What is UNIQUE about Physical Therapists? Help with your Personal Statement for PT School 2022-23

Summary

Dr. Liv for Change Justin Lee, a physical therapist and PT school admission expert, discusses what makes physical therapists unique in healthcare. He highlights their hands-on approach, the time spent building relationships with patients, the immediate impact of their treatments, and the irreplaceable human touch in therapy. He offers insights to help students applying to PT school stand out in their essays.

Takeaways

• 🤝 Physical therapists are unique for their hands-on approach, which involves direct manual therapy and patient interaction.
• 🕒 Physical therapists spend significantly more time with patients compared to other healthcare professionals, fostering a deeper relationship and understanding of the patient's journey.
• 🔍 The profession allows for immediate feedback and visible progress during sessions, offering patients tangible results and a sense of relief from pain or discomfort.
• 💪 Physical therapists are integral to the patient's physical and psychological recovery, often being part of a transformative journey towards health and well-being.
• 👥 The hands-on nature of physical therapy cannot be replaced by machines or algorithms, emphasizing the irreplaceable value of human touch and interaction.
• 📚 The speaker, Dr. Liv for Change Justin Lee, is a physical therapist and PT school admission expert who helps students with their application essays and supplemental questions.
• 📈 Dr. Lee has been successful in assisting students with their PT school essays during the 2022-23 application cycle, highlighting the importance of differentiation in personal statements.
• 🌟 The video aims to provide insider insights into what makes physical therapists distinct from other healthcare professionals, aiding students in crafting their personal narratives.
• 📝 The script emphasizes the importance of understanding the unique aspects of physical therapy to effectively convey one's motivations for pursuing the profession in application essays.
• 🔗 Dr. Lee offers one-on-one coaching for students through his Instagram page, providing personalized guidance to stand out in the competitive PT school application process.
• 🚸 The script discusses the bio-psychosocial model of treatment, suggesting that physical therapists consider physical, psychological, and social factors in patient care.

Q & A

What is the main challenge students face when trying to explain why they want to become a physical therapist?

The main challenge is that students are not aware of what makes physical therapists unique as a healthcare profession compared to others.

What is Dr. Liv for Change Justin Lee's profession and how does he help students?

Dr. Liv for Change Justin Lee is a physical therapist and a PT school admission expert. He helps students get accepted into PT school by assisting them with their PT school essays and supplemental questions.

What is the significance of physical therapists being hands-on in their profession?

Physical therapists are unique in that they are one of the few healthcare professions that involve direct physical contact with patients, such as stretching, massages, and manual therapy, which is part of their scope of practice.

How does the amount of time spent with patients differentiate physical therapists from other healthcare professionals?

Physical therapists spend a significant amount of time with their patients, often 15-30 minutes per session, multiple times a week, building a strong relationship and being part of the patient's recovery journey.

What is the relationship aspect that physical therapists build with their patients?

Physical therapists get to know their patients on a personal level, including their family, friends, hobbies, goals, aspirations, and fears, which is not common in other healthcare professions.

How does being a part of the patient's journey contribute to the uniqueness of physical therapists?

Physical therapists are involved in the patient's recovery process, seeing them through their physical, psychological, behavioral, and social changes, which is a unique aspect of their profession.

What immediate changes can physical therapists observe during a session?

Physical therapists can see immediate changes in patients' conditions, such as reduced pain or improved mobility, during the same session, which is not common in other healthcare professions.

Why is the hands-on approach of physical therapists considered more valuable than telehealth or machine-based treatments?

The hands-on approach of physical therapists is considered more valuable because it provides an immediate and tangible effect on the patient's condition, which cannot be replaced by machines or algorithms.

What is the bio psychosocial model that physical therapists might use in their treatment approach?

The bio psychosocial model is a comprehensive approach to treatment that considers biological, psychological, and social factors in understanding and addressing a patient's health condition.

How can students who are applying to PT school differentiate themselves in their essays based on the information provided in the script?

