The prereq. for PT application regarding observing is to shadow a PT as a professional and their interaction w/ patients, evaluation and therapy management, etc. Have you kept a log? If a PT said they would verify your hours/write a recommendation.....then break down how many of those hours were done w/ this person ( PTAs don't count) and use that. I don't understand this statement """ the volunteer manager said that the hours I have volunteer for do not qualify for the standards in the graduate program paperwork."" ANy hours done under a Lisc. PT will count. You just need to record your hrs, their name and contact info along w/ their lisc. # . You'll also need to break down the setting/level of service in which the obs. was done. (acute, sub acute, skilled nursing, in/out patient, etc) If using The recommendation process through PTCAS your PT will receive an email form to complete. Some school require hours to be verified and others don't.
Not trying to knock the volunteer manager but this person really doesn't have an understanding of the application process. You can have hours in any PT setting not just specific to inpatient, unless the school strictly requires a certain number of hrs in inpat. setting. Most like/require two to three settings.
Hope this helps somewhat. Have you read through the PTCAS instructions?
Hello,
Thank you for the reply. That is exactly my trend of thought and I have volunteer at another hospital last year and that therapist was able to verify my hours without any problems (that observation was outpatient though). I don't understand the situation at all. I asked my volunteer manager to forward my hours to my designated physical therapist and this was her reply:
"we are not able to meet the requirements as stated in grad program paperwork. I am happy to write a letter of recommendation that states your number of hours. this is not something the therapists do."
I am in shock right now...
Yes, I have kept a log of my hours. I don't specifically shadow a single PT per se (although there is one PT that is my "designated" PT and she is the one that I do observe on weekly basis), but a group of PTs because it is an inpatient spinal cord rehab gym/center on the spinal cord injury floor.
I go in once a week for 3.5 hours. The first hour I go in to set up (eg getting pitchers of water, wiping down some equipment, setting up sheets, etc.) and then observe; the second hour, I am with patients (along with a PT) setting up patients for their exercise hour (eg hand-bike, motored-leg bike, upper body machines, etc.) and keeping them company; the third hour, I am strictly observing PTs in action and sometimes when they need an extra hand, they will ask me to help (eg standing frame, dummy for when a patient falls, etc.); the last 30 mintues, I am cleaning up and putting everything away while the PTs go on their lunch. I don't see how my volunteer manager can say that this does not meet the requirements as stated in the graduate program.
I am going to go in and speak with the volunteer manager tomorrow because I just want to make my case. I hope it works out... =/
