APTA's vision for physical therapy is "transforming society by optimizing movement to

improve the human experience". How will you embody this vision as a future physical
therapist?

The power of movement does more than transform a person's physical

well-being. I witnessed firsthand how modifications in movement can
affect an individual in a more holistic sense, by aligning their mental,
emotional, and spiritual health. From a high intensity athlete like Eva
who tore her ACL, to an elderly woman, Amy who was learning to walk
again, I have engaged in rehabilitating therapy that enables patients to
continue pursuing what they love. I hope as a future physical therapist
to individualize treatment plans to fulfill each patient's goals and
optimize movement, in order to improve every aspect of their lives.
Since beginning my time at the University of Washington I have been
exploring a variety of potential careers in medicine. My experience as
an intensive inpatient rehabilitation volunteer convinced me that a
career in physical therapy could be a challenging and professionally
satisfying way to positively impact lives. The combination of creating
treatment plans, developing relationships with patients, and facilitating
a physically active life, make physical therapy a unique and powerful
form of patient recovery. While a physician diagnoses physical
impairment, a physical therapist creates a collaborative plan for
change with the patient and combats their weakness with goaloriented therapy. I was first exposed to the patient centered approach
while working with Amy, a 75 year-old grandmother who suffered a
debilitating stroke. Walking up to 10 miles daily before her stroke, Amy
had led an incredibly active lifestyle. Nearly instantaneously, this
sudden affliction destroyed her lifestyle as she transitioned to being
completely non-ambulatory, confused, and dependent on others for
daily activities. We worked together for several weeks, and as trust
grew, our relationship became a working partnership infused with
encouragement and laughter. I grew increasingly sympathetic to her
situation and became ever more motivated to help her reach her goal
of walking 10 miles again. To address her goals, I tailored her
treatment to require exceptionally aggressive therapy and exercises.
Amy taught me that each person's impairments, activity and
participant restrictions, environmental and personal factors are all vital
components of an individual's treatment.
An understanding that movement affects all people, and manifests
itself in every aspect of health drives my passion to become a physical
therapist. I currently work as a physical therapy aide at a Seattle
outpatient clinic called Core Physical Therapy. Initial insight into the

universal benefits of treatment came from the two particular patient

cases of Jim and Eva. Jim experienced acute lower back pain after
spending months in bed. His recovery was crippled by depression.
During his first few visits, he often complained about exercises while
spouting epithets at the staff. As his therapy progressed, we all
witnessed substantial changes in Jim's demeanor as his movement
increased and his back became stronger. I now look forward to
Wednesdays when Jim arrives, greets me by name and strikes up a
conversation as I join him in carpet slides and ball bridges. Improved
capable movement correlated clearly with a dramatically enriched
physical and mental health. Eva came to my clinic after tearing her
ACL playing college basketball. Eva openly grieved her rehab
appointments and on many occasions I found myself stool crawling and
sidestepping alongside her to motivate her to finish her exercises. I
empathized with Eva's frustrations of not being able to be on the
basketball court with her teammates, as I also suffered severe injuries
as a competitive runner. Her high degree of athleticism spurred Eva's
rapid progress. From young athletes to the elderly retired, I have
witnessed the collective benefits of increased movement.
Optimizing movement in patients is proven effective for improving
their holistic health and quality of life. My time working as an aide has
given me this valuable insight. As a future physical therapist, I will
combine my desire to serve the community, compassion and love for
people, and my belief that physical therapy truly changes lives. I want
to help each patient return to what they love through unique treatment
plans that utilize the power of movement. I could think of nothing more
rewarding.