Students can highlight the unique aspects of physical therapy, such as the hands-on approach, the time spent with patients, the relationship building, and the immediate observable changes, to differentiate themselves in their essays.

Outlines

00:00

🤲 The Hands-On Nature of Physical Therapy

The first paragraph introduces the unique aspects of being a physical therapist, focusing on the hands-on nature of the profession. Dr. Liv, a physical therapist and PT school admission expert, discusses how physical therapists are one of the few healthcare professionals who physically interact with their patients through stretching, massages, and manual therapy. This direct contact is not only therapeutic but also sets physical therapists apart from other healthcare providers. Dr. Liv emphasizes the importance of understanding what makes physical therapists unique to help students stand out in their personal statements and PT school applications.

05:00

🕒 The Time and Relationship Building in Physical Therapy

The second paragraph delves into the significant amount of time physical therapists spend with their patients, which is a key differentiator from other healthcare professionals. Dr. Liv highlights the relationship-building aspect that occurs due to this extended interaction, allowing therapists to understand their patients on a deeper level, including their personal lives, goals, and fears. Additionally, the paragraph discusses how physical therapists are part of their patients' journey to recovery, witnessing and contributing to their physical and psychological transformation. This personal involvement is a unique feature of the profession.

10:01

🏋️‍♂️ Immediate Changes and Physical Involvement in Therapy

The third paragraph emphasizes the ability of physical therapists to see immediate changes in their patients during sessions, which is a distinctive aspect of their work. Unlike other healthcare professionals who may prescribe treatments and only see results later, physical therapists can manipulate, mobilize, and re-educate patients to alleviate pain and discomfort in real-time. Dr. Liv also discusses the importance of physical involvement in therapy, asserting that the human touch cannot be replaced by machines or algorithms, especially during the pandemic when many healthcare services shifted to telehealth. The paragraph concludes with a call to action for students applying to PT school, offering Dr. Liv's expertise in helping them through the application process.

Keywords

💡Physical Therapist

A physical therapist is a healthcare professional who specializes in the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of individuals with health-related movement disorders. In the video, Dr. Liv emphasizes the unique hands-on approach of physical therapists, highlighting their direct involvement in patient care and the physical manipulation of the body to alleviate pain and improve function.

💡PT School

PT School refers to educational programs that prepare individuals to become licensed physical therapists. The video discusses the challenges of applying to these programs and the importance of understanding what makes physical therapists unique, which is crucial for personal statements and essays in the application process.

💡Hands-On

The term 'hands-on' in the context of physical therapy signifies the direct physical contact and manipulation of a patient's body to provide treatment. Dr. Liv discusses this as a key differentiator of physical therapists from other healthcare professionals, noting that few other roles involve such direct physical interaction in their scope of practice.

💡Patient Relationship

Building a patient relationship is emphasized as a critical aspect of physical therapy. The video explains that physical therapists spend significant time with their patients, allowing for the development of a rapport and understanding of the patient's personal life, goals, and fears, which is essential for effective treatment.

💡Bio Psychosocial Model

The bio psychosocial model is a framework that considers biological, psychological, and social factors in understanding health and illness. Dr. Liv mentions this model in relation to physical therapy, suggesting that physical therapists approach treatment holistically, considering not just physical symptoms but also psychological and social aspects.

💡Immediate Changes

The video highlights that physical therapists can see immediate changes in their patients during a session, unlike other healthcare professionals whose treatments might not show effects until later. This immediacy is a unique aspect of physical therapy, allowing therapists to adjust treatments on the spot based on patient responses.

💡Telehealth

Telehealth refers to the use of technology to provide healthcare services remotely. Dr. Liv contrasts the physical interaction of physical therapy with the limitations of telehealth, arguing that the hands-on nature of physical therapy cannot be replaced by remote consultations.

💡PT CAST Essay

The PT CAST Essay is a component of the application process for physical therapy schools, where applicants must demonstrate their understanding of the profession and their motivations for pursuing it. The video script discusses the importance of this essay in conveying what makes physical therapists unique.

