DPT Questions
What is a characteristic of PT that you believe distinguishes it as a profession?
-A therapist's feelings, attitudes, and behaviors greatly influence a patient, so I think the most important characteristic of PT is the ability to motivate and empower a patient, which allows them to achieve their fullest potential.
What are some issues in the PT field currently?
-Administrative burden, meaning the increasing time that PTs have to spend on documentation and administrative tasks, which hurts patient outcomes -The copay for physical therapy can be very high. Physical therapy ultimately saves money by getting patients healthy and helping them stay that way. But oftentimes the price of the copay reduces access.
What is one word that best describes you?
-Compassionate -Throughout my life I have always had a heart for serving others. -Before I went to college, I did a lot of volunteer work. I led a small group of elementary school children, and participated in a lot of community outreach. -During the early years of undergrad, I was able to work as a personal care assistant where I cared for a very vulnerable demographic of people. -And I am currently a part of the exercise science club where we volunteer in our community, we recently helped out with a children's 1 mile race.
What questions do you have for us?
-How accessible are professors to their students outside of class? -What can a student who is struggling do to get help? -Where do most students live or seek housing? -How are clinical rotation positions assigned? -What characteristics make a student successful in your program? -What advice do you have for incoming students? -What do students find most difficult about your program? -Do you have any advice on what to do if you don't get in this admissions cycle? -What does the day to day look like as a DPT student? -What feedback has been implemented due to past student requests? -As a PT, what is your favorite thing to treat? -How do you see the field of physical therapy evolving in the next 5-10 years? -What was an important experience you had as a pt student?
Aside from academics, what else have you excelled in or been involved in?
-I am a part of the exercise science club at USC. -Being a member of this club allows me to engage in volunteer opportunities and gain community service experience. -Many professional speakers also come and give us insight into exercise science related fields, such as physical therapy, and in addition this also provides us with networking opportunities.
What can you offer to our graduate program and/or the profession?
-I can bring a cool and determined temperament -Through my employment as a PCA and observation hours, realized that interactions with difficult patients were quite common in the healthcare field. -However, these experiences allowed me to discover my personality in the face of adversity. It showed me that I am good at separating my emotions from the task at hand, which will make me better at serving them.
Where or to whom do you go for help when you're struggling with school or another task?
-I go to my sister. My sister is 2 years older than me, and I have always trusted and valued her opinion no matter the scenario. -She is a mechanical engineer so we have different professional interests, but I know she is always there to help me and give me advice through whatever I am facing.
What do you think of when you think of grad school?
-I think of coursework that requires more time and focus than undergrad, but introduces new ways of thinking
Describe a time when you had to use creativity and collaboration to solve a problem.
-I worked at Chick Fil A, which is a very fast paced and high volume restaurant that requires efficient teamwork and communication to maintain the high level of customer service that they are known for. -Someone has to take orders, fill orders, restock things and so on. -And when a rush would hit, inevitably minor issues would happen, so being able to work together to cover for someone or step in if needed was very important for solving problems.
Why did you decide to apply to our program/what stood out to you?
-Initially what drew me to the University of Montana was the idea of being in the heart of outdoor recreational activity, and through further research I realized how great of a program it is. -Coming from a large SEC school, the idea of having a class size of only 36 students is something that definitely stood out to me. As well as the ability to take trends courses during the 3rd year of the program. I saw that these courses offer a wide range of topics that not only excite me, but will make me more prepared and knowledgeable when entering the job field. -The University of Montana has also produced exceptional student results on the passing rate of the NPTE and a 100% employment rate post-grad. -I also follow the instagram page and I can tell there's a strong sense of community and yall do a lot of fun stuff outside of just class and studying
What is your take on the APTA's vision and mission statement?
-Mission statement: Building a community and advancing physical therapy -Vision statement: Optimizing movement and improving the human experience -I think that they are valuable tools in helping the organization in the right direction
What steps did you take in college to prepare you for physical therapy/why do you stand out?
