A PT Student's Story

PCE RESULTS ARE IN....

2012-01-26T11:16:00.000-05:00

...... I PASSED!!! I'm a REAL PT now guys!!! Wooo hooo!!!

:-D

Somewhere between Dorval and Ottawa...

2011-10-24T16:18:00.000-04:00

Sitting on the train back from a wonderful visit to Montreal this weekend, and thought I should really update my blog!

A lot has happened since the end of school: went on a well deserved vacation; started studying for the PNE; applied for jobs; found job!! I start my life as a physical therapy resident next week :-)

All in all, a great time since my last post!!

I hope that all the new PT Students are enjoying cardio-resp and are adjusting to life at UofT, and at PT schools across the country! This will honestly be the best time of your lives (and probably the hardest, too!!)

Just one more exam, and they'll be calling me a REAL PT!!! Yay :-) Can't wait to see everyone at graduation in November!!!

Until next time,

Cheers
PT Student

(hmmm.... maybe I'll have to come up with a new way to sign off, now that I'm not in school anymore... we'll see!!)

It's the end of an era....

2011-08-26T21:56:00.003-04:00

Well folks... two years have come and gone already. Today marks the last time I or anyone else can call me a PT Student - I'm FINISHED!!!

Today was my very last day of my final clinical placement!! I can't believe how these past five weeks... and *ahem*.... these past TWO YEARS have gone so quickly! It seems like just a couple of weeks ago, I was sitting in my room imagining myself moving to downtown Toronto, starting Orientation Week, and meeting my new classmates. And then it was my first exam, first practical skills exam, and Christmas Break.... then the PNE, and research... where has all the time gone?

It feels both exhilarating and very strange to finally be finished. Dude! I have a Master's degree! What up?! It feels amazing!

Congratulations Class of 2011. We made it! I was nervous coming into the program that it would be difficult to get to know people and that the program would be competitive. But we have had THE most AMAZING ride! Close from the very beginning to the end, I couldn't imagine a better group of 84 individuals. We're going to make awesome physiotherapists, I just know it. And we'll do it in style, like we always do.

I feel like this sums things up nicely.

Peace,
PT SCHOOL GRADUATE ;-)

10 days, 10 days, 10 days!!!

2011-08-13T07:38:00.002-04:00

Ok, so I've been a little lax in updating everyone on what's happening in my last months as a physio student... OOOPS! It's been crazy, hectic, busy! But as you've come to expect with my posts, that seems to always be the case in PT school... if it's not one thing, it's another.

So where to begin.... We've finished our research unit, and had our research day where we presented our posters. I am sooo glad that's done! Research had it's ups and downs: since no one in my group (including myself) had experience with research, we had some challenges.... and a LOT of work to do. But at the same time, we were able to work at home, on our own time and then piece things back together at group meetings every once in a while - so there was a lot of time to enjoy the sunshine!

And now I'm in the final days of my last clinical placement!! I can't believe it! Two years have come and gone... I have just 10 clinic days left, then I head off on vacation, and then off trying to find a job (I have a couple leads in the works, so I could use your happy thoughts *wink*) It's a fantastically exciting and nervous time! Sometimes I just wish I could have a crystal ball to look into my future to know that everything will work out. But oh well, I'm sure it will! Getting INTO physio school was the tough part.... finding a job shouldn't be nearly as difficult. (Let's hope!!!)

Anyways, I'm going to relax and enjoy my Saturday.Until next time,

Cheers,
PTStudent :-)

The Results Are In.......

2011-06-21T22:54:00.003-04:00

So the Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators - the people that determine if we are eligible, essentially, to be fully licensed PTs - released the PASS/FAIL list on their website this past Friday... really late in the day I might add! Our whole class was waiting ALL day, nervously, wondering if we would be celebrating or drowning our sorrows that evening.

Well....

I PASSED!

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOO! :-)

And unless someone is a really good actor, I think all of my classmates did as well :-) It seems silly, now, to think how nervous we all were, and how sure we all were that we failed... I guess that's just because they could test you on ANYTHING and EVERYTHING. 200 hundred questions, covering all of the things they've taught us in PT school over 2 years.... just remembering that makes me cringe. But YAY! I did it!!! One step closer to becoming a REAL PT :-)

The only things left are my research unit for UofT, my last clinical placement, graduation and the final PCE Clinical Component in November. These past two years have floooooowwwwwwwnnnnnnn by!

Happy 1st day of summer everyone!

PTStudent :-)

Life is unfolding as it should... I hope.

