Leadership
I’ve done more than I expected to in my first 2 semesters of PT school but I also didn’t stop myself from trying, so here we are! I just wanted to share some reflections on what I do in various leadership positions so you can have a glimpse of what it’s like to be a PT student doing the extra things. I hope it also helps PT students decide what types of roles are best for them.
Photo by Ketut Subiyanto: https://www.pexels.com/photo/people-having-a-meeting-4623463/
Interprofessional Coordinator
This is a position I fill for my PT program’s pro bono clinic. It is the most time consuming leadership role I have but it’s also the most rewarding. I’m able to have a substantial impact in my local community and connect with people across the state. Some of the things I do within this role are:
Lead the NC Regional Consortium for The Pro Bono Network, facilitating communication between student-run pro bono clinics in NC to improve quality of care delivered to people most in need
Work with local organizations to improve my program’s awareness of the community’s culture and needs, spread knowledge about the profession of PT and the services our clinic offers, and extend services provided by our clinic and other organizations to people we wouldn’t be able to reach on our own
Collaborate with students from other departments to enhance the quality of care provided by our pro bono clinic
My current big project is improving our clinic’s process for recruiting, on-boarding, and communicating with interpreters so it’s easier to provide reliable service to our Spanish-speaking community members!
Advocacy Project Committee Member
To set the stage for what the Advocacy Project Committee is, we have:
APTA (American Physical Therapy Association, national level) > APTA NC (state level) > APTA NC SSIG (state level for students, SSIG = Student Special Interest Group) > APTA NC SSIG Advocacy PC (PC = Project Committee)
So, this makes us physical therapy (APTA) students (SSIG) in North Carolina (NC) who are part of a group (PC) that promotes advocacy.
This role has a high value of return on investment for the amount of time I put into it. My commitments only take an average of a few hours per month and I get to network with people all over the state. There is a lead position for this group and that person gets to collaborate with the leaders of other project committees. I think it would be very rewarding and fun to be a part of that action.
I get to encourage involvement with APTA by bringing events straight to the classroom and by assisting with organizing larger events for students, healthcare providers, and the general public
I get to learn about the challenges my profession faces by listening to the concerns of clinicians, physical therapist students, and physical therapist assistant students
I get to help facilitate conversations about elevating my profession with basically everyone
Photo by ICSA: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-standing-in-front-of-people-1709003/
Graduate Assistant
This is a paid position I hold at my university, within my Doctor of Physical Therapy program. It’s not going to make me rich but every little bit helps! The time investment required is moderate, about 10 hours per week, but I get to count most of the hours I spend in my other roles toward my GA hours so it’s not as much as it sounds. As a GA, I’ve had opportunities to teach and talk to people from a diverse representation of healthcare careers. I’ve also been able to discuss my student physical therapist experience with prospective students while also listening to the diverse experiences of my classmates.
Class Rep
This role requires minimal time but also doesn’t offer as much professional development as other positions. It’s a good opportunity for learning more about the challenges others are dealing with, advocating for classroom needs, and communicating between the department and students.
Photo by Henri Mathieu-Saint-Laurent: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-woman-in-plaid-shirt-speaking-over-a-microphone-8344902/
Blogging
Alright, I admit this is work I made for myself but I’ve learned a bit about content creation while meeting some cool people along the way. Writing also helps me process my thoughts, destress, and learn. When students, professors, and healthcare providers are communicating with each other, we use a lot of medical words that make no sense to other people. Blogging has been a great way for me to improve my ability to communicate clearly with people who don’t have medical backgrounds.
If you have any questions about any of these roles, please leave them in the comments below and I’ll be happy to answer!
