Apr 20 2017

Harrison, Will

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Professional Goal

To become an expert clinician who can confidently provide evidence-based physical therapy services to a wide variety of patient populations. I plan on developing my skills in order to specialize in treating patients with neurological and musculoskeletal conditions across the continuum of care.

Career Path and Future Plans

  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
    • Bachelor of Arts in History (05/2007)
    • Doctor of Physical Therapy (expected 08/2017)
  • UNC DPT Program Clinical Rotations
    • Clinical Rotation 1: Access Physical Therapy and Wellness, Outpatient Orthopedics, Holly Springs, NC
    • Clinical Rotation 2: Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center, Acute Care, Charlotte, NC
    • Clinical Rotation 3: Vidant Medical Center, Inpatient Rehabilitation, Greenville, NC
    • Clinical Rotation 4: Carolinas Rehabilitation, Inpatient Rehabilitation, Charlotte, NC
  • Graduate with a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from UNC in August 2017
  • Sit and pass the NC Licensing Boards in October 2017
  • Obtain employment in either an acute care setting or an inpatient rehab setting within 3 months of graduation
  • Become a clinical instructor within 2 years of beginning employment
  • Within 5 years of graduation, sit for and pass the NCS (Neurologic Certified Specialist) Exam

Self-Assessment

  • Strengths
    • Professionalism and Time Management
    • Interpersonal communication skills
    • Empathy and compassion
    • Passion for continuing education and lifelong learning
    • Previous professional experience in business, financial services, and non-profit
  • Opportunities for growth
    • Become more proficient at performing musculoskeletal and neuromuscular examinations and evaluations
    • Improve at developing a plan of care and implementing appropriate treatment interventions

Objectives

  • Graduate with a Doctorate in Physical Therapy in August 2017
  • Pass the Physical Therapy Licensure Exam in October 2017
  • Obtain a position in either an acute care or inpatient rehab setting with a focus on working with patients with neurological conditions within 3 months of graduation

Specific Strategies

  • Continue to build relationships with clinical instructors, professors, mentors, and fellow students in order to share and learn best practices
  • Obtain full time employment in a large teaching institution (acute care or inpatient rehab) that will foster my growth and professional development as a new graduate
  • Maintain my membership with the APTA and actively seek out educational opportunities that will have a direct benefit for my clinical practice
  • Participate in a wide variety of continuing competency events after graduation in order to further my learning and expand my knowledge base
  • Actively conduct my own reading and literature reviews in order to stay abreast of the latest research and continue to develop my personal skills and knowledge

Electives

  • PHYT 875 – Advanced Orthopedic Assessment and Intervention
  • PHYT 800 – Independent Study: NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist
  • PHYT 885 – Advanced Neuromuscular Intervention

Product Examples

  • Critically Appraised Topic: During Evidence Based Practice II, I conducted research and created a Critically Appraised Topic Paper on the efficacy of combined resistance and aerobic exercise compared to aerobic exercise alone in the prevention of diabetes in an at-risk patient population of moderately overweight, pre-diabetic females.
  • Capstone Website: As a component of my Capstone Project, I created an audiovisual VoiceThread presentation on the Anatomy, Evaluation, Diagnosis, and Treatment of runners with Iliotibial Band Syndrome. See the link above for the presentation and related materials.
  • Yoga for TBI: As my final assignment for the Advanced Neuromuscular Intervention elective, I created a webpage on the topic of Yoga for patients with Traumatic Brain Injury. The page provides an overview of the intervention, underlying theories, and specific proposed benefits for this patient population.

Reflective Statement

Changing careers and going to Physical Therapy school required sacrifice and a leap of faith, but I couldn’t be more excited about the future of my career or more pleased with the decision that I made. I am excited to graduate from the UNC DPT Program and begin my career as a Physical Therapist, however, I will also miss the incredible learning experiences that I have had over the past three years. I have been fortunate to have wonderful classmates, clinical instructors, and professors who have all contributed to a collaborative and impassioned learning environment. While I enjoy working with all patient populations, I have found that my greatest passion is in working in the acute care and inpatient rehabilitation settings with patients who have experienced traumatic and other life-changing medical events. I am especially interested in neurological and complex medical diagnoses, and I relish the opportunity to play a role in helping patients begin the process towards recovery. Thank you to everyone who has supported me and contributed to my learning over the last several years as I have sought to become the best possible clinician for my future patients.

One response so far




One Response to “Harrison, Will”

  1.   Karen McCullochon 08 Jun 2017 at 4:34 pm

    Hi Will – I’m so excited that you’re moving toward neuro rehab as a focus…it is GREAT!!! You’ve been a pleasure to work with in the neuro course series – you’re going to love the work, Will.
    Please let me know how I can help in your preparation for the NCS exam.
    KMac

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