2011-06-14T22:53:00.002-04:00

PCE Written Component results come out online THIS Friday! Wow! Scary, huh?

And I'm job searching, trying to find a place to live, and finishing up research - it's such an exciting but stressful time. More exciting than stressful though.

We're going to be PTs soon!!! :-D

Good luck to all my UofT friends who wrote the PCE in May (all 83 of you!) We got this.
And to all my fellow PT Students out across Canada, too!

Cheers,
PTStudent :-)

Looking for some good vibrations... and percussions! (bahahaha I just had to)

2011-05-09T21:47:00.005-04:00

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Physical Therapy Competency Exam (PCE) written component this Sunday!

Biggest exam of my life to date!

2 years worth of material tested in 200 multiple choice questions.

4 hours.

Did I mention.... AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!??!??!?!?

Ok, just breathe. It'll be alright.

95% of Canadian educated students pass the first time taking the test. (Insert sigh of relief here). I just don't want to be in that other 5%... Oh test taking anxiety... boy will I be glad to be rid of you come Sunday afternoon!

Please physiotherapy gods (and regulators) out there... let me pass my exam! And please, devoted and faithful readers, send me some good vibes and happy thoughts!

Thanks in advance :-)

One really stressed out
PTStudent

CRAP! I mean.... CAP!!!

2011-03-28T19:43:00.004-04:00

From the sudden influx of emails into my inbox over the weekend... I guess this year's CAP invites have gone out to some lucky would-be PT Students! Congratulations to everyone who received an invitation to come down to UofT :-) Insert sigh of relief... you are one step closer to getting in!!

And since people keep asking very similar questions about the CAP, I'm going to re-post an entry from last March that seemed to help last year's potential PT Students.

Here's the advice I gave - sorry it's a novel... I tend to ramble ;-)

It's about that time of year! I can hear the faculty talking about admissions meetings and CAP day already! In just a few weeks time eager applicants will hopefully find out if they will be invited to McMaster and UofT to show off their sparkling personalities and physio knowledge. I've been there, done that... so I thought I would offer a bit of advice.

We'll start with CAP day for UofT:
The CAP test is not that bad (insert huge sigh of relief here). It is a 2 hour computer administered profile that you MUST be at U of T in order to write. Some time in early April, U of T will send out an email to all the applicants who have made it past the first rounds of admission (which is based solely on GPA) to invite them to the downtown campus at UofT to sit the CAP, and CAP day is usually in the last week of April. Well... here is the information from the UofT website:

ii) Computer Administered Profile: There is an initial screening of the academic qualifications that narrows the pool of applicants. Only top applicants (ranked initially by marks) are invited to write the Computer Administered Profile (CAP) on-site at the University of Toronto on Saturday, April 24, 2010. The Computer Administered Profile is a two hour exam with a series of short and long answer questions. The CAP is not a personal profile nor is it an MCAT-type exam that you can study for, rather it is designed to assess personal characteristics/attributes, life experiences, knowledge of the profession, and critical thinking/problem-solving skills. Typical questions will explore understanding of the profession and ability to problem solve. Enrolment selection is based on a combination of CAP exam score weighted at 40% and GPA weighted at 60%, along with a file review. In order to accommodate religious observances and special requirements there will be a secondary CAP date, Wednesday April 21, 2010. Upon receiving a letter of invitation to the CAP a written request with supporting documentation will be required to accommodate the request for the alternative date. Distance from Toronto will not constitute a special requirement and all applicants are responsible for their own travel costs to and from the CAP.

And that's pretty much what it is... helpful, I know... See, the CAP is like an interview... but done on the computer, where you write your answers to questions instead of speak them out loud to an interviewer. For some people that's great, because you can go back and re-write what you have said if you thought about something better, and for some it's not so great because you don't get to interact with a person and let your sparkling personality shine through.

The two hours was enough time to comfortably finish the test. Of course everyone would have loved hours and hours to perfect their answers, but with 2 hours you could definitely finish the test and have time to look over your answers. Some advice I can give, read over the questions first and devise a strategy for answering... you can do the questions in any order, they come up all at once. Some questions are worth more than others - try doing those first so you're not scrambling at the end. Be brief - don't answer with long winded, wordy explanations... you won't have time, and you may miss something really obvious. Plus the examiners are looking to see if you can get to the point. And don't worry about grammar and spelling - they don't care about that :-) They just want to see your ideas. Oh... and save your answers frequently! (just in case of a computer malfunction)

I can't give you specifics about the questions they asked because I signed a confidentiality agreement, but I can offer a little general advice:
- do some research about the physical therapy profession; what kind of settings does a PT practice in? what types of PT are there? what are some common reasons people seek out the services of a PT?
- think about why you want to be a PT, and the qualities you possess that will make you succeed in the program and as a physical therapist
- know about the program! (for any school you are applying to)
- think about/read some ethical scenarios a PT might encounter
- think about your strengths and weaknesses, and how to turn weaknesses into strengths
- and for the questions that tackle problem solving... They might seem wacky and unrelated to PT, but they are there to see how you think and if you can commit to an idea - so think about your answer, don't try to answer out of your scope of knowledge, and make sure you ACTUALLY ANSWER THE QUESTION - don't just beat around the bush, come out and say it!

