What type of job to bolster application?

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phillyfan49

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Hey all!

I just got done my fall semester at my new school, and my goal to becoming a PT is on track very nicely. After having many personal struggles my first two years, I decided to transfer to a different school and get a fresh start. What a great decision! I got an A in A&P 1, an A- in Concepts of Bio, an A- in my anthro class, and I am still waiting for my stats grade.

Now for my questions. I am technically a junior, but am a little behind due to some credits not transferring, and having to drop a class while at my old school. I am going on an internship/job hunt this week. I currently work as a lifeguard at a YMCA, but I want a job that can bolster my application. What type of job should I look for? Also, when applying for internships, I plan on going to various PT places and hospitals and giving them my resume and my unofficial transcript. Should I put anything else along with it? When I go and apply for PT internships, should I also inquire about job opportunities while I am home for winter? And lastly, if they do not offer an internship, would shadowing be just as beneficial? I am confused on the whole hours breakdown to get into PT school.

I know this is a ton of questions, but any help is greatly appreciated!!

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I would say try to find a PT Aide job if possible, whether in a private outpatient clinic, in a hospital, at a nursing home, etc. Any of these, plus more, will give you great experience and exposure to the field.

When applying for internships, I always find it nice to add a CV to my resume and transcript; I usually just type out a half page or so as to why I want to work at their specific location, and what my long term goals are. It will make you stand out and show that you went the extra mile. Shadowing would be great experience too, if an internship is not possible. (Also, shadowing can sometimes lead to more!)

Basically just try to get your foot in the door somewhere; PT schools like to see that you have experience in a variety of settings, and sometimes an internship at one place can lead to a job or internship somewhere else :) Good luck!
 
@sunnyskies26

Thanks for the reply! I have found an acute rehabilitation hospital that has a therapy tech job poster on their website. Would you reccommend that I go in and inquire about the job opportunity, or do shadowing first hoping it could lead to the job? I am only home until January 21st, but I would love to start working there and getting observation hours in over winter break.
 
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The best job is the one you will be most enthusiastic about. Do a good job, whatever you do, and earn an LOR.
 
This can be broken down to what you NEED and what you WANT.

NEED: Inpatient and Outpatient.
Inpatient: Hospitals usually ask you for a set few hours you can volunteer for every week. Do it Fridays after class, but be consistent. Inpatient is easier to obtain than outpatient because you're volunteering.
Outpatient: Once you get experience at an inpatient, you can use that to float your resume to the top of a PT Aide applicant pool. Then you can start getting paid for being in the field.

WANT: Things that set you apart.
Every accepted applicant to PT school has inpatient and outpatient hours. Once you apply, you're all the same in terms of hours observed. Set yourself apart by kicking butt in your Anatomy class, getting noticed by your lab instructor, and asking to TA in future semesters. You reinforce the learning and help your Anatomy instructor be a more effective instructor. Win, win.
You can also look around for rehab facilities/departments that are specified (spinal cord injury, Parkinson's Disease).

Speaking from experience, I think this is what put my application over the top. I put it on my PTCAS extracurricular section and spoke about it in my personal statement.
 
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