People often wonder why we're so excited to go to work everyday. Is it the paycheck? Is it the variety in what we get to do? Or, is it something else?

Do you have this key thing in your PT career?

How do you become a continuing education instructor? This is the second video in a 2-part series where we explore the steps necessary to becoming a continuing education instructor.

Dear PT Students,

Can we pause?

I know it is getting to the end of the semester, and the deadlines, exams, practicals, and stress are all starting to pile up. For the third-year students, there is finally the finish line ahead.

But, can we pause?

Wherever you are in your education, you are on your way to getting your doctorate of physical therapy. You were accepted into a PT program, and you’ve been working hard the entire time. That is no small thing.

A few weeks back, I saw a prospective PT student walking around the campus with his family. They stopped at multiple places taking pictures. He stood proudly in front of the school insignia.

I think many of you have that feeling at some point. But then you get tunnel vision for graduation and forget to stop and be proud of everything you’ve accomplished to get where you are.

While PT school is a means to an end in some respects, it is something to be celebrated.

You got here and you’ve got this.

Break Barriers,

Jenna...

How do you become a continuing education instructor? (part 1)

We have advisors during PT school and some of us have mentors early on in the clinic. Should we continue with the mentorship process throughout our career?

Many of us come up in the field wanting to make an impact. We see leaders from the time we are students and want to someday become one. But how does that happen? Is there something we can do?

Stress is not always a bad thing. There are instances when using energy can actually give you more energy. Stress may not always be something to run from.

I have to tell you about my worst experience during PT school. Years have passed, but I still cringe when I think about it today.

My school had a group poster presentation where students and faculty would rotate throughout the room and we would share our research. I wasn’t nervous about presenting. I prepped some, but while other classmates practiced and practiced, I felt confident in my ability.

That is until the first group of students and professors rotated to our poster. It was my turn to speak and NOTHING was happening. I was frozen. I didn’t know what to say, and I stared as everyone uncomfortably waited for me to speak. Finally, I did. Only it wasn’t my voice. It was high-pitched and cracking. It was terrible. I’d NEVER had trouble with public speaking, but there I was unable to recall anything about the research I worked on all semester.

I hated that moment and I still hate thinking about it. Yet, every time I have to give a presentation or a lecture...

How do you find your area of passion and expertise in physical therapy? When you're a new PT or trying to find your place, is there anything that can help you figure it out?