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My PT Story
By Ana Delic, M.Sc.PT (Candidate), H.B. Kin., PTS
Canadian Physiotherapy Association –External Relations Representative for the National Student Association
Ontario Physiotherapy Association- 2010 Student Award Recipient
Throughout my undergraduate kinesiology education, as I was exploring different options to pursue my post-graduate studies, I volunteered in many different clinical settings. As I began to prepare to apply for physiotherapy school I found a placement in a location I thought would provide me with the “typical” physiotherapy experience. I volunteered in a university sports clinic as well as an outpatient clinic for 3 years. Before I embarked my graduate studies in physiotherapy at McMaster, I thought I had a full understanding of the places and the type of treatment that physiotherapists perform. Little did I know that my knowledge was just the tip of the iceberg.
My first clinical experience in graduate school was in an acute inpatient ward of a hospital. I was exposed to the work PTs do in a hospital, and our role in acute care setting for individuals undergoing total joint replacements. My next placement was in a community rehabilitation clinic, where I got exposure to a new area of physiotherapy practice called primary care, which is defined as the first level of care for many clients. My next placement was in an inpatient rehabilitation stroke unit where I got exposed to working with patients who experienced different neurological conditions such as stroke, and Parkinson’s disease. My next clinical placement will be in a cardiorespiratory unit of a hospital. I also learned about different areas PT’s practice, such as schools, home care, and industry. Throughout my graduate degree I have been exposed to more placements, treatment and fields of physiotherapy I never thought possible, which enable people to be stronger. Physiotherapy encompasses so much more than what I initially thought would be a typical setting, being an outpatient sports clinic.
Physiotherapy services can be delivered in many settings, and PT’s can assist peoples of all ages, conditions and fitness levels. I am very proud and feel honoured to be a part of a profession that helps people achieve and maintain a functional level which allows them to be STRONGER in so many different ways.
Ana Delic
M.Sc.PT (Candidate), H.B. Kin., PTS
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