Part I:
A systematic theme over the outcomes of my life has always been one that
leaves me feeling as though I could have done much more. Today, as I reflect
upon the goals I set for myself at the beginning of this course, I do not
necessarily have this feeling. My initial goal was to render “the ability to
look deeper into a matter immediately after the matter has occurred,” in an
effort to solve the problem as quickly as possible.
All professionals have metaphorical or tangible tool belts. Physical
therapists have goniometers and manipulations, Popeye has spinach, and Batman
has batarangs and a zipline. What builds the efficacy of a professional is
their ability to call upon these skills in a matter of seconds in their individual
lines of work, but it all starts with how they think.
I comfortably reside in the fact that I acquired the skill I initially
set out to ascertain at the beginning of this course. Through conversations
with peers, reading and writing on numerous topics, and developing relationships
with faculty who know much more about these skills than I do. I believe this cornerstone
of knowledge is one that will withstand future winds of uncomfortable learning,
and will not wash away like biased thought built on a house of sand.
The goal was to acquire the axe, and though it may be dull, I have the
wet stone to sharpen it. I believe I have found a mentor like Liam Neeson in Taken. He “[has] a very particular set of
skills, skills acquired over a very long career.” This is a grand happenstance,
as it is my hope to saturate every gyri of my cerebral cortex; well, more
specifically my hippocampus, as I move forward in this crazy whirlwind known as
Physical Therapy School.
Part II:
Dear Self,
I hope this letter finds you well. It has been an arduous and downright
difficult journey.
But alas, as sure and true as Chris D’elia’s impression of
drunk girls:
WE DID IT. We actually did it. You are graduating this week. All of the
cadaveric blood, lab partner sweat, and learning-the-gait-cycle-tears have paid
off. You are about to become a Doctor of Physical Therapy. We are at the event
horizon now, so let’s take a look back shall we?
We have learned a lot over these years. So much about anatomy and
biomechanics, pain science, and biopsychosocial models of medicine. From school
and internships, we’ve had a very real and visceral look into what is to be
expected in our next 40 years in the field. From the internet, we’ve learned that
a lot of our colleagues have varying,
and sometimes vehement, opinions on the path that should be trodden with
patients to arrive at the same conclusion – return to what they love to do.
Furthermore – stretching is usually not warranted, foam rollers just
kinda suck, and saying adhesions on the Internet is a sure-fire way to get a
lot of people #triggered,
so avoid that all costs. But always continue to promote loading it over
stretching it, that just always seems to get the job done.
You’ve surrounded yourself with a group of individuals whose hope is to
change the game of Physical Therapy – stay close with them. Ya’ll have a lot of
work to do, so stay diligent once you walk out of that venue with your cap and
gown. These are my reflections.
Your benediction is as follows:
Continue to ask questions, always ascertain the why, show others the
why, learn something new daily, problem solve, know why you do things before
you do them, remember why you went into this field, help people, empower people, love people.
