Uncommon Specialties (shadowing, observing, etc.)

[abePT]

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Hey all! Just wanted to start a brief discussion on any observation experiences, paid and/or volunteer, in which you dealt with unusual specialties in PT.

About 3 months ago I was hired as a PT Aide at an outpatient, hospital-based center that focuses on oncology patients, including the lymphedema that sometimes accompanies radiation and other similar medical procedures. To be honest I had no clue PT covered that realm of medicine and it's truly an awesome experience. I'm definitely planning on staying here until it's time for me to apply, but also on volunteering on the side in alternative settings (I have roughly 50 hours of inpatient acute rehab under my belt from a previous internship). The PT (there's also a PTA and an OT) is so passionate about this that it gets me excited. However, because some of the treatment is very personal, I have yet to see actual hands on lymphedema treatment, so my observations have been limited (if you can even call it that) to oncology patients. I think once I get more comfortable and become more seasoned I will ask if I can watch a treatment. But man, I feel inspired everyday with these patients; they are so strong that it makes me happy that I can contribute in some way on their road to recovery.

How about you guys, what are some "unique" (diverse) settings that you have had the opportunity to observe?

 

[ptlover]

You have had such a cool rewarding experience! Thats awesome. My coolest experience has been with a pediatric therapist who worked at a clinic and did home visits she took me along. She worked with mainly low-income families. Her drive to make sure they all received their Healthcare is awesome. Totally inspired me for my career path!

 

[ptlover]

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[southernswimmer]

My 2 favorite "non-traditional" settings were aquatics and hippotherapy. It's amazing how much just getting out of a "medical office" setting helps patients, especially those with chronic conditions. If anything, they helped me realize how diverse physical therapy actually is. I am so excited to get started!

 

[DesertPT]

I quite enjoyed hand therapy, which not too many pre-PTs see since it is a very OT dominated field. If you can find someone to shadow who is a PT, CHT I promise you that their expertise will not fail to impress.

 

[southernswimmer]

I quite enjoyed hand therapy, which not too many pre-PTs see since it is a very OT dominated field. If you can find someone to shadow who is a PT, CHT I promise you that their expertise will not fail to impress.

I second that. One of the 1st PTs I observed was a CHT. He was also a semi-retired, ex-Navy PT and worked next door to his "battle buddy" who's an orthopedic surgeon. The amount of stuff I learned observing his work was incredible, especially with him telling me how much PT has changed in the past 40 years.

 

[okramango]

In PT school I got to observe and participate in hippotherapy (using horses as part of therapy) for children with cerebral palsy. The therapist had me doing bridges, situps, and quadruped exercises on the horse as it walked around. It was definitely a unique experience, and wonderful to see how it helped the kiddos, too!

 

[emespt]

Women's Health. It was hard to find someone who specialized in it near me and even harder to find someone that would also allow me to observe (had to drive over an hour away to get to the clinic). I was lucky that so many of the patients were willing to have me present for such intimate therapy sessions, but I still respected their privacy so I didn't see too much. While I was there, she treated vaginismus, endometriosis, and an abdominal separation. Each case had a very unique background and some of the patients were also overcoming psychological barriers which played a part in the severity of their disorder.

I also learned that there's also PT for TMJ disorders at the same clinic. There's PT for everything haha.

 

[coach_T]

I'll be observing in the PT department at a urology clinic this summer and I'm really excited for the experience. I know they specialize in treating the pelvic region but I'm not entirely sure what all to expect. Has anyone else shadowed/volunteered in a similar setting?