💡Physical Forces

Physical forces in the context of physical therapy refer to the manual techniques used by therapists to manipulate the body, such as stretching, mobilizing, and strengthening. Dr. Liv uses examples from his practice to illustrate how these forces can lead to immediate relief from pain.

💡One-On-One Coaching

Dr. Liv offers one-on-one coaching to help students with their PT school applications, including essays and supplemental questions. This service is highlighted in the video as a way to provide personalized support and guidance, emphasizing the value of individualized assistance in the competitive application process.

Highlights

Physical therapists are unique in their hands-on approach, directly interacting with patients through stretching, massages, and manual therapy.

Physical therapists are one of the few healthcare professions that have the scope of practice to put their hands on patients.

Other healthcare professionals rarely engage in hands-on treatment, making physical therapists stand out.

Physical therapists spend a significant amount of time with patients, building a strong relationship and understanding their personal lives.

The relationship building in physical therapy is unparalleled in other healthcare professions.

Physical therapists are part of the patient's journey, witnessing and contributing to their physical and psychological transformation.

Physical therapy sessions often result in immediate changes and improvements, unlike other treatments that may take longer to show results.

Physical therapists can see the effects of their work in the same session, providing instant feedback and relief to patients.

The hands-on nature of physical therapy cannot be replaced by machines or algorithms, emphasizing the importance of human touch.

Physical therapists are involved in the entire process of treatment, making them essential in achieving optimal results.

The pandemic has shown that while telehealth is useful, the hands-on approach of physical therapists is irreplaceable.

Physical therapists are not just treating physical ailments but also addressing psychological and social aspects of health.

The bio-psychosocial model is a unique approach in physical therapy, focusing on the whole person, not just their physical condition.

Physical therapists often see patients multiple times a week, providing consistent and frequent care.

The frequency of physical therapy sessions allows for a deeper understanding and treatment of the patient's condition.

Physical therapists are trained to understand and apply physical forces to the human body, leading to immediate relief and improvement.

The immediate results seen in physical therapy sessions can be transformative for patients, boosting their confidence and quality of life.

Physical therapists are able to adjust their treatment plans in real-time based on the patient's response during the session.

The hands-on approach of physical therapists is perceived as more valuable by patients, compared to remote or machine-assisted treatments.

Physical therapy is a profession that requires physical involvement and cannot be fully replicated through telehealth or other remote methods.

