Physical Therapy Professionalism

While the word `professionalism' usually refers simply to the quality of being professional, in truth it does not describe a single quality, but rather encompasses many different attributes that together define what a professional is. Throughout my experiences in various physical therapy settings, I was fortunate enough to observe therapists who have not only served as my role models, but have also taught me what professionalism really means. Not only excelling in their duties as physical therapists, every person I've been lucky enough to work with has been kind, accountable, and extremely committed, all of which are traits I have tried to emulate in my work as a volunteer and physical therapy technician. While I observed various displays of professionalism in different physical therapy
In my experiences in various physical therapy environments, I was able to observe the compassionate nature and excellent bedside manner of many different therapists, and how they made each and every patient feel both welcomed and respected. This same tact and friendliness towards others is vital in showing professionalism in a DPT program. Even with all the intelligence in the world, a physical therapy student needs to be able to work well with others to succeed, whether it is with faculty or fellow peers. From studying with classmates to group presentations, and even taking part in clinical internships, students in a DPT program need to be cooperative, friendly, and respectful in order to be successful. By doing things such as addressing patients by their first name, talking to them about topics unrelated to their treatment, and initiating follow-up conversations based on past appointments, I tried to adopt these qualities in my work to establish trust and build relationships with our patients, and would apply these qualities to my studies in a DPT program as