DPT Portfolios

Professional Goal Statement:

My main goal in this profession is to offer individualized, compassionate, and patient-centered care. I want each of my patients to feel cared for, welcomed, and encouraged. After graduating with a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, I hope to make a difference in the pediatric population, whether that be in the outpatient or inpatient setting initially. I have a passion for treating children of all backgrounds and diagnoses and being their “cheerleader” through all of the world’s obstacles. I am committed to helping my patients and their families reach their goals so that they may live the fulfilling lives they dream of and deserve.

 

Career Plan

Past Accomplishments:

• May 2022: Bachelor of Arts Exercise and Sports Science,  Minor Art History– University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• August 2022: Enrolled in UNC Chapel Hill Doctor of Physical Therapy Class of 2025
• February 2023-February 2024: SPTA Events Committee Co-Chair
• May 2022- Present: Assistant Coach–University of North Carolina Cheerleading Team

 

Clinical Experiences:

• June 2023-August 2023 (8 weeks): Outpatient Orthopedics/Pelvic Floor–Novant Rehabilitation Center at Waverly, Charlotte NC
• February 2024-April 2024 (8 weeks): Outpatient Pediatrics–Atrium Cabarrus Pediatric Therapy, Concord NC
• April 2024-June 2024 (8 weeks): Acute Care (Medicine Intensive Care Unit)– UNC Main Hospital, Chapel Hill NC
• May 2025-July 2025 (12 weeks): Inpatient Acute Pediatrics–Duke University Hospital, Durham NC

 

Future Goals:

• July 2025: Pass the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE)
• August 2025: Graduate as a Doctor of Physical Therapy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• September 2025: Begin working as a pediatric physical therapist (outpatient or inpatient) in the Triangle Area
• Tentative: Consider pursuing board certification as a Pediatric Clinical Specialist (PCS), Become a Clinical Instructor (CI) so that I may support students in the same way my preceptors have helped me

 

Self-Assessment

Strengths

• Willingness to learn and accept feedback or new ideas
• Fostering rapport with patients, families, and other clinicians
• Professional, dependable, organized
• Creativity in the development of engaging and motivating interventions

Areas for Professional Development

• Confidence in my clinical reasoning skills
• Devoting time to researching the latest evidence based practices
• Networking and expanding my relationships with skilled clinicians 
• Improving my outreach and community service participation

 

Strategies to Achieve my Professional Goals

• Keep myself accountable by staying involved in the most up-to-date research within physical therapy (specifically the pediatric population)
• Commit to continuing education courses to expand and grow my expertise
• Stay involved in community service and volunteer my time and knowledge to serving the people of North Carolina

 

Interprofessional Education Activities (IPE)

I have been fortunate enough to have had a variety of IPE experiences through my involvement in the IPEP Distinguished Scholar Program.  These activities have broadened my understanding of the roles, perspectives, and contributions of professionals from various healthcare disciplines including SLP, OT, Medicine, Dentistry, Social Work, Nursing, and more. IPE collaboration has challenged me to think beyond the scope of physical therapy and consider how true patient-centered care requires a team-based approach. I have enjoyed engaging with other UNC students and learning how they approach various patient cases. As a future clinician, I hope to actively seek out collaboration with other professionals, ask questions to understand their perspectives, and advocate for a multidisciplinary care approach that honors the patient’s goals and values. This mindset will guide me throughout my career and strengthen my ability to serve children and families with compassion, competence, and cooperation.

 

Electives

• Fall Semester:
  • PUBH 610 Introduction to Spanish for Health Professions
  • PHYT 880 Child and Family Assessment and Intervention
• Spring Semester:
  • PHYT 872 Teacher Scholar for Motor Development Across the Lifespan

 

Projects

• Capstone Project: Neonatal Massage Education Handout
  • Worked with Dr. Dana McCarty on creating a standardized neonatal massage handout for parent/caregiver education use in UNC’s NICU
• Acute Care Inservice Presentation: Post-Intensive Care Syndrome
• Cerebral Palsy Community Program

 

Reflective Statement

Overall, my time in the UNC DPT program has been filled with both highs and lows, but most importantly, it has led to immense growth both professionally and personally. I have learned that life is not defined by the number of times you fall, but by the number of times you stand back up. I have met lifelong friends, built relationships with astounding professors, and cared for amazingly determined patients. The program’s curriculum and my clinical rotations have helped shape and deepen my passion for treating pediatric patients in the acute care setting. While I recognize the challenges of securing a position in this setting immediately after PT school, my professional aspiration is to ultimately work with pediatric patients and their families, acting as a supportive and compassionate guide throughout their inpatient rehabilitation journey. Ultimately, I am excited to apply all that I have learned here throughout my 7-year journey at UNC and see where the future takes me as I grow in my passion for delivering individualized, thoughtful, and compassionate care to all of my patients. 

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