In A Student’s Words… By Megan
This past week I finished my final clinical rotation and mailed in my application packet for licensure. As I am now on my last spring break, I reflect on the past 2.5 years in physical therapy school and all of the milestones met. I was so nervous when I began physical therapy school in August of 2008. We were the first class in the doctorate program, and we had a new and improved schedule, which included 19 hours that semester and the new cadaver lab with anatomy. That first semester was crazy and exhausting, but we made it. The next semester we had neuroscience, which intimidated us all and we spent so much time studying. That summer we had our first clinical rotation where we had no clue what to expect or what was to be expected of us. But, we made it through our first and hardest year.
Our second year consisted of many classes and just trying to stay ahead. We had so much going on that we found ourselves in our second summer clinical, but this time we were expected to do more. We were to see more patients on our own and be able to perform more or all of the evaluation and determine treatment. We were on our way to becoming an actual physical therapist.
In our third and final year, we have been more focused on our future as a physical therapist and thinking more about being on our own. Our final two clinical rotations are over and we just hope that we did all that we could to learn before being on our own, when we will have no one constantly looking over our shoulders to make sure we are performing as we should. We hope we have gathered all of the necessary tools needed for future practice.
Now, our applications for licensure are due and we are headed back to class for the last time ever for six weeks and then we graduate. We are thinking about the board exams and our future jobs. We have had a crazy ride, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Soon will be doctors of physical therapy, and all of these milestones will be just a faint memory!
- Megan, University of Oklahoma DPT 2011
