatment Inservice

Sports Elective Presentation

• Primary & Secondary Injury Risk Reduction of Ankle Sprains in Athletes

  

Reflective Statement

Becoming a physical therapist has been a dream of mine since I was 12 years old, and it is difficult to comprehend that I am nearing the end of my education and about to reach my goal. Beginning PT school during the COVID-19 pandemic presented many challenges, but I believe that those experiences have helped me grow, taught me how to face and overcome obstacles, and improved my flexibility and adaptability. The in-person opportunities and clinical rotations reminded me of why I chose to pursue this profession in the first place and solidified by passion for physical therapy and helping others. I have gained invaluable knowledge and skills from my peers, faculty, and clinical instructors, which have helped grow and develop my evaluation, treatment, patient management, and clinical reasoning skills. Additionally, I am proud to admit that I have become more confident in my knowledge and education, which is feedback that I have received throughout my last 2 rotations. After graduation, I plan to work in the outpatient orthopedic setting, take continuing education, and later become a Board-Certified Orthopaedic Clinical Specialist.

These past 3 years have been challenging, rewarding, emotional, and so much fun. I feel extremely lucky and blessed to have been able to go through the program aside such hard-working and encouraging classmates. I am excited to see what amazing opportunities and accomplishments lie ahead for the UNC DPT Class of 2023.

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