Physical Therapy Professionalism

What is professionalism in the context of being a student in a doctor of physical therapy degree program? While being engrossed with the question, the definition of professionalism that I read in the APTA as defined by Stern DPT, I had an intuitive perception. I began to ponder that I could certainly apply that definition to where I am in my journey. Although I am not currently a student of a doctor of physical therapy program, my personal, educational, and volunteer experiences have already begun to prepare me for my role as a future student of a DPT program.

I can still remember the first time I had a personal experience involving physical therapy. After suffering a collapsed lung and a fractured pelvis, my mother underwent a couple of weeks of physical therapy. Then years later she ultimately ended up having to have hip replacement surgery, which resulted in another round of physical therapy, illuminating a deep passion within me. Intrigued and amazed by what physical therapy was able to accomplish, I developed an aspiration to one day impact someone's life in such an astonishing manner. A need to help was reinforced in me, as I watched my mom's physical therapists get her up and walking again. Those physical therapists provided me with an example of what it means to evince professionalism through caring and compassion, as they …show more content…
Displaying maturity, being respectful, being caring and compassionate, always remaining honorable, and being able to communicate in various forms, are all valuable and essential characteristics of displaying professionalism as a student in a doctor of physical therapy program. Practicing and continuing to strive toward what I am aspiring to be is the best way to achieve that goal of being a professional physical therapist. That first begins with being inclined to learning and hard