Podcast: Pipelines
Listening Time — 23:03
In 2019, APTA’s House of Delegates tasked the association with increasing attention and efforts to support diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within the physical therapy profession. Those efforts are ongoing at the association level, but there’s even more happening: individual PTs, PTAs, and students across the country are also working to advance DEI within the profession every day. New grad Spencer Barron, PT, DPT, is one of those clinicians.
As a student at the Medical University of South Carolina, Spencer and his classmates created a program to reach out to young students from minority populations; exposing them to the physical therapy profession and physical therapy school, and pairing them with mentors to help nurture them in their academic journies. In this episode, Spencer talks about the initiatives he and his classmates started and the crucial role DEI plays in the profession, now and into the future.
Here's our conversation with Spencer.
Read Spencer's blog post, "Creating Pipelines to Advance DEI."
APTA is committed to fostering a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion within our community. This is a journey—and that journey needs your perspective and support. If you have ideas to increase diversity and promote equity and inclusion, email us at dei@apta.org.
APTA Podcasts like this one are available on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify, or by visiting APTA.org/Podcasts.
Lead Our Profession into the Future
1 minute read
After studying, going to classes, and doing clinicals, all too often students find that it is easy to feel disempowered and disengaged from our future profession.
In 2019, I took a leap and attended the American Physical Therapy Association's (APTA's) House of Delegates (HOD) and NEXT Conference & Exposition (NEXT). Both left me feeling greatly empowered and highly engaged.
I had the opportunity to serve as a volunteer for both HOD and NEXT. From the start, the energy and the experience was intoxicating.
During HOD's first night, APTA President Sharon Dunn, PT, PhD, gave her state of the association address. Throughout her address, she specifically mentioned issues that impact students, like the student debt burden and lack of diversity within the profession.
With 30% of the association membership being students, I quickly realized the impact that I can have as a young professional and future physical therapist.
I know that as students, our voices are heard and collectively we can make a difference.
Throughout HOD, I saw firsthand how the APTA Student Assembly Board was able to take the voices and feedback of students and influence decisions made during the session. Had it not been for the efforts of the students, we may not have a professional oath or a joint core values document between physical therapists and physical therapist assistants.
I felt empowered to speak up in front of some of our profession's most influential members, and not once was I dismissed. With each connection I made during HOD and NEXT, my confidence and passion for the profession grew stronger.
It's an understatement to say that I caught the bug.
APTA has made it clear that as students, we are the future, and we can make a difference in the future of this profession.
Today, I am excited and motivated to lead our profession into the future. I am proud to be part of this profession and this association.
Want to share your APTA love story? Submit it here! Haven't had such an experience or moment? We encourage you to contact Kaylee Pobocik, SPT, Director of Membership, APTA Student Assembly Board of Directors to discover APTA value and opportunities.
Brett Wright, SPT, is a student at Washington University in St. Louis. You can connect with Brett on Twitter at @brettwright15.
Privileged to be a Part of This Community
1 minute read
My love story began at the American Physical Therapy Association's (APTA's) 2018 National Student Conclave (NSC) in Providence, Rhode Island.
As a student at the University of Rhode Island, I was very excited to have the unique opportunity to attend with my program a conference in my home state.
I expected to learn about the many different ways that I could get involved as a student and encourage my classmates to also be involved. What I didn't expect was the community of incredible students that I was about to join. The people who I met at the conference are still some of my closest friends who have inspired me to continue to get involved in APTA. They are the reason that my love affair started and why I continue to fall in love with this remarkable organization. Everyone I met was kind and inviting and their passion for APTA was electric! I had not felt a shared energy before this. Having the opportunity to meet many people with enthusiasm and with a desire to get involved was truly amazing.
This experience really opened up a new world to me. It was an honor to meet students who have done wonderful things for our profession. The people and that energy that I felt at NSC moved me to get more involved, motivated me to use my position as core ambassador of Rhode Island to promote physical therapy to those who may not know what we do, and encouraged me to reach out to other students. I have joined many volunteer projects and continue to attend conferences, so I can feel that energy and become enthused all over again. I feel privileged to be a part of this community!