And that advice really holds true for the McMaster "Multi-Mini Interview" as well. I found the Mac interview a little intimidating... you read the question on the door, a bell rings and you go into a room with an interviewer and just answer the question. Some of the examiners are really nice and give lots of visual and verbal feedback, while others are stone faced and (in my opinion... a little scary). Overall, it was an interesting experience. My strongest piece of advice would just be to relax - when you're REALLY nervous, it doesn't matter how much you know/prepare... you'll be too anxious to get what it is you want to say out there for the interviewer to hear.

So... that's it! EPIC, I know. But if you have any more questions - email 'em! Oh... and check out OTSweetPea's blog for more Mac interview stuff - it was about OT, but the process was the same for PT.

Hope that helps!

PTStudent :-)

I could use a drink with a little pink umbrella...

2011-03-16T08:07:00.003-04:00

So tired.

Electrohysical Agents exam yesterday.

Ethics presentation today.

Practical Skills Exam (with MSK and electro on it) Friday.

March sucks.

Reading week can't come soon enough. our class has decided to reward ourselves for all of our hard work over the last month (and last year and a half of being in the program) with a group trip to a sunny beach side resort. Ooooooohhhhh man! I can't wait to be sipping pina coladas on a beach and swimming in the ocean!!!! We all deserve it. But for now, its study study STUDY. So much to do before 3pm Friday!

Wish us luck!

Cheers,
PTStudent :-)

Let the MADNESS begin again...

2011-03-01T20:41:00.004-05:00

Last year, March was madness.

This year... March is MADNESS!

40 hours of class a week plus...

- 1 unit test
- 1 electrotherapy test
- 1 practical skills exam
- 1 ethics presentation
- 1 report writing assignment
- 1 week of interprofessional seminars on PAIN (how appropriate...)

Somewhere in there, between all the studying, I'll find some time for things like... sleeping, eating and playing volleyball... maybe...

Oh and studying for the PCE (national exam)... gotta start that soon! May is almost here... wishful thinking? Man, I'd like spring to be here :-)

PTStudent :-)

Picking Your Placement... Who knew there was so much strategy involved??

2011-02-23T21:40:00.005-05:00

Unit 9 is coming up - Advanced MSK (Outpatient) Placement!!! I can't wait for clinic :-)

But.......... there aren't a lot of clinics offering placements downtown TO for this one. I'm cool with commuting outside of the core - I've been to the ends of the subway line out to Scarborough and North York. It was alright, I got a lot of leisure reading done on the subway! But a lot of our choices for this next placement are waaaayyyy outside the downtown core...

Barrie, Wassaga, Uxbridge??, Borden??? - it's been a geography lesson deciding where to go!

At UofT, we pick our top 5 choices for clinic sites and then a computer decides where we go through a lottery system. Sometimes you get one of your top 5, sometimes you don't.... and that's just how it goes. I have had the pleasure of always getting one of my top 5 (I've had #1, #2, and #5). *fingers crossed* I get it again!!!

Do I pick all downtown placements (?like the rest of my classmates) and get shafted to some far off place? Do I pick slightly further spots, but still accessible by TTC - is everyone else going to do that too? Do I just say eff it all and pick what I want and not base it on distance? GAHHHHHHHHHHHH! If only I knew a way to milk the system!!

Please physio gods out there somewhere.... don't let our clinical education coordinator send me to Barrie!... or Uxbridge?? or BORDEN???? I don't know what I'd do!

And everyone out there who reads this.... please send me happy thoughts that I get somewhere close!!! (somewhere on campus ;-) would be nice, but I'm not terribly picky!)

Amen.

Until next time,

Cheers,
PTStudent :-)

**Update** Totally worked guys! On campus for my next placement!!! Woooo hooo!!!

Just bust a move...

