Professionalism and Responsibility in Physical Therapy

756 Words2 Pages

Professionalism is a standard that must define who we are as students and future physical therapists. As future physical therapists, we are embarking on a journey where we dedicate ourselves to acquiring knowledge and using what we learned in the classroom to apply it to the real world in order to help those in need. Being a physical therapist is a commitment to help and serve others, which comes with the rewards of making a difference in the lives of others. Responsibility is one of the many characteristics that make up professionalism in the context of being a student in a doctorate of physical therapy degree program. When I was thirteen years old, my father was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease called inclusion body myositis (IBM). …show more content…

At the facility my father attended, I saw professionalism of the physical therapist first-hand as he showed compassion and empathy to my father and that is when I obtained my passion to become a physical therapist. My father was far from being an easy patient to work with. On certain days, my father would arrive depressed and be in no mood to participate in any of the treatments or modalities. Instead of giving up on my father’s impossible case, the physical therapist spent hours researching the rare condition and found the best way to approach the situation. With the help of the physical therapist, my father began to develop a positive outlook on life. The physical therapist helped my father maintain his muscle mass as well as making my father feel as if he is not alone in dealing with his aggressive disease. From my father’s experience, I learned that a physical therapist is not only there for the patient physically, but also mentally. The physical therapist never failed to put himself in my father’s shoes, leaving his compassion and empathy to inspire me to incorporate it into my work as a physical therapy aide and hope to continue to do so as a student and professional in the field of physical

Open Document