Advice/encouragement for a troubled PT student?

[bridge47]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for some advice/encouragement. I'm a 3rd year PT student on my 2nd long term affiliation and the past year has been awful for me. I have always been a high achiever, all A's, few B's and did great in undergrad with grades, friends and a boatload of extracurricular activities. Fast forward to PT school and I am depressed, struggling in school (but I passed all of my classes) and no social life or support outside of my amazing, but long-distance boyfriend. I've been very close to suicide many times in the past year which I have been to counselor for as well.
I just finished my first clinical rotation which was in outpatient ortho and enjoyed it. However, I wasn't exactly excelling either. I had a hard time fitting the way we learned to do things in the classroom to the clinic. My CI wanted me to do things exactly her way when it came to everything, exercises prescribed, patient education, and evaluations. I struggled with this for a while, until my horrible midterm evaluation after which we found some ways to help me, like using a pre-made evaluation cheat sheet. My CI said I improved 1000% after that. When it came to my final evaluation she started it by saying "I'm not going to fail you, but you need more time". However, I guess that wasn't true since my evaluation scored by my school classified me as failing and needing to re-do my 3 month ortho rotation after what would have been my graduation date. I truly put it in 110% effort every day, but often that just made the pressure too great and caused me to get anxious and mess up. I was on time every day, always professional and got along great with everyone, so none of the usual reasons why some one would fail.

So here is where I need some help/ encouragement. I'm so discouraged about failing a rotation. How will I get a job? Who will hire me? Will I ever be a good PT? I guess I'd just like to hear from some people with experience some advice/ encouraging words. Do you know anyone who failed a rotation? Would you hire someone who did? etc.
Thanks 🙂

 

[MinnDasota]

Keep your head up. I know a couple to not have passed a clinical. One of them was a very good friend of mine. They were well-liked, overachievers and good students like yourself.

It took a big hit on them. I remember how their attitudes went from confident and social to completely lost and alone. They didn't know who to talk to as they didn't want the world to know they "failed". As much as they felt they let themselves down, it seemed they were more hurt that they felt they were letting their friends and family down. I remember the day when one of them approached me and confided that she had failed. It seemed so tough for her to come out and tell me. I could feel how ashamed she felt.

That was 2 years ago. Fast forward to now. Both are doing very well and are enjoying their jobs (both work in peds so how much more fun can it be!!!). Neither had difficulty getting a job after the make-up clinical. The job interviewers did ask what happened? and Why are you starting now instead of 3 months ago?

Of course, only you will be able to answer this, but make sure you remain confident yet sincere in your answers. If you have scored excellent references from the other clinicals or from your professors, then you should not have any problems getting a job. They can vouch for your clinical compentency.

Remember, sometimes you get that tough CI (kind of like getting that tough prof while your friends get the easy one). It sucks, but we all go through it at some point in our lives. It's cliche, but you gotta learn from it and move on. Although you are questioning your abilities right now, you wouldn't have made it this far if you didn't know what you were doing. Prove it to yourself by killing the make-up clinical. Sometimes we fail, but we learn the most from these failures.

Crush the boards and I'll see you on the other side as a colleague 😉

 

[lee9786]

Wow Minnsota great post! Bridge look to the future and learn from the past. I don't understand your situation but, it's all about attitude. Do your best and it will happen. Don't worry about anything else. This ride is a rollercoaster and you'll be on top again eventually. Utilize your friends and support. Good luck you'll get it. You just have to believe it.

 

[PT Dad]

I know a student who was also a high achiever as an undergrad but in PT school it was a different story. The student found that all the classmates were as smart or smarter and felt overwhelmed with the course load, lack of free time, etc. The answer was a low dosage of anti-depressant medication which made things more manageable. Don't know if this may apply to you but I hope you are under a qualified psychiatrist's care if you have been suicidal. As far as connecting the coursework to what you do in the clinical, remember that over time you will feel more confident and if it takes you a little longer so be it. Remember, you were accepted into PT school because the admissions people felt you were qualified. No one will care whether your GPA was 4.0 or 2.8 once you are licensed.

 

[summerX]

It's ok, you are not the only one to have failed a clinical. There were a couple of people in my program to have failed clinicals and some of them had the same sinario. The CI didn't fail them, but then the school decided to. Is this fair? Probably not. Keep your head up, you have alot of good to offer!

 

[darkangel77]

I am sorry to hear that you failed your clinical rotation 🙁 I start my first clinical affiliation in 3 days and am very nervous about it...but take solace in the fact that although I don't know anyone personally that failed, my professors have told stories about 3-4 students in the past year or two that have, and all of them did well on their make-up affiliations, and all have graduated on time.

Keep your head up. I understand how you feel...I failed one of my midterms last semester and was down for an entire week, and I nearly failed the class. It was only because I studied my a*s off for the final that I passed. I too was like you, had lots of extracurricular activities in undergrad, along with lots of friends, and always did well in school. PT school has left me constantly stressed and tired with precious little time to spend with even my best friend or my family, as I spend what free time I have talking to my long-distance boyfriend, who, like yours, has been incredibly supportive.

So yes, I agree, keep your head up! Work hard during your makeup affiliation, and you will pass and be able to graduate on time.

 

[vederosa]

It sounds like you have been through a lot and are under a lot of stress. I am concerned about the one statement that you made in your post about being close to suicide several times. I hope you are getting the help you need to come through this battle, as you are very close to finishing this out! Of course you should be a little upset and disappointed about this. You are normal to feel upset about this.

There's a quote that I think is attributed to Ben Franklin, and I like to share it with you

The true test of character is not hitting rock bottom, but how high one rebounds after hitting the bottom.

The choice is up to you how you look at this 'opportunity' and how you chose to "rebound" from this. You aren't the first or the last person to have this situation happen to them.

Don't forget to have some fun too! Stress is horrible for your memory and cognition! A little silliness in the day never hurt anyone.. 🙂

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for some advice/encouragement. I'm a 3rd year PT student on my 2nd long term affiliation and the past year has been awful for me. I have always been a high achiever, all A's, few B's and did great in undergrad with grades, friends and a boatload of extracurricular activities. Fast forward to PT school and I am depressed, struggling in school (but I passed all of my classes) and no social life or support outside of my amazing, but long-distance boyfriend. I've been very close to suicide many times in the past year which I have been to counselor for as well.
I just finished my first clinical rotation which was in outpatient ortho and enjoyed it. However, I wasn't exactly excelling either. I had a hard time fitting the way we learned to do things in the classroom to the clinic. My CI wanted me to do things exactly her way when it came to everything, exercises prescribed, patient education, and evaluations. I struggled with this for a while, until my horrible midterm evaluation after which we found some ways to help me, like using a pre-made evaluation cheat sheet. My CI said I improved 1000% after that. When it came to my final evaluation she started it by saying "I'm not going to fail you, but you need more time". However, I guess that wasn't true since my evaluation scored by my school classified me as failing and needing to re-do my 3 month ortho rotation after what would have been my graduation date. I truly put it in 110% effort every day, but often that just made the pressure too great and caused me to get anxious and mess up. I was on time every day, always professional and got along great with everyone, so none of the usual reasons why some one would fail.

So here is where I need some help/ encouragement. I'm so discouraged about failing a rotation. How will I get a job? Who will hire me? Will I ever be a good PT? I guess I'd just like to hear from some people with experience some advice/ encouraging words. Do you know anyone who failed a rotation? Would you hire someone who did? etc.
Thanks 🙂