-PCA: I have worked as a personal care assistant, and this allowed me to develop a bedside manner and patient etiquette, which will be needed as a physical therapist. -Human Resources Assistant: Within the company that I worked at as a PCA, I was promoted to human resources assistant. I feel like I gained leadership experience here because I hired caregivers and trained them before they went into the field. -Chick-fil-A: Chick-fil-a is a very fast-paced and high volume fast food restaurant that requires teamwork and communication to maintain the high level of customer service that they are known for. Teamwork and communication are also important for physical therapy because you have to work with other therapists, therapy assistants, doctors, and nurses. -Besides the classes that I had to take for my degree and pre-reqs, I completed a lot of other courses that are relevant for physical therapy such as: Perceptual motor development, introduction to sports medicine, multiple psych classes -I hope to take biomechanics in the spring -300 hour practicum in spring
How do you see physical therapy evolving in the next 10 years?
-Shift towards at home care because it allows for more individualized treatment plans because you learn more about a patient by seeing them in their homes You can better evaluate mobility and fall hazards -Increase in the use of technology such as wearables, video games, virtual reality, robotics, etc.
How do you manage school, other responsibilities, and your time?
-The best way I was able to manage school, other responsibilities, and my time was by planning ahead. -The first thing I do at the start of every semester is buy a planner and put every test, project, quiz, or whatever due date it may be on this planner. -And when I set aside time to study or work on an assignment I make sure that time is fully devoted to it. This means doing things like turning off my phone and going to a quiet place where I can escape distractions.
What kind of service activity did you take part in during college?
All throughout high school I was deeply involved in serving at my church. I led a small group of elementary school children, and participated with a lot of community outreach. But when I got to college, I really dove into my classes and studying, and did not volunteer as much as I did in highschool. However, I am a part of the exercise science club, which allowed me to participate in some service opportunities. But volunteering and serving as much as I did in high school, is something that I wanna get back involved in and is a big part of why I am drawn to Anderson University.
What will you do if you don't get accepted this admissions cycle?
First, I would take a step back and self-assess by looking at weak areas of my application. I would then contact the admissions office to ask how I could increase my chances for admission Then I would set my goals for the next admissions cycle Lastly, I would get involved in a PT related field, such as a PT tech, and do volunteer work in my free time.
Tell me about an encounter you had with a difficult patient/coworker/person, and how you handled it.
For one of my classes in undergrad we were put into groups for the entire semester, and we had to complete 4 papers together, where everyone did a different section each time. A big part of this project is that all the sections have to agree with each other and nothing contradicts. For the first paper, one of our group members waited an hour before it was due to send in their part, with no explanation for why it was late. This caused us to not be able to go through it to make sure that all the parts agreed, and we ended up getting a lower grade on it. Me and the other group members were not happy with the person who failed to send in their part before the time we set. So after class the next day, I privately discussed with him how we are trying to do better on the next one by reviewing all the parts at the time we set before the next due date. He then revealed to me that he was confused about the assignment and was insecure about asking for help. So I set a time to meet at the library and work at any issues he had regarding the assignment and where his confusion stemmed from.
What are/type of physical therapy do you plan to pursue?
I am not set on any specific demographic or type right now. During my observation at the inpatient hospital, I really enjoyed interacting with the geriatric population and talking to them. But I also have a 300 hour internship at a pediatric special needs therapy clinic this spring, which I am really excited about.
Can you talk about your observation hours/what did you learn from your clinical experience?
I completed 80 hours total of observation, 40 inpatient and 40 outpatient. I saw mostly geriatric patients with neuromuscular and musculoskeletal disorders at the inpatient rehabilitation hospital I was at. At the outpatient clinic I saw a wide demographic of people and mobility issues. I also learned that you have to be ready for any type of diagnosis. One patient I saw had a pet monkey that yanked his shoulder out of socket. There was another lady who fell off a horse, even though she was a seasoned rider. I also realized how important multitasking is for this profession, since documentation and attention to the patient is very important. But the biggest take away from these hours was that physical therapy is my passion and what I want to spend my life doing.
