Physical Therapy Professionalism

Professionalism “is the skill, good judgement, and polite behavior that is expected from a person who is trained to do a job well.” The Physical Therapy field has come to a consensus on a set of core values that they feel are key components of professionalism. These core values include: accountability, altruism, compassion, excellence, integrity, professional duty, and social responsibility. ATPA’s Professionalism Core Value Self-Assessment is a tool to evaluate a physical therapist’s effectiveness in exhibiting professionalism in their practice. By taking the assessment as a student, we’re able to get a baseline to continue to grow upon as we mature in our careers and as professionals. It’s important for us to be mindful of these components

Professionalism in physical therapy is an absolute essential part of the career. If you want to have a successful career in physical therapy you must exhibit professionalism throughout it. How is it that someone becomes a professional in physical therapy? You must embody APTA's core values and apply those values to work together with other health professionals in order to improve the health of your patients and community.

Module 2 Drop Box Assignment The results of the “Professionalism in Physical Therapy: Core Values Self-Assessment” from the APTA revealed my lowest scores in the core values of Excellence, Professional Duty, and Social Responsibility. The average score for Excellence was 3.82, for Professional Duty was 3.71, and for Social Responsibility was 3.14. Each of these core values will be addressed separately.

There are multiple ways to show professionalism as a student in a doctor of physical therapist degree program. Some of these include communication, responsibility, and being prepared.

Professionalism to me is being honest, having a high level of integrity, striving for excellence, respecting others and providing quality care with compassion.

Professionalism is defined as the conduct, aims, or qualities that characterize or mark a profession or a professional person (Merriam Webster dictionary). Professionalism is a type of behavior that one, usually your boss or employer, expects from the professional person. These behaviors, for example could be showing up to work on time, dressing appropriately and being respectful to others in their profession. As a student being in a doctor of physical therapist degree program, professionalism has its own personal definition to that of the student.

Professionalism in the context of being a student in a doctor of physical therapist degree program can be defined into many different skills that can be applied to situations both in and out of the clinic or classroom. Communication, knowledge of how to use resources, empathy, and respect are all qualities and skills of professionalism that I believe a student in a physical therapy program should have or acquire as they continue their education. These are just some of the various skills that a young professional should exhibit, but I believe these are the ones that represent professionalism the best. Communication is an important skill that can be used every day in any setting.

As I pulled into the rehabilitation center’s parking lot Monday afternoon I couldn't wait to get inside and feel the breeze of the air conditioning as I escaped from the 95 degree blazing hot weather outside. I was very anxious because I wasn’t sure how this interview would go, let alone if it would happen. I wasn't certain the physical therapist I was going to interview would have time to fit me in. I was up the night before trying to figure out what I wanted to learn from this interview and what kind of questions I would ask. I decided to focus my questions towards the physical therapist I have been shadowing to get to know more about him and his experiences with the job. So far through out my research I have been focusing on the physical therapists and their relationships with patients. I wanted my readers learn more about the person who is caring for these patients and what goes on that patients do not see.

“Pain is temporary; the successes it brings can be everlasting”(Testimonials). This is what a physical therapist strives to succeed with their clients. These hard working individuals are heroes to so many people every single day, and often they do not get enough credit. Physical therapists are highly educated professionals who specialize in making life painless and easier for their patients. An immense amount of work is put into this profession, through years of rigorous educational courses. The education that a physical therapist goes through to receive licensure is all used in their day-to-day life on the job. All in all, physical therapists are life changing specialists who come through a difficult educational system to obtain a license to use in their daily life in this profession.

Working at YMCA and Belle Mead Physical Therapy has also taught me to be accountable for my actions, just like the physical therapists have to be for their decisions. At BMPT as an aide, I have to make sure with the therapists what they want their patients to do before I go tell the patients what they have to do in terms of exercises and which machines they have to do. I have to be accountable for what I tell the patients, because if something happens to them while they are doing their exercises that I have told them to do, then the blame will be on me that I told them to do it. One part of being a professional student in a DPT program is being understanding of other’s situations and needs. Not everyone comes from the same place, have the same background, and learn at the same pace as you do. When others asks questions, you have to be professional and respectful of them and not laugh at them no matter how silly the question is. Not everyone is as smart as you are and not everyone understands the way that you do. Asking questions does not mean he or she is weak, but rather it means that he or she is strong enough to speak up and ask for clarification on anything that he or she did not understand. After all, everyone in the classroom is there to learn and make mistakes and to learn from the mistakes, so the same mistake is not repeated in the future when all of us go to work as a physical therapist in the future. Rather than giving up after making a mistake and living with it, one should ask for help and ask questions and advices on how to do better next

Regardless of two wrong surgeries, I was back to living each day pain free. The struggles I had overcome throughout the whole year shaped me into the person I am today. Likewise, I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to have a surgeon and physical therapists who dedicated their own personal time to help me recover. Nonetheless, their inspiration is what helped me decide what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I knew from the moment I met all of them, physical therapy was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

A student in a doctor of physical therapy degree program must be able to assume responsibility for their actions. A student that is accountable also possesses integrity, this is an important aspect of professionalism because it shows that the student will honor their word by standing by their obligations. While observing professional physical therapists in clinical settings, one can see how important accountability is in the professional world. Clinical observation experience is a great way to demonstrate to doctoral students how at times a professional therapist will be placed in positions to where they must assume accountability to warrant their patients therapeutic success. It is important for the doctoral student to understand that accountability plays a major role in professionalism.

After surgery I went to physical therapy to start the process of my recovery. When I first went, I didn’t like my therapist, Dr. Sushil, but as time went on, I grew to adore him and everyone in the practice. All of the therapists were extremely close and it was refreshing to be a part of such a joyful and comfortable environment. They all genuinely wanted to help people recover from their injuries and make it enjoyable

Professionalism in the workplace, is the absolute key to having a successful, and smoothly run business. Professionalism is something that must be maintained by every individual within the work setting, especially in health care, whether it is the janitor, activity director, nursing assistant, doctor, or even the head administrator. Professionalism encompasses many aspects, such as teamwork, attitude, environment, knowledge, morals, and ethics.

Being an aspiring student in a physical therapy program has driven me to embody the core values stated by the APTA and demonstrated by my coworkers. Working in the medical field means the well being of others is in your hands. The level of responsibility and accountability required is monumental, and you must be willing to step up to the task. Whereas many students only hold themselves accountable for their own benefit, as a DPT student, you must demonstrate initiative because your actions no longer affect just yourself. First and foremost, you must be responsible in the classroom. Prior to practice, a solid foundation of education and knowledge is critical. One should exercise due diligence in saturating themselves with the knowledge necessary to care for a patient in a safe, timely, and efficient