2011-02-12T20:48:00.003-05:00

Last night there was a great interprofessional event down at Cabin 5 for students in the Faculty of Medicine to mix and mingle and raise money for Right to Play. It was a red-themed party, for Valentine's day, and everything looked great! It was really well done.

I had such a good time, I think I hurt my knee busting some moves out on the dance floor. I really can't remember what happened to it exactly... ahem.... because I didn't fall or twist funny.... I don't think I did anything unusual... but it hurts to sit-stand, and flex my knee past 65 degrees. It's red, hot and angry with some minor swelling - it doesn't hurt too much, unless I flex too much, it just feels "weird" and stiff. Huh. It's probably nothing, but I find that since being in the program I try to diagnose all my aches and pains.... it's like psych students who read about various mental health conditions and believe they have them... what's that called again? Hypochondria?? hahaha...

*fingers crossed* the mysterious pain will leave as it came... quickly and unexplained. But if not, my friends in class can have some fun assessing it on Monday.

Until next time,
Cheers
PTStudent :-)

Some more insight into life at UofT...

2011-02-07T16:27:00.005-05:00

A few months ago, some students at the University of British Columbia began making video blogs to show other PT students across the country a little bit about their program, and why they chose to get into physical therapy. It was a great idea, and soon other schools got in on it too... and just today, my classmates posted UofT's very own video blog.

Check it out... it's a nice way to visualize all the things I've been saying for the past year and a half. Hopefully more schools get in on the project - I love learning about all the other great programs we have in Canada.

And check out the Candaian Physiotherapy Association's Student page on facebook, too.

Until next time,

Cheers
PTStudent :-)

"Four hours without a snack?! I don't think I can handle this...."

2011-01-13T20:56:00.005-05:00

This PT Student is feeling a little overwhelmed today. We had a talk about the PNE - the national exam we all have to write in order to be licensed PTs today... and it freaked me out. I think it freaked out most of my classmates, too...

We've started back at school 2 weeks ago and it has been go go GO since the first minute... I've forgotten how to be a student since we've been in clinic so long. We have a lot of assignments and expectations of us in this new Advanced Neuro/MSK Unit... and then having a talk about a 4 hour written MC exam and 6 hour practical skills exam we HAVE to pass in order to be real PTs... GAH! I feel queasy.

The good news is most Canadian PT students pass both components of the exam. Like 95% pass the first time... so I'm sure everything will work out ok.... but it's going to be a lot of work! Sigh.... it's always a lot of work. And money... nearly $2000!!! (more if you fail), but here's hoping that's a one time fee! And we can't bring any food into the exam - as my friend said... four hours without a snack is unimaginable! Especially for diabetic/hypoglycemic folk. I'm scared.

Anyways, hopefully next time I have a post it'll be about something happy and exciting instead of worrisome and queasy-inducing... *fingers crossed*

Cheers,
PTStudent :-S

That's Festivus for the Rest of Us!!

2010-12-17T06:12:00.004-05:00

Every year, our program has a holiday potluck where all the students and faculty get together to celebrate the season with good food, good conversation and some hilarious acts of physio-related entertainment.

This year was no exception. The faculty and student council had some stellar performances, but I think everyone in my class will agree that the highlight of the night was the video "PT Through Dance." Some of my friends in the program have been taking hip-hop classes every week and put together their interpretation of the different units of our program - Cardioresp, MSK and Neuro - in a dance routine. Amazing!!!

Check it out!!

TGIF!!!

2010-11-05T06:35:00.002-04:00

Ugh. I'm sooo tired! Probably because it's 630am, but placement can be very draining. Thank goodness it's Friday! At 430pm there's a huge nap with my name on it!

I've been busy while we've been in clinic - lot's of things to look up and treatment plans to develop. But after today we will have only one more week left of this placement... and then it's on to... another! Back to back 5week placements then Christmas!!! I'm so glad I don't have exams to worry about :-) Just that silly final eval document to fill out... MAN! It's huge. like ~25 items to fill in, I always hate evaluating myself... feels weird. Oh well, guess it has to be done.

So it's goodbye to general MSK rehab, and HELLO! to inpatient neuro rehab. GAH! Better brush up before I head out there.

Until next time,

Cheers
PTStudent :-)

Research Like Wha? Research Like... Oh No!

2010-09-28T19:07:00.003-04:00

Unit 5 is over! And *fingers crossed* we all passed... maybe not with flying colours... but hopefully passed. It seems like this past unit was a TINY bit harder than the ones that came before... (that was in my sarcastic voice, I hope that came across)

Our class has had one of the highest averages for the last couple years or so on all of our previous tests. That has not been the case with our Neuro unit... I dunno what happened. Maybe it was the combination of hard material + going to school in the summer + lack of summer vacation... But hey! It's over! And now we're movin' on to Unit 6 - RESEARCH!