Tell me about a mistake you made/time you failed at something.
I did not get into my first choice of college for undergraduate, and at first I was upset and felt discouraged. But this didn't stop me from excelling and working hard toward my goals. Going to USC ended up being a huge blessing in my life. I really enjoyed the overall academic environment and the great friendships that I made. This led me to realize that just because life doesn't always go your way, that everything happens for a reason, and that you just have to trust God and his plan for your life
What do you think your biggest weakness is/what will be most challenging about graduate school?
I get nervous speaking in front of large groups of people. In small groups, or team meetings, I am confident and ready to talk, but put me in front of a crowd and I find myself getting fidgety or forgetting what I am talking about. I took a public speaking course, which helped me to some extent, but it is still something I struggle with. I try to practice in my everyday life by asking questions frequently during lectures at USC.
Tell us about yourself
I grew up in Greenwood, South Carolina, as the youngest child in my family. Everyone in my family has always been super active, and we played lots of sports growing up and were always outside doing something. When it was time for me to go to college, I knew I wanted to do something healthcare related because I have always been interested in the human body and have several family members in the field who enjoy it. This along with my athletic upbringing, led me to pursue a degree in exercise science, where I came to the realization that I wanted to become a physical therapist. I really enjoyed my time at USC. The coursework was challenging, but it kept me engaged and allowed me to develop important study strategies to grow as a student, as well as effectively prepare me for your DPT program.
What is the most important quality for a PT?
I think that the most important quality for a PT is communication. As a PT you not only have to communicate efficiently with PTs, doctors, and other specialists, but good communication with your patient is key. If a patient understands what you are doing, why, and your goals for them, then I think this would lead to greater patient outcomes because they trust you. And your patients will be more confident in you and your skills.
What do you think the most challenging aspect of being a physical therapist is?
I think the most challenging aspect of being a physical therapist is the productivity standards that most companies enforce. During my observation at the inpatient hospital, a couple of the pts talked about how the hospital required them to see so many patients a day, even though this sometimes decreased the quality of care. I saw first-hand in some cases how it took almost all of the patient's session to move the patient from the bed, into the wheelchair, and rolled down to the physical therapy gym, before physical therapy even started. Then they had to take them right back because the schedule only allowed them a certain amount of time.
What are your greatest strengths?
One of my greatest strengths is my self-discipline. If I set a goal, I work towards it until I achieve it. A good example of my self-discipline was this past summer. Before the summer began, I set a goal to study for and take the GRE, complete my observation hours, complete the bulk of my physical therapy school applications, and train for the Leadville trail 100 mountain biking stage race. This involved a lot of early mornings and determination, but I was able to follow through on these goals, and even receive an honorary buckle for completing the race in under 11 hours.
Why do you want to become a physical therapist?
Playing sports and being active has always been a huge part of my life. I not only enjoy exercising, but have experienced a lot of benefits from staying in shape. More specifically, long distance running is something that I do regularly that has improved a lot of the physical and mental aspects of my life. This has led me to believe in the idea that exercise is medicine and is something that I am passionate about. Becoming a physical therapist would allow me to work hands-on with people to restore function in their injured area and reduce pain, which in return gets them back moving and doing the activities they enjoy. During my observation hours, I saw the real relationships that the pts had developed with their patients, and the satisfaction they had from improving their quality of life. These aspects of the field are ultimately why I want to be a physical therapist.
Can you tell me about a time you struggled (during college or work) and what you did to overcome that challenge?
When I started working at Chick-fil-A, it was during a fairly difficult semester and I struggled at first to juggle it with my classes. This was a hectic and sometimes stressful time in my life, but it allowed me to develop important time management skills, and ultimately increase my productivity due to the limited time that I had to devote to each assignment.