Transcripts

so there's a variety of healthcare

professions that help others go to the

deeper story and share what has

confirmed your decision to want to

become a physical therapist

does this sound familiar to you

if you've been trying to apply for the

last three years into pt school then

this prompt and the pt cast essay for

your personal statement has been right

in front of your face and i'm sure

you're thinking okay well

why do i want to be a physical therapist

that ultimately is the deepest question

so as i've been working with these

students for all these years and trying

to answer this prompt what i'm finding

one of the biggest problems is that

students are just not aware what makes

physical therapists unique as a

healthcare profession compared to the

other healthcare professionals so in

this video as a physical therapist i'm

going to share with you what i find

unique in the field and give you some

insider information on what of what i'm

talking about here and and those related

topics

so we're going to get into that topic

right now but before we do what's up you

guys my name is dr liv for change justin

lee physical therapist i'm a pt school

admission expert and i help students get

accepted into pt school students have

been coming to me already during this

application cycle in 2022-23

and we've been writing and being really

successful with their pt school essays

and supplemental questions so as you're

watching this video and you're trying to

decide like hey you know what how do i

differentiate myself

and help stand out with my essay okay

you're giving me valuable information

about what's unique about a physical

therapist but how does that relate to me

and how can i apply that into my essay

i'm an expert that and i can absolutely

help you share your personal story and

find the deeper reason why you want to

be a physical therapist just like i

helped so many of other students do that

so if you need help please make sure you

go on my instagram page go to my bio

there is a application to figure out or

to sign up for um one-on-one coaching

but okay we're gonna get into this right

now and as i put my hands together i do

that on purpose because

number one physical therapists are hands

on

and that in itself obviously like yeah

you know you're putting your hands on

them you're stretching them you're

giving some massages and manual therapy

and whatnot but check this out yo

physical therapists or any other

profession in general

don't really put their hands on people

think about it okay well first off like

in general any kind of profession

people don't put hands on you

that's actually a liability and

people will literally sue you for

putting your hand on them or your finger

on them literally just wrong

but as physical therapists we are many

or few

of the professions that actually put

hands on people as our scope of practice

or actually what we do as job duties

there's not that many other healthcare

professionals that do that or actually

are like within their scope right i mean

you might have to like ask for

permission and get their consent but

it's not really in a doctor's uh

scope of practice or not scope of

practice but it's not really in their

like duties it's like really go hands-on

and go in they're just doing things to

kind of examine and kind of feel for

some stuff some palpation but they're

not using that as a form of treatment

right maybe occupational therapists

maybe massage therapists maybe athletic

trainers and personal trainers maybe

but besides that there's not really any

other healthcare profession that puts

their hands on people and i think

there's a lot of value and a lot of

depth and things that we don't even

understand of just like

a hand on your shoulder right just like

getting you to a place where i'm

coddling your entire leg and lifting it

up to stretch your hamstrings that in

itself is therapeutic going across the

side of your neck and

stretching it out

what other profession does that and what

other profession provides a type of

relief

release from tension

stress relief okay so hands-on

that's gonna be number one that really

differentiates physical therapists

number two this is kind of a part a and

part b

number two is that physical therapist

just the uh the profession in general

spends a lot of time

with the patient and there are two main

really critical things that come out of

this from the literally the amount of

time that you spend with somebody so if

you think about all if you think about a

doctor

first off they come to you you come to

their appointment you come to the time

that you uh schedule let's say 10

o'clock and they don't see you until 10

30. don't i freaking hate that like

that's so annoying like if you're a

doctor watching this please like see

your patients right at the schedule time

because we're going out of our way to

see you at the schedule time why can't

you see us i think that's that should i

think that's respectable to say that but

anyway so the amount of time so

physicians they go in doctors physicians

assistant whatever they'll do their

rounds or you see them in an outpatient

place talk to you for maybe like 10 15

minutes say what's wrong blah blah blah

and it's literally all like business

talk professional talk whatever is wrong

with you talk

boom out and that's it and then you

don't see them for maybe months on end

but physical therapists on the other

hand

man you're seeing them for at least 15

30 minutes one hour depending on the

clinical setting not only one time a

week but maybe two times or three times

a week depending on what's appropriate

for you sure you might see that maybe

once every week

once every two weeks or so i mean that

happens once in a while but generally

there is a consistency and frequency of

a lot of time that you see physical

therapists so within that large amount

of time part a what's really important

what builds is the relationship aspect

there is no other healthcare profession

that does that they build a relationship

i get to know you you get to know me i

get to know you about your family your

friends your hobbies your goals your

aspirations your fears you get to know

all of that stuff about me too

you don't spend that much time with even

your closest friend so you can imagine

the type of rapport and relationship

