how can I start observation hours in clinic or hospital ?

[lucy66]

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I am finally able to start to prepare all requirement for DPT. One of that is observation hours . I send volunteer application to UCSF, and they told me the waiting list is one year ~~~
Normally, how do you get the chance to observer licensed PT work ? do I have to know some PT first ? or I could contact hospital or clinic directly ?
Besides, I am confused a little bit about " observation " and " volunteer " concept. are they the same to DPT requirement?

 

[rltruong]

volunteering is observing. just call a whole bunch of clinics, rehab facilities, and hospitals and ask what the steps are to volunteer there. i volunteered at 3 different clinics. the peds place set me up with a schedule and i got a lot of hands on work there. in ortho i came in whenever i wished, no schedule needed, sometimes i go in for half a day some for an hour. neuro made me get a tb test before i could start. i only did on average 30-40 hours at each place. seemed that was enough to get accepted at a few programs. ill be starting in may

 

[lucy66]

rltruong, thanks , I actually called different clinic, I will keep doing that.
So, according to you volunteer experience , it seems that it doesn't have to be always physical rehabilitate relative . am I correct ?
for sure, I would like to observe in licensed PT working for certain amount hours. But DPT program didn't require all the observation hours in PT ??

 

[lucy66]

volunteering is observing. just call a whole bunch of clinics, rehab facilities, and hospitals and ask what the steps are to volunteer there. i volunteered at 3 different clinics. the peds place set me up with a schedule and i got a lot of hands on work there. in ortho i came in whenever i wished, no schedule needed, sometimes i go in for half a day some for an hour. neuro made me get a tb test before i could start. i only did on average 30-40 hours at each place. seemed that was enough to get accepted at a few programs. ill be starting in may

by the way, Congratulations !!!!! you did it !start in may , wonderful

 

[rltruong]

thanks. all of mine were in the field of physical therapy. i did three different specialties: pediatrics, orthopedics, and neurology. all with licensed PTs

 

[psychkid]

If the schools that you are applying to require inpatient hours I suggest you do that ASAP. In my experience, it was very difficult to find a hospital that had space. And make sure that you specify that you want to volunteer in the PT department. I barely made the cut at the hospital I was volunteering at. Good luck!

 

[lucy66]

thanks ,

 

[Myosin]

I've had an absolutely horrible time getting the two hospitals to let me shadow.

I filled out the application and just never heard back from anyone. I made well over 10 phone calls and sent over 20 emails to the volunteer departments. It was virtually impossible to get in touch with whoever was in charge of the program. I spent almost 6 months just jumping through hoops.

Eventually I got tired of it and just said F- it. I called some of the DPTs that I did outpatient hours with and they gave me the number of a DPT at the hospital. He just let me follow him around while he worked. No one said anything and no one cared.

I apparently wasn't the only one with this problem. I spoke to other people who've been having this exact same problem and some people were

 

[jquitt]

I've had an absolutely horrible time getting the two hospitals to let me shadow.

I filled out the application and just never heard back from anyone. I made well over 10 phone calls and sent over 20 emails to the volunteer departments. It was virtually impossible to get in touch with whoever was in charge of the program. I spent almost 6 months just jumping through hoops.

Eventually I got tired of it and just said F- it. I called some of the DPTs that I did outpatient hours with and they gave me the number of a DPT at the hospital. He just let me follow him around while he worked. No one said anything and no one cared.

I apparently wasn't the only one with this problem. I spoke to other people who've been having this exact same problem and some people were

That has been my experience too. Hard to get in contact with someone on the inpatient side.