Joshua D'Angelo, SPT
George Washington University
"Physical therapy sounds like a scam." Two years ago, this casual assertion made by a friend of mine took a permanent place in my mind. This friend, an Ivy League graduate, fourth-year medical student, and aspiring surgeon viewed my strongest beliefs with great doubt. I was shocked. However, this comment opened my eyes to the often overlooked but pressing concerns of a physical therapist. With 6 words, my friend demonstrated the importance of advocacy, of educating others on what we do as physical therapists, and the role this plays in the greater successes of our profession.
Physical therapy is often met with doubt. It is a doubt that our interventions will create change, a doubt that the effort of therapy is worth the reward, and a doubt that normalcy will return when progress is not immediate. Consequently, we must treat patients while also managing knowledge and expectations about how physical therapy works. For optimal success with patients, the physical therapist must be both clinician and educator. Yet, this role does not end with patients. The passion and devotion with which we teach our patients must be used to educate other students, health professionals, and policymakers.
The knowledge that physical therapy is not well-understood or respected among other health professionals has driven much of my effort over the past 2 years. It has pushed me to serve in various roles ranging from university committees to class president. More important than these positions is what was accomplished: over 1,000 hours of organized community service, expanded opportunities and new interdisciplinary activities throughout the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, and increased funding and support from university organizations. In each role I serve, I strive to ensure appropriate physical therapy representation and advocacy efforts, create opportunities that promote the profession, and engage students to join the evolving cadre of informed and active young professionals. Through these actions, I believe I can best serve the Student Assembly by creating a strong and understanding relationship between those entering other health fields and our own.
If elected, I will maintain past efforts and focus the Student Assembly on 3 main domains: engagement, resources, and accessibility. First, we will amplify engagement by holding live events between conferences and intensifying efforts to market The Loop. Second, we will expand our resources by creating support for students interested in community service and interdisciplinary activities. Third, we will update and reorganize the student portion of APTA's website and streamline our social media. These changes will improve the accessibility of and better reflect the tremendous amount of resources available.
Since that day 2 years ago, I have found strong communication and meaningful education to be the most valuable coins in the realm of professionals. My friend was not a disrespectful, mean-spirited individual; rather, she had a deficit in her education as a health professional. As students, we have a unique opportunity to fill this void at a time when individuals are molding the values that will shape their careers.