DPT Portfolios

 

Professional Goal Statement

As a physical therapist, my goal is to become an experienced practitioner who is adept in many areas of physical therapy and who is comfortable practicing in numerous settings.  I specifically aspire to be a physical therapist skilled in women’s and men’s health, ergonomics, injury prevention, and return to work.  Mitigating environmental demands as well as collaborating with employers will allow me to help foster a culture of prevention.  By year 2022, I plan to sit for the board exam to become a board certified ergonomist.  I also plan to receive the Pelvic Therapy Practitioner Certification. As I start out my career, I will aim to find a setting where I can grow as a therapist and continue to expand upon my knowledge base.  As I search for employment, it will be extremely important for me to find an employer that offers a distinct team environment as well as access to strong mentors who can help guide me towards achieving my professional goals.

Career Plan

• August 2017
  • Obtain a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
• October 2017
  • Pass the Federation of State Boards Physical Therapy board exam.
  • Obtain a license to practice physical therapy in the state of Georgia
  • Seek out and apply for jobs in the greater Columbus, Georgia area, where I can expand upon the skills I have developed during PT school.
• November 2017-2022
  • Begin my career as a physical therapist in a setting where I regularly have exposure to women’s and men’s health, ergonomics, injury prevention, and return to work treatment focuses.
  • Attend educational courses focused on women’s and men’s health, as well as ergonomics.
  • Receive Pelvic Therapy Practitioner Certification by Herman & Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute.
  • Remain active as an APTA member.
• 2022
  • Prepare for and sit for the ergonomist exam.
• 2022-2055
  • Work in an outpatient setting or as an independent contractor specializing in women’s and men’s health, ergonomics, injury prevention, and/or return to work.

Self Assessment

• Strengths:
  • Skilled in maintaining a calming demeanor and making patients feel comfortable.
  • Experience in various settings of physical therapy practice
  • Thorough and concise documentation skills
  • Knowledge of EPIC as well as other documentation systems
  • Good organizational skills
  • Strong work ethic and ability to learn quickly
  • Experience in various settings of physical therapy practice
  • Experience working with a wide variety of patient populations
• Areas for Improvement
  • More detailed knowledge of changing Medicare and Medicaid policies
  • Become more active with the APTA
  • More extensive knowledge of how to market myself and the profession
  • Increase efficiency and comprehensiveness with initial evaluations and development of plans of care
  • Increased knowledge on coding/ billing
  • More community and pro bono involvement

Objectives

• Complete a doctoral project specifically geared towards women’s and men’s health, ergonomics, injury prevention, and/or return to work.
• Effectively prepare for and pass the national board examination to become a licensed physical therapist.
• Obtain a first job at a hospital/clinic with an established and organized mentorship program to help further my professional development.
• Become credentialed as a certified pelvic therapy practitioner and as an ergonomist.

Specific Strategies:

• Use references and leads from the network of physical therapists I have developed to help obtain employment in a clinical setting in the greater Columbus, Georgia area.
• Identify a mentor(s) with the knowledge, skills, and professional values similar to those I wish to obtain.
• Engage in a wide variety of continuing education opportunity events after graduation in order to increase my skill set and marketability.

Electives

• PHYT 875 Advanced Orthopedic Assessment
• PHYT 885 Advanced Neuromuscular Intervention

Product Examples

As components of my capstone project, I created a scholarly paper on the ergonomics of adult car seat comfort as well as a patient guide to ergonomic adult car seating principles and evaluation.

Reflective Statement

The journey from a past career to the cusp of being able to call myself a physical therapist has been a long and eye opening one. Physical therapy school has provided me with the opportunity to grow intellectually as well as emotionally. I have really learned how to learn, regardless of the topic or situation. These last three years have have opened me up to the seemingly infinite possibilities of a career in physical therapy. I feel equipped to adapt to the challenges associated with a host of settings.  As my seven years as a student at UNC come to a close, I feel so thankful to have been part of such as exceptional institution, and to have been surrounded by such amazing faculty and peers.  I am looking forward to graduating and transferring the skills I’ve cultivated into a meaningful career.  Thank you to everyone who has been a positive and supportive influence in my life.

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