I just looked back through my blog to around this time last year (and then the year before) and, wow. I have come a LONG way! I can't believe that it's 2014 and I'm a licensed PT working on my 5th month of rightful employment. ;) I remember when I first decided to go back to school for physical therapy and how daunting and impossible everything seemed... and even reading my blog from July 2013 and July 2012, I realized how far I've come... This time last year I was in my last semester of classes in PT school. I was working on writing my systematic review for graduation and learning about some more specialty-type areas of PT (including aquatic therapy and burn care.) The year before that, I was just about to start my very first clinical experience. Holy moley... I remember being so worried about my first clinical experience, and it has turned out to be an invaluable experience that, to this day, I still cherish. (And still use information from that clinical... well, the nuggets that stuck with me!)
I'd love to say time flies when you're having fun, but I don't really consider PT school "fun". Yes, there were many laughs and good memories, but it was a lot of work and there were a LOT of times I considered quitting. Now that I'm working, I'm so glad I stuck with it... Everything fell into place so well for me and now I'm getting ready to embark on a bigger adventure with my current company. I'm actually going to be able to to continue to be passionate about cardiopulmonary causes and work towards getting patients the preventative care they need. I would have never believed myself (or anyone) if they had told me that I was going to get to work with such a special patient population, and still work on my orthopedic skills at the same time. I've been really blessed with a first job that is diverse and with a coworker that is a fabulous mentor (although is challenging to work with at times).
It seems like years ago (and let's be honest... it really was... it's been 7 years since I graduated with my education degree) that I was embarking upon a teaching career, or rather trying to, never knowing where I would be 7 years later... Life is funny.
It's days like these when I can sit back and reflect a little and realize that I did it... Classroom to Clinic. I did it, even though there were people who probably doubted me, there were people who didn't understand why I "gave up teaching". I had a supportive family and boyfriend that got me through it. And I'm a doctor now! :)
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