If you are considering attending NSC in October I would definitely recommend that you do it! That first conference changed everything for me and I know it can for so many other people. If attending a conference soon is not possible for you, then make sure to reach out to other students. Our wonderful Student Assembly Board of Directors and so many other students are active on social media and would love to have a conversation with you about their excitement for APTA! I have reached out to many of them myself for inspiration. The community is inviting, and you will not believe the energy, zeal, and love that you feel being a part of it.
Thank you to everyone who has stirred me to do more within this organization. You are all the reason that I can say I truly love APTA!
Want to share your APTA love story? Submit it here! Haven't had such an experience or moment? We encourage you to contact Kaylee Pobocik, SPT, Director of Membership, APTA Student Assembly Board of Directors to discover APTA value and opportunities.
Erin Sayles, SPT, is a student at the University of Rhode Island and serves as the APTA Student Assembly Core Ambassador for Rhode Island and on the APTA Student Assembly Advocacy Project Committee. You can connect with Erin on Twitter at @ErinSaylesSPT.
Many Different Ways to be an Active Member
1 minute read
I learned about the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) when I started physical therapy school, but I wasn't hooked right away. I was skeptical about forking over $90 of my student loans just to be a member, when no one could explain to me why I should be a member. So I waited until I decided to go to the North Carolina Physical Therapy Association's (NCPTA's) fall conference and wanted the member discount. There, I was introduced to a couple of students who would soon become lifelong friends. They laid the foundation of my #PTfam.
For the first time, I felt like I could relate to people who were passionate about our profession outside of the classroom walls, and were studying physical therapy just like me. I had a sense of belonging. My journey of involvement began there. I served on the NCPTA Student Special Interest Group and continued to learn more about what membership meant.
My involvement became my escape from the stress of physical therapy school. I was constantly connecting with my #PTfam on social media and attending advocacy events nearby. There were so many opportunities for students that I didn't know about, and I wanted all of my classmates to have the same discovery that I did.
But it wasn't that easy. I used a lot of my energy trying to get others as excited about conferences and #XchangeSA chats, but there was pushback. Going to conferences, I learned that I wasn't the only one who was feeling this way.
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The best advice on this matter was given by APTA President Sharon Dunn, PT, PhD, at the Student Assembly General Membership Meeting at a national conference. Her words stuck with me: "You can't shame others for not being involved. They have to figure it out for themselves. They will be curious about the excitement you exude. Let them come to you."
Since then I have been less worried about converting my classmates and more about showing value by example. My journey has lead me to serve as director of membership on APTA's Student Assembly Board of Directors. This has given me the opportunity to continue to demonstrate value and connect with more students. There are many different ways that you can be an active member.
If you are reading this and want to know more about where your "why" fits into membership, we should chat!
Want to share your APTA love story? Submit it here! Haven't had such an experience or moment? We encourage you to contact Kaylee Pobocik, SPT, Director of Membership, APTA Student Assembly Board of Directors to discover APTA value and opportunities.
Kaylee Pobocik, SPT, Director of Membership, APTA Student Assembly Board of Directors, is a student at Elon University. You can connect with Kaylee on Twitter at @KayleePobocik.
Serving Your Community as a Student
3 minute read
October is one of my favorite months. It contains Halloween, which is one of my favorite holidays, and it holds a cultural significance to me since it is Filipino American History Month. But since I've been involved in the physical therapy profession, October has taken on even further significance to me. It's not only National Physical Therapy Month, it's also the month in which we hold the annual global Physical Therapy Day of Service (PTDOS).
This year, October 12, 2019, marks the fifth year of PTDOS.
It can be difficult to see how much impact you have as a student since most of your time is spent in lectures, studying, or practicing clinical skills. PTDOS is an opportunity for students to help drive our profession forward by giving back to our communities. Since its inception in 2015, students remain a major driving force for its growth.
I've been a core team member of PTDOS since 2017, and the most frequent question I get is "What kind of volunteer event should my program do?"
I love hearing that question!