And what a whirlwind of a unit it has started out to be. 3 weeks. 10 page research protocol due by the end. 10-15min presentation of said protocol. Ethics proposal submitted to REBs by the end of the unit. HOLY SMOKES! That's a lot to do! Especially when none of your group members have done research studies before! (I feel so lost)

We're getting the hang of it, and hopefully our rough draft of our protocol won't be ripped to shreds tomorrow. I've learned a heck of a lot about study designs in the past week or so, but I really don't think research will be right for me when I graduate.

Cheers,
PTStudent :-)

PS. Queen's vs. Western this weekend for UWO Homecoming!!! *GO STANGS!* (sorry Queen's... I bleed purple)

Aren't you that PTStudent... the one with the blog??

2010-09-08T19:19:00.004-04:00

Two more weeks of neuro and we're done exams until next year!! What?! That's amazing! After that it's the start of our research project, and back-to-back placements lead us into Christmas. Everything's happening soooo quickly - I can't believe I'm in second year already....

The first years are in the building! And awwww... aren't they so cute? Wide-eyed and eager to learn all about physio! Boy.... they're in for some good times - and intense work. Yeah, I may have made physio school sound so wonderful and interesting in my previous posts... but DUDE! It's a LOT of work! A LOT. OF WORK. Good luck PT1s! But seriously... cardioresp - the first unit at UofT - is really great. The profs are AMAZING! It makes me smile to see them back in the building :-)

And after a year of blissful anonymity, I've been found out. I managed to fly under most of my classmates' radar, but people have discovered I'm writing this blog... I never really tried to hide my identity I guess... it should have been more obvious to everyone really. Hahaha... thanks to the UofT PT1s who read this to increase my profile :-) (and make me blush in the process) But oh well.... I'm really happy that I have been able to be of some help to people applying, and I'll keep writing about my experiences - hopefully people will keep reading!

Cheers for now,
PTStudent ;-)

O-Week!!

2010-08-31T19:51:00.001-04:00

Welcome to the University of Toronto Class of 2012!!! Wooohooo! You kids made it! Orientation Week (month) kicks off tomorrow! And I guess that means I'm officially a second year. Awesome.

Try and come out to all the events - they're a great way to get to know the city and your classmates.

See you there!
Cheers,
PTStudent :-)

Countdown to Summer!!!

2010-07-26T14:40:00.003-04:00

This PT Student just wants to be done studying already! It's summer... that means going to the beach, swimming, lounging... RELAXING! But not for us... July has been busy busy busy with exams every Monday, except today I guess.... Tomorrow it all ends though - one last practical skills exam and then VACATION :-)

I can't wait for 3 weeks of bliss....

Too bad I fell down the stairs to the subway when it was raining this weekend, and have to do my PSE with a bruised tailbone... YIKES. It hurts a lot. Normally this wouldn't be an issue because we stand to do most assessments/treatments in cardioresp or MSK... but in neuro there's a lot of sitting on stools and weight shifting in sitting... it's not fun. *Fingers crossed* it goes well for me! But I could use some happy thoughts just in case!

Until I return from summer vacation... Cheers!
PTStudent :-)

I Think You Have the Wrong PT Student....?

2010-07-13T21:32:00.002-04:00

So I've been getting some interesting email of late. I'm used to getting questions about applying to PT schools, interview questions and how life is at UofT... And questions from other countries about PT in Canada... but these have nothing to do with physio at all! Huh.

Like... someone thinks I have a cool design aesthetic (I'm assuming they got this idea from my cool new blog template... hahaha I like it at least) and wanted to know if I'd be interested in writing a column for a street style blog... Flattering, though I don't exactly see how one relates to the other. And... dude. I'm a masters student... like I have a) the money to buy cool clothes b) the time to write about it and c) the fashion sense to know what's what... I dress nicely enough, but I'd hardly call myself an expert on "street style". Interesting email #1.

#2. Russian market research. I'll just leave it at that - Babel Fish translation couldn't really help me out on that one...

#3. Someone asking if they can be my pen pal... thinking I'm either from Africa... or know a lot about it... again Babel Fish let me down - this was written en francais, and though I do speak quite good French... I still had no idea what was going on.

