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Jada’s Clinical Experience at Martinsville Physical Therapy

Martinsville Physical Therapy
Martinsville Physical Therapy

Jada Thomas is a PTA student at Jefferson College of Health Sciences in Roanoke, Virginia. She is completing a clinical rotation at Martinsville Physical Therapy and Industrial Rehab.  Her clinical instructors are Mike McClellan, MPT and Tim Armstrong, LPTA.

Why are you pursuing a career in physical therapy?

I think physical therapy is such a great field. It is so rewarding because you’re helping someone function again or decrease his or her pain. I’ve always known that I wanted to make a difference in someone’s life and be hands on. It took me a while but I found the perfect profession.

What role does the clinical rotation play in your PTA education?

I’m applying what I’ve learned in the classroom and labs to real life situations. I do believe you learn a lot more in your clinical rotations. In school we’re working on other classmates that do not have these injuries that we learn about in class. In my clinical rotation I’m getting in there and actually getting to see the different complications that we discussed in class.

What were you looking for in a clinical instructor and clinical site?

I was looking for clinical instructor(s) that weren’t expecting me to know it all and was excited about teaching me. I did not want to have instructors that would leave me on my own and that actually wants to give me tips and explain things to me. I was expecting a larger site than the clinic I was at on my last rotation. MPT is a great size and everyone has room to move around and that is important for the patients. I was looking for great people to work. Everyone is so willing to help out, and its great to know I have help. They don’t mind helping and it helps build confidence.

What has been your favorite experience so far?

My favorite experience so far has been helping out with the progress evaluations and progress notes. I was pretty nervous about doing those but I feel so much more confident.

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Nancy’s Clinical Experience at DOAR

Nancy is a PTA student at Jefferson College who completed her clinical rotation at DOAR this summer.  Nancy loved her time at DOAR and felt like she learned a lot and gained valuable experience.  She especially enjoyed getting to meet so many great patients who were willing to put in the work to get better.  Here is what Nancy had to say about her experience:

Why are you pursuing a career in physical therapy?

I am changing fields from business to Physical Therapy because I want to help people get better and become functional so they can complete activities in their daily lives.  I think even the small progressions a patient makes is a step in the right direction toward regaining function.  Being a PTA I will have a direct impact on someone regaining their functional ability to do activities that are important in their life.

What role does the clinical rotation play in your PTA education?

DOAR was my first clinical experience and I can not explain how much I enjoyed working at this facility.  Eric and all the PT staff at this location was terrific!  I learned so much from Eric!  He is a great teacher and very patient!  The patients were great too.  Very motivated to improve their function and get back to daily activities.

What were you looking for in a clinical instructor and clinical site?

As far as a Clinical Instructor I was looking for someone who could explain why exercises were done for certain diagnoses.  The clinical site I was looking for was a site that was friendly and experienced staff that I could learn from on a daily basis.

How did DOAR meet your expectations/help you fulfill your goals?

DOAR met my expectation and exceeded my goals.  I learned different exercises patients can do for different musculoskeletal dysfunctions as well as stretching techniques.  I used modalities on patients and learned more about taking goniometry measurements.