When it comes to PTDOS there is almost no limit to what you can do. I'm always inspired when I search the #PTDOS hashtag because you see the wide variety of projects being performed across the world. We've seen students get involved in so many different ways, such as building adaptive tricycles, participating in beach cleanups, and working with the Special Olympics. What matters most about all of these projects is that students do them together and with their community.
Need some inspiration on getting started with a project for your program? Here is what some past PTDOS participants said:
Emerson Barthelemy - Leogane, Haiti
Last year students from the Faculté des Sciences de Rehabilitation de Léogane graduation class organized a pro bono clinic to evaluate and treat people in Leogane (town next to Port au Prince). A professor and 17 students volunteered to treat patients and helped make the pro bono clinic possible.
Tasks included securing a location for the clinic, gathering essential tools and materials to treat patients, and spreading awareness of our project. They were able to spend the day treating patients using their skills as physical therapy students while giving back to their community!
Alicia Canton - Miami, Florida
My PTDOS experience began in 2017 as a first-year student at the University of Miami. One of my classmates recruited close to 20 students to volunteer with Debris Free Oceans in Miami, Florida, to help clean up the developing industrial art deco district, now known as Wynwood.
My classmates and I picked up trash throughout Wynwood, with a goal to prevent it from making its way to our beautiful oceans.
On the Saturday of PTDOS, we rolled up our sleeves and armed ourselves with gloves and trash bags. Astonished by the amount of trash we found we walked around and tirelessly filled our bags. We collected over 200 pounds of trash in just 1 hour. Residents of Wynwood tooted their horns in gratitude, and 1 man even pulled his truck over and thanked us for what we were doing. We found it so special to be able to help the environment and to have an impact on the local community.
Raechelle Robles - Dallas, Texas
Last year, physical therapy students from Texas Woman's University in Dallas joined forces with therapists from Baylor Scott & White Institute for Rehabilitation to create welcome home baskets for those who are being rehomed after experiencing homeless.
Volunteers helped put together baskets with household items and handwritten personalized notes.
The baskets were provided by The Bridge North Texas. All donations came from local stores in the area, including Ikea, Trader Joe's, and Sur La Table.
In total, we made 50 baskets filled with lots of goodies to get these folks started on this new chapter in their lives.
Get Involved
Getting involved with PTDOS as a student is easy and a great way to connect your program with your local community! If you want to plan a project you can sign up as a PTDOS ambassador, or if you want to look for a local project that is already being planned you can find one on our Project Map. As long as you serve on October 12 or within a week before or after, we'll count your project toward the PTDOS total!
We hope to see and hear about the amazing stories that come from this year's PTDOS. Be sure to use the hashtag #PTDOS when posting pictures and stories about your projects and events!
Matt Downey, PT, DPT, is a practicing clinician in California and serves as the Assistant Director, PT Day of Service. You can connect with Matt on Twitter at @MattyLMNOP and PTDOS at @ptdayofservice.
Tips to Help You Ace Your Clinicals
3 minute read
For many physical therapy students, clinical rotations allow them to practice the skills they've learned in the classroom, while also exposing them to various practice settings.
As a student, I was fortunate to have 4 excellent clinical rotations, and I'm now 4 years into a career at one of those same sites. Now, as a clinician, I am happy to serve as a clinical instructor (CI) for students of my own.
Here are my tips to help you be successful during your clinical rotations:
Do your homework. While taking a break from classes can be a relief, remember that you still have work to do while on clinicals. Bring a notebook with you and keep track of questions that you have for your CI and things that you need to research at home. Take advantage of this time in your life to learn as much as you can without the burden of homework and studying, and impress your CI by being as knowledgeable as possible about the patients you're treating.
Make use of downtime. In between patients or during gaps in your schedule, have a plan for different techniques that you want to practice. After you graduate and are out on your own, you won't have anyone checking your skills, so take advantage of having supervision and guidance while you can. Practice manual skills you're not comfortable trying out on patients, or learn additional techniques beyond what you've seen in school. If you can learn new things during clinicals, it will make you a more rounded practitioner and set you apart from other new graduates.
Get to know the patients. One of the best compliments that you can receive as a student is to be well-liked by patients. As a student, you may not have the skills or experience to be remembered by patients as an excellent clinician, but you can be known for being personable and a good communicator. One of the best indicators that I've had a successful student is when patients miss them after their clinical has ended.