I wonder if these were computer generated emails? They all just seemed waaaayyy outta left field. But if not, thank you for taking the time to write to me... about fashion, in Russian and about your interests in learning about other cultures... but I think you have the wrong PTStudent - I am a Canadian MSc. PT student (moving into second year!). And I really can't answer your questions, I'm sorry! But thanks for visiting - and send me any physiotherapy related questions you may have.

Cheers,
PTStudent :-)

I don't wanna study!

2010-06-19T19:51:00.004-04:00

Our first test of the new unit is on Monday - NEUROANATOMY! And I just don't want to study anymore... it's only Saturday.... gah! This does not bode well.

Instead of studying brain cross-sections and the functions of various deep nuclei, I played around with my blog template - isn't it pretty? hahaha Hopefully everyone can still read the text, and comment as well! Last time I had a pretty blog template it wouldn't let anyone leave comments... I hate technology sometimes.

The G20 summit begins next week and has wrecked havoc on our schedule. We'll be trekking all over the city for classes - North York, Scarborough... ugh! But at least we'll be out of the way of any potential protester craziness.

Anyways, it's back to the books!

Even legit coffee couldn't keep me awake today...

2010-06-03T17:30:00.005-04:00

Dude. I am so tired today. I haven't felt like this since my mono of last summer - like *painfully* tired. Where it hurts to think, to sit in class, to walk home from school.

I'm thinking I just didn't get enough sleep last night, with watching the hockey game and waking up early today... but this unit has something to do with it as well.

We've started Unit 5 - Neurological PT Practice last week after a well deserved vacation, and we've been going at lightning speed. Neuroanatomy and neurophysiology everyday... three or four labs a day... it's INTENSE! But I understand that this is an area that not everyone has been exposed to and we need to lay down a foundation in which to build from.... but I'm tired. My brain hurts... hehehe, and that wasn't funny I apologize.

I really like this unit though. And I know from past posts it may seem that I love just about everything we do (which is true to an extent, I picked the right profession to get into for me...) I have been looking forward to this area of practice for some time. I had clinical neuroanatomy and physiology in undergrad with an AMAZING professor who really made me interested in all things related to the brain/nervous system, and now we get to get a more in depth and hands on approach to what I had learned before. Learning about stroke, Parkinson's, brain injury, spinal cord injury... etc, etc - it's pretty cool. Going to school in the summer though is terrible. It's been pretty nice out these last couple weeks, which doesn't help us pay attention when we're stuck inside... but the air conditioning comes in handy :-)

Anyways, I absolutely have to nap... a big fat congratulations goes out to all of you who got accepted to PT school last month, and to those on the waiting lists as well :-) Hopefully you get the call so you can have your happy dances as well. (And it does happen! Someone in our program was accepted the second day of class this past September - but let's hope it comes sooner rather than later). And to those who didn't get an acceptance, chin up. If you know PT is what you want to do, keep applying!!!! It's a very competitive program and it often takes more than one year of applying to get in. Volunteer some more, travel and get life experiences! Build up your tool kit to make your application the best it can be.

Ok, now I promise I'm done...
Cheers,
PTStudent :-)

Good Luck!

2010-05-13T07:31:00.003-04:00

I just wanted to wish everyone waiting to hear about acceptance offers for PT good luck! Tomorrow is the day notices go out (well... for some tonight at midnight if you can stay up for it!), and I hope there is a treat waiting in your inboxes :-)

*Fingers crossed*

Cheers,
PTStudent :-)

CAP Day!

2010-04-24T00:07:00.003-04:00

Good luck to everyone writing the CAP test... later today I suppose! Just breathe, it'll be ok.

Hopefully you signed up for a tour, campus is really pretty this time of year! I'm volunteering so maybe I'll see some of you there...

Get some sleep, good luck!
Cheers,
PTStudent :-)

One Week Down - Four to Go...

2010-04-15T16:48:00.005-04:00

I've never been a nap person. I can't sleep during the day. I have like this hardwired circadian rhythm that just can't be messed with. But with all the hours running around the hospital and transferring patients and all the THINKING, I get soooo tired - I feel like napping, ALL THE TIME.

But placement so far is amazing! I'm working on the transplant service at a hospital downtown and there is ALWAYS something going on. Whether it's a patient with new lungs coming in from ICU or a patient who had a transplant a few years ago coming in with an infection or other complication, there are always more patients to see than hours in a day. It's busy, but it makes the day just fly by.

We just finished the end of the first week and are moving from just observing our clinical instructors to handling our own patients. By the end of this 5 week placement we'll be handling up to half the caseload by ourselves - which seemed impossible a few weeks ago, but we've learned so much already that I think it's doable. I'm tired but excited to keep going.