building that gets

built

during this time

part b

the cool thing about spending all this

time with the patient is that you get to

be a part of

the journey

right so i think this is cool because

personal trainers are really that's one

of the unique aspects of personal

trainers is that they're a part of that

journey from art you're 50 pounds

overweight we're working together i'm

seeing you a couple times a week to work

out and push and strengthen and sweat

and tears and push you and yell at you

and whatnot and then months later you're

50 pounds lighter and throughout that

process you might have came in as

someone who was not confident with their

body somebody who's coming in who's

insecure about just how they look and

how they how what clothes they wear and

50 pounds lost later

man that person is totally different

confident secure

knows their worth right now physical

therapists are no different

patients are coming in hurt

abandoned

messed up or jaded by the healthcare

system they feel isolated hopeless

thinking this is gonna is this gonna be

what i'm gonna feel for the rest of my

life and as you spend all this time with

them you get to be a part of that

molding process

not only physically

right but also

psychologically

right behaviorally socially if you don't

know this physical therapist approach

treatment in a bio psychosocial model i

don't know if i had the order correct

but

go look it up you're going to be amazed

at what that approach is all about so

that's part in part b of spending all

this time together with a physical

therapist like that's what makes them

really unique

okay number three i have four for you

number three

physical therapists what's unique about

them is that they can see changes right

away during that actual session now

doctors or physicians assistant or yeah

and whatnot like they will prescribe a

medicine or say hey try to do this try

to do that and they don't know if what

they prescribed or whatnot is actually

going to be helpful like at that moment

i mean obviously we have scientific data

to suggest things but i mean there's

always times where they do it and then

it's like okay they prescribe a medicine

and then

you have a reaction to it and then you

don't see the doctor until months later

it's like you know what actually i that

medicine didn't work and i just chose to

do something else oh okay right

that doesn't make sense to me but

physical therapists i mean you can

literally have a pain in your neck or

your shoulder and we can come in and

move it around mobilize it stretch it

strengthen things around it or

re-educate some some uh things going on

and literally in that same session you

can be like whoa

i don't feel that pain anymore

this has happened so many times in my

practice where patients will come in and

they have these feelings we move some

stuff around and they're like whoa like

they think i'm a magician or something

but i'm literally i'm just

have an understanding of the human body

and just apply some physical forces on

there and boom they're like so much

better and that's really rewarding

because you get to see what you're what

the fruit of your labor literally in

that same session

there's not too many other professions

that do that psychologists like yeah

psychiatrists

there's time that has to develop until

you kind of see that long-term success

all right

next

this is my last point here the last

point about physical therapists and

i kind of mentioned this before

but i really think this is more of my

personal opinion about everything

is that physical therapists

something unique about them is that they

literally have to be physically involved

to have some optimal results

you cannot replace that with the machine

right and during the pandemic

there's a lot of health care professions

that went tele health

and that's fine and you know if you're

prescribing medicine if you're looking

at the skin dermatologist or if you're

doing a zoom chats through uh for your

counseling and whatnot sure like doctors

can prescribe and do different treatment

styles for that

but there's nothing like being hands-on

and helping somebody

no machine no algorithm

[Music]

can do that

only the human touch can do that

and sure you might be wondering yo yo

justin well how about exercise like we

can just tell people to exercise and do

that and yeah some physical therapists

who have been doing telehealth have been

successful in that way

but

i mean if you're gonna ch if i'm gonna

choose to do a type of treatment where

i'm either exercising or doing hands-on

the one that's gonna have a more

i feel like a more

better effect a lasting effect where

people feel like that's more valuable is

hands on they may do the exact same

thing but if you're the patient you're

gonna perceive hands-on as more valuable

than me telling you how to exercise come

on now

i'm getting real over here

so if you're a student right now who's

trying to apply to pt school and you're

going through this pt cast process and

you're like what's the what makes

physical therapists unique i hope this

video helps answer that question and

gives you some insight as far as what

physical therapists actually do and how

they differentiate themselves from

helping others amongst the other

healthcare professions

if you need some help in this ptcast

cycle or even in the next one please

fill out my application for one-on-one

coaching it's on the link in my bio on

my instagram and i know and i am

confident that i can absolutely help i'm

helping so many students right now i'm

pretty maxed out but still like i just

try to squeeze in students here and

there because i know that it's a hard

time i mean covet happened you have that

questionnaire of

your response to covid i mean you have

supplemental questions and you're trying

to figure out all these specific

questions about the application process

in itself pt casts letters of wreck

observation hours

it's a lot

and i've been there

but i can help you i can clarify a lot

of things answer your questions

specifically and really help you stand

out with your essay so if you need some

help with your essay i'm here for you as

your pt school coach

every day it's a great day to lift

weights lift others and lift yourself up

live for change have a great one you

guys