Network with the other clinicians. As a student I made a point to get to know clinicians other than my CI. At my third clinical site when I officially got hired, I already knew and felt comfortable with everyone. Spending time with other therapists can give insight into other ways to practice, since no 2 clinicians practice identically. Additionally, I have a better understanding of how doctors, nurses, and others function on the health care team because I made a point of working with them and shadowing them during my time as a student. These experiences make me a stronger link in the allied health team.
Don't be afraid to be vulnerable. Your CI doesn't expect you to be a perfect clinician. During one clinical, I flubbed screening a patient during an evaluation and my CI had to step in and take over. When I went home, I practiced doing screens all night. The next day, I made up for the mistake when I was able to come in and independently perform a screen. Overall, I made the impression of being a hard worker who was eager to improve, learn, and be open to feedback. Even if you get something wrong, the most important thing is to accept the mistake, take feedback, and remember you're still a student learning and growing as a future physical therapist.
Good luck on your clinicals!
Jasmine Marcus PT, DPT, is a practicing clinician in New York. You can connect with her through her website, on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.
How Understanding Personality and Communication Styles Can Improve Patient Care
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3 minute read
Have you ever had a situation where you said one thing, but the person who you were talking to heard something else entirely? I think we have all been there!
Communication can be tricky, but it is crucial in our role as physical therapists (PTs) that we constantly work on and improve our communication skills. As PTs, we are in a really unique position to educate people in how they can reach their goals and achieve optimal health, but if we aren't speaking the same language, that message can get lost in translation.
Personality type and communication preferences can provide us with some useful insight in how we adjust our communication delivery and message to meet our patients where they are.
I should note that there are many valuable personality inventories that will help you figure out what works best for you as well as your patients; my favorite is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). MBTI looks at personality using 4 sets of opposite pairs on a continuum. These pairs consider how we direct and receive energy (extroversion vs introversion), how we take in information (sensing vs intuition), how we make decisions (thinking vs feeling), and how we approach the outside world (judging vs perceiving). It is advantageous for us as PTs and physical therapist assistants (PTAs) that we adjust our communication using these pairs in order to speak the patient's language more fluidly.
Another trait related to communications is identifying if someone is an extrovert or an introvert. Extroverts tend to be energized by spending time with people. They are normally more talkative, fast-paced, and think out loud. Stereotypically, these people are the life of the party! They may be your patients who talk a mile a minute during your evaluation. Sometimes you have to redirect the conversation to get to where you need to go, while introverts get their energy from spending time alone. They are thoughtful and like to have time to think before they respond. They also tend to observe situations before jumping in. Generally, introverts prefer to spend their Saturday nights on the couch with a good book. It is important to give these patients time to think before responding, and to follow up to see if they have other questions or thoughts at future sessions. As a card-carrying extrovert, that hang time can be tough for me, but it has made a huge difference in my patient communication and delivery of care.
How a patient communicates, makes decisions, and where on the extrovert/introvert spectrum they land, can also impact how they interact with you as their health care provider. Those patients who are thinkers tend to make their decisions based on logic. They may like to learn about how a treatment works or research studies that support the treatments you have chosen. Patients with feeler preferences make their decisions based on values and are typically warm and empathetic. They want to know how a treatment will make them feel, and they may share how their diagnosis is affecting their lives. If you have a patient who is a thinker, you may want to provide data and handouts. Patients who are feelers may really enjoy being a part of support groups or hearing anecdotes about patients with similar diagnoses who have responded well to treatment.
At the end of the day, while we can't know exactly what is going on in someone else's head, what we can do is pay attention to our own communication and how our patients are responding. To learn more about your own personality and your communication style, I would recommend taking the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.
Jacky Arrow, PT, DPT, is a board-certified clinical specialist in sports physical therapy and a certified orthopedic manual therapist. She is the sports clinical coordinator at Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas. You can reach her via email.
Core Ambassador Applications - Fall 2019
The APTA Student Assembly Board of Directors is excited to announce the unveiling of the new APTA Student Assembly Core Ambassador (CA) position application.