I think I need to increase my upper body strength A LOT if I decide to work in acute care. The patients we see are VERY weak from their surgery and their disease that got them listed for a transplant in the first place. I had to hold up a guy who couldn't move anything except his head for 10min at the edge of his bed to help increase the ventilation to his lungs, ALL BY MYSELF! He must have been 140lbs... plus was fluid overloaded from surgery and was swollen to the extreme. My back hurt. I usually remember proper body mechanics to avoid situations like these, but when there's not a lot of space in the patient rooms from all the lines and tubes, it becomes very difficult to protect yourself. My CI said PT's don't last too long in his unit - it's very physical work!

I don't know why I'm up this early, but I think I'll head back to bed. I love weekends!

Cheers,
PTStudent :-)

My Admissions Story...

2010-04-10T11:13:00.003-04:00

I have so much free time right now, I don't know what to do! Classes ended on Wednesday and I've just chilled so much I'm looking for things to study - this is what PT school has done to me! Haha... But since I have some time, I thought I would share my admissions process. I should probably re-title this post "My Admissions Nightmare", but oh well... here goes!

I was invited for an interview at McMaster, and CAP day at UofT (yay me!), and I was getting really excited about the whole thing. Like, this is REALLY happening! I'm so close to getting into PT school :-) But I also had a pretty nasty final exam schedule to get through, so I put off prepping until after exams. I had two days to get ready. And buy a nice interview outfit to wear. I made my arrangements to get to Mac and continue to Toronto (my Mac interview was the day before my CAP test), and before I knew it - I was on the train trying to calm the butterflies in my stomach down long enough to eat a dry turkey sandwich.

I was three hours early for my Mac interview. It was the only train I could take. It was a really nice day out, so I walked around campus, like 5 times, and then headed inside. Met so many of my classmates from Western there, haha... and then it was time for the interview. I was SOOOO nervous! I drank like three glasses of water at the rest station, and I had a feeling the whole thing didn't go so well. But I brushed it aside and got ready for the CAP.

The CAP went a heck of a lot better. I remember thinking afterward while I was on a tour of campus that what I had written was the best I could do, and if I didn't get in here, it wasn't meant to be. I REALLY wanted to go to UofT after CAP day. But acceptance notices were coming out May 15, so I had to wait.

I went back to London and packed my things up. I didn't know where I would be going so I moved my things into storage and then spent 8 hours in a car to get back to Ottawa. The move didn't go so well. It was pouring and half my things were ruined. I was starting to feel really sick on the way home - I never get car sick. I got home, checked my email, and my heart sank. Queen's rejected me. TWO WEEKS BEFORE WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HEAR ANYTHING!

For the first 5 minutes or so after I read the email, I sat with my mouth hanging open, believing it was some kind of cruel joke. I brushed it off. Noticed I had a message on my phone so I checked it. It was from Western. I started to freak out - are they going to tell me I didn't graduate??? Nope - they were calling to tell me that I was 9 hours short on my volunteer experience and was I still in the process of completing them? Dear Lord, my heart sank again. I wanted to vomit. I started FREAKING out. I cried a lot that night.

Turns out my volunteer coordinator lost some of my paperwork, and only recorded 41 hours instead of 50. To top it off she was on vacation and unreachable to explain I actually did waaayyy more than 50 hours to the admissions committee. I managed to volunteer to complete the hours at my local clinic. But this whole time, I was feeling soooo sick with nerves. Already rejected from Queens, missing hours for UWO - was I going to get in anywhere?

I was diagnosed with mono. At least that meant I couldn't fester on admissions stuff because I was too tired to even think. But when May 14 rolled around, I wanted to stay up to midnight so I'd finally know if I got in or not. That's really tough to do when you fall asleep like every 5 min! haha I set an alarm and waited to hear from Mac, UWO, and UofT.

Rejected at Mac - ok I was expecting that. Wait listed at UWO. No word from UofT. I *tried* to stay up later to wait for UofT, but I couldn't do it. I woke up at 7am because I was too anxious/sad to sleep anymore. My mom made me an amazing breakfast that I didn't eat (mono does that to you), and tried to assure me everything would work out in the end. My dad distracted me until he had to get ready for work - and I realized that UofT probably sends their emails out at 9am because that's when I got my CAP invite. I went downstairs and there was an email waiting in my inbox titled "Congratulations!" from UofT. To be honest, I didn't notice that part til later - I opened it... read the words "We are pleased to offer you admissions into the program at the University of Toronto" and I FLIPPED OUT!!! I happy-danced my way around my house for about 20min. Then I ran back downstairs to make sure it was real, and that I hadn't missed something... Then I had to take a nap, haha. It was both the best and worst day...
I did get into UWO as well, but I knew UofT was where I was supposed to be.

