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What year of undergrad did you start? Where did you inquire - hospital, private practice, sports clinics, etc? How did you apply? Any other additional advice or suggestions you could offer?
Volunteer/Shadow hours - looking for your input
- Thread starter futurept99
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Start whenever you have the time to dedicate to learning from your observation experience. I did it while taking 21 hours of classes my last 2 semesters of undergrad (I should mention, I began perusing PT as a junior). While I felt able to connect some of the material (A&P, biomechanics, etc) I was learning in the classroom to what was going on in the clinic, it wasn't until after I graduated that I could really immerse myself and take in full days at the clinic. I was able to truly discover all the facets of the profession (clinical, education, ethical, business, etc).
My observation hours began as an internship class for my major (exercise science) so I "killed two birds with one stone" as they say. Literally, I walked in PT clinics with a resume and asked if they had openings for an intern. Some people will not give you the time of day, others love it. Your school might have a connection already established to some clinics in your area (as PT's and PTA's can earn CEU's for taking on interns and student PT/PTA's).
Take the observation hours/interning seriously, it might just lead to a technician position for you.
Best of luck.
Peace and God bless
My observation hours began as an internship class for my major (exercise science) so I "killed two birds with one stone" as they say. Literally, I walked in PT clinics with a resume and asked if they had openings for an intern. Some people will not give you the time of day, others love it. Your school might have a connection already established to some clinics in your area (as PT's and PTA's can earn CEU's for taking on interns and student PT/PTA's).
Take the observation hours/interning seriously, it might just lead to a technician position for you.
Best of luck.
Peace and God bless
Futurpt99, my suggestion for you is to make sure that your clinic will not put you at the front desk! You need to be in PT area and observe what PTs are doing, not sending faxes and answer the phone.
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Well, please forgive me esab... Clearly, my advice must have somehow been misconstrued. It was intended to encourage futurept99 to pursue observation hours when he or she had the time and the mental space to dedicate toward absorbing all he or she could about the profession and not just retaining how to use heat/ice, e-stim, and U/S. I'm sorry if by trying to let futurept99 know that he or she can walk into a PT clinic and inquire about an internship or observation hours and turn that into a paid PT technician position a few months down the road causes you to believe that he or she (or I) would only be capable of sending facsimiles... I'm not quite sure how PT clinics work where you live, however, if they are using you, easb, mainly in the front desk rather than directly with the licensed physical therapy staff and patients then I can understand how you could have misconstrued my previous post.
Oh easb, please don't worry about. While I am fully capable of holding down the front desk with ease, the physical therapy staff that I work for recognized my talent and willingness to learn a long time ago. That is how I turned a 6 months internship (thereby satisfying my internship class and accruing my observation hours for my PT applications) into a paid physical therapy technician position that has allowed me to treat my own patient load under the direction of a PT for the last 4 years. I can assure you that in my 7,000+ hours in the physical therapy clinic I have truly maximized my opportunity to learn. Thank you for your concern though, I hope you didn't lose sleep over that.
Oh easb, please don't worry about. While I am fully capable of holding down the front desk with ease, the physical therapy staff that I work for recognized my talent and willingness to learn a long time ago. That is how I turned a 6 months internship (thereby satisfying my internship class and accruing my observation hours for my PT applications) into a paid physical therapy technician position that has allowed me to treat my own patient load under the direction of a PT for the last 4 years. I can assure you that in my 7,000+ hours in the physical therapy clinic I have truly maximized my opportunity to learn. Thank you for your concern though, I hope you didn't lose sleep over that.
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Hi again. Thank you for the input so far. I am just completing my freshman year of college. My major is Exercise Science and Health which, upon completion in 3 years, I would like to apply to PT school. I have already shadowed about 40 hrs at our local hospital. Not sure if this is too early but I think the more exposure and experience I have in shadowing will definitely help me. This summer I would like to try and shadow a private clinic and an ortho specialty clinic. Was just wondering if I am starting too early?
Please post any additional advice or thoughts you have or did experience as this will all be helpful. Thank you again as I appreciate it 🙂
Please post any additional advice or thoughts you have or did experience as this will all be helpful. Thank you again as I appreciate it 🙂
I don't think it's ever too early to start, but keep in mind that you'll have to send PTCAS notifications to these PT's you observe if you want them to verify your hours. Be sure to get their contact information and let them know that you plan on applying.
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leh1387 has a good point. The only issue with applying early would be getting your hours verified later on down the road or getting a recommendation later too. Get as many hours as possible though in as many varied areas as you can (outpatient/inpatient, neuro, SNF, sports, etc. etc.). I think overall the earlier you start, the better.
For your initial Q's: I started my sophomore year. I e-mailed places. They were all outpatient-ortho. I contacted a hospital in my area, but they never really got back to me. If I were you I would be persistent (but not annoying) and follow-up initial contact (via e-mail or phone) with face-to-face contact. That shows them you're interested and makes an impression.
Don't be shy! I work as a tech now, and I love students that are curious and helpful. Dive in!
For your initial Q's: I started my sophomore year. I e-mailed places. They were all outpatient-ortho. I contacted a hospital in my area, but they never really got back to me. If I were you I would be persistent (but not annoying) and follow-up initial contact (via e-mail or phone) with face-to-face contact. That shows them you're interested and makes an impression.
Don't be shy! I work as a tech now, and I love students that are curious and helpful. Dive in!
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I think it's great that you started early. Continue to do hours in a variety of settings. I was able to complete hours by just calling offices to see if they allowed students to shadow. Some said no, but others were willing to allow me to come in and observe. Sometimes you have to be persistent (I spent about a month trying to get in contact with a local pediatric PT, when I finally came in to shadow her she said what she appreciated most about me so far was my persistence!)
My advice to you would be to get your hours documented on paper as you complete them.. Whether it be on their own office letter head, or a letter that you type up and have them sign, or a documentation sheet provided by your university. That way when you go back 3 years from now to have them fill out PTCAS or other application documents, you can present them with a paper with their signature as proof. Some pt's see so many students, they need a little reminder of when you were there and how many hours you did. Good luck!
My advice to you would be to get your hours documented on paper as you complete them.. Whether it be on their own office letter head, or a letter that you type up and have them sign, or a documentation sheet provided by your university. That way when you go back 3 years from now to have them fill out PTCAS or other application documents, you can present them with a paper with their signature as proof. Some pt's see so many students, they need a little reminder of when you were there and how many hours you did. Good luck!
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Thank you, easb. Apology accepted. Best of luck to you and everyone else on this thread in your pursuit of becoming a PT. Peace and God bless