As of September 6, 2019, we are introducing the CA application via the APTA Engage volunteer portal in the following states:
The application for these states will be open until September 20, 2019. CA position opportunities for those states not listed above will be posted later this year.
If you have questions please contact Lynne Hibbard, SPT, Vice President, APTA Student Assembly Board of Directors. Learn more about the CA position and other involvement opportunities.
Unlike Any Other APTA Conference
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2 minute read
The American Physical Therapy Association's (APTA's) National Student Conclave (NSC) is the only physical therapy conference designed for students, by students. This year NSC will be held October 31 to November 2, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Looking for that extra push to take the leap and register? The 2019 APTA Student Assembly NSC Project Committee has compiled their top reasons for why this conference is a can't-miss event!
Unlike Any Other APTA Conference
We can't emphasize it enough—NSC is unlike any other conference for the physical therapy profession. Not only is the entire event designed for and by students, but the smaller, more compact atmosphere makes it more intimate than other professional conferences. You'll have the chance to take a selfie with APTA President Sharon Dunn, PT, PhD, while also having access to great programming, community service fun, and professional development opportunities like resume reviews.
Network, Connect, Grow
NSC is designed for students from all over the country to learn, connect, and grow. At NSC, networking is easy and the opportunities are everywhere, whether in sessions or after-hours at one of the social events designed especially for that. The connections that you'll make and the people that you'll meet can make a lifetime impact. Want to make some quick connections before arriving in Albuquerque? Check out the APTA NSC hashtag #APTANSC to find other students who are attending. Arrive in Albuquerque ready to make connections and expand your #PTFam.
Access to APTA's Leaders of Today and Tomorrow
We mentioned President Sharon Dunn being in attendance. Did we mention that she will host an exclusive town hall event where you can literally ask her anything—we mean it, she loves hearing from students! Furthermore, NSC attendees will have the chance to vote for their 2019-2020 APTA Student Assembly Board of Directors, the 10-person body of your peers who will represent all 30,000 APTA student members in the coming year.
An Exhibit Hall With You as the Focus
The exhibit hall hosts vendors, recruiters, and representatives from residency programs ready to talk to students like you. The exhibit hall also features APTA sections and our popular Student Neighborhood, a place for students to meet current and future student leaders, grab some coffee, make connections, and to learn about involvement and engagement opportunities.
Prep for Your Professional Journey
While at NSC attendees can talk with potential employers, network with future colleagues, have their resume reviewed by professionals, and even have a free professional headshot taken!
Giving Back to Albuquerque
During NSC, students will have the opportunity to volunteer for a service opportunity being organized by the APTA Student Assembly NSC Project Committee. Stay tuned! Details will be posted soon to APTA Engage, APTA's new volunteer portal. Additionally, ATI Physical Therapy will partner with Move Together to host a Teddy Bear Kits for Kids community service event that students can sign up for when they register. Attendance to this event is limited to 200.
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Powerful Programming
NSC courses, lectures, and events will expand your knowledge, spark your interest, and help you grow as an emerging professional. An awesome launch to our NSC program, Ignite talks are fun, high-energy, 5-minute presentations that focus on the speaker's personal or professional passion. We'll transition from Ignite talks to the 2019 keynote speaker and professional soccer player Joanna Lohman. Our final event is the EBS Knowledge Bowl, which may be one of the most entertaining events at NSC! This high-energy event allows students from physical therapy programs across the country to test their knowledge and prep for the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE). Show off your program's knowledge, colors, and pride.
Special Events and Socials
Make the most of your time at NSC by joining us for networking, drinks, and fun! PTPub Night will host a social on October 31—yep, Halloween night!—and the PT-PAC party will be on November 1.
Plan to attend NSC 2019 to experience the value that we place on you and your future in physical therapy. Join us and feel the energy and the fun of Albuquerque!
Have questions? Email the 2019 NSC Project Committee chair Megan Sliski, SPT.
Join us October 31 - November 2, 2019 at APTA's National Student Conclave — the only conference for students, by students. For the best rates register by September 25, 2019.