Physical Therapy Personal Statement

My short term is to advance in the field, hopefully moving up to a Recreation Assistant Supervisor for Durham Parks and Recreation or a similar role. I have learned a lot as a Recreation Specialist and I am well prepared to take this next step up in the field. Another short term goal of mine is to complete graduate school at North Carolina State University in the next two years; I begin next month with a major in Sports Management, Parks, Recreation and Tourism. Long term, I plan to obtain my CPRP certification and to eventually become a director of an agency. This has been something I have always wanted to do ever since undergrad. I know a position of this magnitude takes a lot of hard work and patience but I am confident in my abilities to make this happen.

My name is Alexis Batiste, but most people call me “Lexi”. I am currently a Junior at Cal Poly Pomona. I reside in Long Beach California, but during the school year I have an apartment in Pomona. I am pursing a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology. After graduation, my plans are to attend Loma Linda University to earn a graduate degree. I would love to become a specialist in sports medicine as well, but for now my dream is to work with young athletes. I want to help them exercise and treat any injuries that they encounter while playing a sport. I want to help my patients live a healthy life by helping them stay fit.

My experience also enabled me to understand how an individual’s mentality, anatomy, and body movements can contribute to the overall progress of healing as it requires a lot of patience and motivation. Therefore, pursuing a degree in Kinesiology would be my greatest desire as I want to help individuals heal through methods of physical movements and because I believe it encompasses two of my favourite subjects, science and physical education. Throughout my experience in high school, my interest in health and physical activities has only grown stronger. As an illustration, over the past four years, I have been involved in various sports such as the varsity girl’s soccer team, varsity girl’s flag football team, and badminton

Yeah, that is what I envision for my future. I have goals of becoming a Physical Therapist and going in to business with my twin sister by opening up our own physical therapy practice. By having a degree in Exercise Science my clients, which will be athletes, will see that my focus is really on them and their needs. It shows that even though I am not an athlete I am knowledgeable of how they move and operate and what it takes to make sure they can perform at their best. I am determined to achieve this

I am learning about the significance of being committed to patient care and dedicating your life's work to the betterment of every patient. I possess a strong academic history as well as a willingness to commit my time to uplifting of my community. Even as a student who has had some hiccups academically, I am proving that I can overcome adversity and "keep my eyes on prize". Furthermore, I am devoted to being the future of physical therapy and displaying selflessness, dedication, compassion, distinction and authenticity. I have learned to sympathize and empathize with patients, however, at the same time stand firm in the therapeutic methods that need to be implemented for the patient's

I define myself as a person who helps others no matter what, I have an unbelievable passion for helping others because of the morals my father has taught me. My close relationship with my father has developed greatly since he would be gone for months at a time due to his affiliation with the U.S. Marine Corps. I have made many connections with others due to our parents serving in the military. Unfortunately, this connection revealed that many parents and loved ones became disabled during their career in the military. Personally, I could not imagine what my life would be like if my father lost his ability to do basic things.

I began my college career in 2004 at Berea College. My Alma Mater has a work study program that helps students learn the art of professionalism. In my sophomore year, I began working in the Campus Life office as the Office Manager. My boss was a graduate from the Physical Therapy program in the 1990s which led me to believe that she would support my educational endeavors. However, after discussing with her my desire to pursue a career in Physical Therapy she told me that I would never make it.

My educational goals to achieve the career of a Physical Therapist, are to major in Biology and minor in Spanish. During undergraduate school, I plan to volunteer in physical therapy units as an interpreter when needed while gaining the experience of a Physical Therapist. Then, I want to complete a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree in graduate school and get my license. I plan to return to Hood River and create events every month that offer free check-ups to agriculture workers and anyone that cannot afford medical help. I plan on giving back to the community that has helped my family when in need.

The streets of my hometown have not been this flooded since the Ohio River rose over the ten-foot flood wall in 1937; only this time not by water, but by prescription pain pills. I grew up in the foothills of Appalachia, where pain clinics were widespread throughout the Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia tri-state area until 2010. Physical therapy is an option that residents of my hometown are not fully aware of. The opioid crisis that is currently being fought by the APTA is something that continues to go on in front of my own eyes. Unfortunately, the area continues to be unaware and underserved.

I am currently a junior rolling into my senior term at Cleveland State University for an undergrad in Exercise Science and Pre Physical Therapy. The foundation of my desired career relies solely on being able to communicate effectively and respectfully. I have close to ten years of experience in customer service positions. Both involving volunteer work and previous employment. My history in this field covers a wide variety of tasks your company is seeking.

My whole life has been centered around the field of kinesiology. Since I was about four years old I have been involved in some sort of sport or physical activity and I have never wanted to change that. When I learned that there was a major that could revolve around sports and activity of which I love so much, I decided to throw myself fully into it. I have always been one to throw myself into whatever I am doing and challenge myself and set high goals. Therefore, I have chosen to go to medical school after my undergraduate education and become an orthopedic surgeon. Within the next ten years I hope to be on a hospital staff, improving my skills as a surgeon for sports medicine.

Throughout my life I've witnessed my mother and close family members struggle to achieve their goals. They came to this country from Jamaica in search of the “American Dream”,  but this was blockaded by premature pregnancies, lack of finances, and the realities of this country. Although I could sense their struggle, I never could sense discouragement. Despite their hardship, they were always there to support and accommodate my goals. I vividly remember being eight years old and sharing with my mother and grandmother my dreams of becoming an olympian track runner.

My intended majors I’m interested in are special education and physical therapy. Growing up as a young child I was always helping my mother with my disabled brother who has severe Autism. It wasn’t easy taking care of him but as I grew older I became more comfortable with teaching him things like how to write, pronunciation with words, and politeness. One thing I learned from doing this is you need to have a lot of patience. I’m a very calm and easy going person.

My ultimate career goal is to become a physical therapist. I'd love to specialize in gerontology as I enjoy working with the elderly. Primarily, my interest in becoming a physical therapist is driven by my desire to work with those who are disabled or aging in an effort to help them achieve their own specific goals for rehabilitation. Originally I had wanted to become a medical doctor, and although I am still considering it, my experience shadowing a physical therapist was fascinating and I really resonated with what they did throughout the day.

In the past seventeen years I have grown exponentially. Not only have I grown physically but also mentally and emotionally. By the time I turned twelve I began to experience personality changes. The first stage ( years 12-13) could be characterized as innocent, nerdy, and sweet. Stage two (years 14-15) consisted of an emotionally stressed and driven child.