When You Go to PT School, What Does It Teach You?
Personal Reflection
Sometimes we have reflective moments in our lives spurred by events, memories or nostalgic conversation, leading us to reminisce about our past. Tonight was the ESPY (Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly) Awards on ESPN. It’s a time to recognize tremendous individual and team performances in sport from the past year, but to also recognize some of the industries most influential people. Tonight, Pat Summitt was honored with the Arthur Ashe award for her exceptional courage. Some might remember the incredibly moving and inspirational speech given by basketball icon Jimmy Valvano just 8 weeks before he succumbed to his battle with cancer. In his speech, he offered many words of advice including daily self-reflection:
“I always have to think about what’s important in life to me are these three things. Where you started, where you are and where you’re going to be. Those are the three things that I try to do every day.” – Jimmy V.
Learning
If you were to pick a few things of what graduate school at the University of Pittsburgh taught you, what would it be? Did it teach you to think critically, find your work ethic, learn to collaborate, build your self-confidence, realize your ability to help people? Anne Hathaway was asked by Charlie Rose what she learned in acting school and her response is below.
How did Anne Hathaway respond to Charlie Rose?
How Will You Get Your Quarter?
Anne Hathaway recounted a great lesson she learned about figuring out the essence of a scene and how to ‘go for it’. One of her professors used the example of a student trying to take a quarter away from him. No one in the class could do it. Then, when a student attempted to keep the quarter away from the professor, he failed within a few seconds. That’s because the professor ATTACKED his goal with all of the strength and raw emotion he possessed in order to be successful.
Dreams
In physical therapy school and in life, we all have goals we want to obtain. Maybe it’s better grades, better clinical skills, or better communication. Some are more challenging than others, but they can all be achieved if we commit to them. Like filming a scene, we have to understand the essence of our goals and attack them. Are people keeping your quarter away from you? How are you trying to get it back? Ultimately, you have to fight for what you want to achieve and pour yourself into the task. Pursue your dreams with that level of passion, commitment and belief demonstrated by the professor, and you will succeed. Hopefully we are all taking away lessons like this as we challenge ourselves and realize our incredible potential to do great things in the profession of physical therapy.