And that is my admissions story. Hopefully no one else has to experience that - except the acceptance part, that part's awesome.

Alright, I think I've written a novel... again... until next time,
Cheers
PTStudent :-)

I wasn't kidding about the MADNESS...

2010-04-05T07:51:00.006-04:00

Only 3 more days til FREEEEEEEDDDDOOOOOMMMM! Ahem... I mean until placement :-)

March, as I said before, was MADNESS! There was an exam and/or assignment due every week! Some people might be like, "but PTStudent... I have 3 exams in two days - stop complaining". To which I rebut - at least you didn't have classes still while you got to study. So there! :-P

It's been rough. 40 hours of class a week, plus studying for an Electrophysical Agents exam and practical skills exam, our MSK practical skills exam, a SWOT assignment, a gait assignment, an anatomy exam and now our MSK unit final on Wednesday - all of these MAJOR exams with a lot of material being covered. It wouldn't be so bad if they let us off classes, but we're learning stuff right up until tomorrow. (Tomorrow's massage day though - I can't wait for a back massage!!) Wednesday can't come soon enough.

And after that I get to relax a bit. But my placement will be in cardio-respiratory PT with a transplant service at a major downtown hospital. From what I have heard, it sounds pretty intense. I wonder if I should be studying during my "me time"? Anyways... I'll write more about my placement when there's FREE TIME!!!!

Until then,
Cheers
PTStudent :-)

P.S. I have been getting a tonne of emails about CAP day - I guess the invitations went out sometime last week. Congrats to all those that woke up with an invitation in their inbox, and to those that didn't - keep your head up. All PT schools are different! If you didn't get an invite to UofT, doesn't mean you won't get in somewhere else.

I think I can... I think I can....

2010-03-31T07:05:00.002-04:00

My stomach is doing somersaults.

MSK Practical Skills Exam is in less than 2 hours.

So nervous.

I can't wait for March to be over.

Happy thoughts :-)
PTStudent

March Madness and April Interviews...

2010-03-13T15:03:00.006-05:00

I feel like procrastinating.

Which, given the INSANE amount of work I have to do, isn't the best idea. But hey - I probably won't learn anything about the brachial plexus if my mind is wandering this much. So... I think it's a perfect time to talk about PT interviews.

It's about that time of year! I can hear the faculty talking about admissions meetings and CAP day already! In just a few weeks time eager applicants will hopefully find out if they will be invited to McMaster and UofT to show off their sparkling personalities and physio knowledge. I've been there, done that... so I thought I would offer a bit of advice.

We'll start with CAP day for UofT:
The CAP test is not that bad (insert huge sigh of relief here). It is a 2 hour computer administered profile that you MUST be at U of T in order to write. Some time in early April, U of T will send out an email to all the applicants who have made it past the first rounds of admission (which is based solely on GPA) to invite them to the downtown campus at UofT to sit the CAP, and CAP day is usually in the last week of April. Well... here is the information from the UofT website:

ii) Computer Administered Profile: There is an initial screening of the academic qualifications that narrows the pool of applicants. Only top applicants (ranked initially by marks) are invited to write the Computer Administered Profile (CAP) on-site at the University of Toronto on Saturday, April 24, 2010. The Computer Administered Profile is a two hour exam with a series of short and long answer questions. The CAP is not a personal profile nor is it an MCAT-type exam that you can study for, rather it is designed to assess personal characteristics/attributes, life experiences, knowledge of the profession, and critical thinking/problem-solving skills. Typical questions will explore understanding of the profession and ability to problem solve. Enrolment selection is based on a combination of CAP exam score weighted at 40% and GPA weighted at 60%, along with a file review. In order to accommodate religious observances and special requirements there will be a secondary CAP date, Wednesday April 21, 2010. Upon receiving a letter of invitation to the CAP a written request with supporting documentation will be required to accommodate the request for the alternative date. Distance from Toronto will not constitute a special requirement and all applicants are responsible for their own travel costs to and from the CAP.

And that's pretty much what it is... helpful, I know... See, the CAP is like an interview... but done on the computer, where you write your answers to questions instead of speak them out loud to an interviewer. For some people that's great, because you can go back and re-write what you have said if you thought about something better, and for some it's not so great because you don't get to interact with a person and let your sparkling personality shine through.

The two hours was enough time to comfortably finish the test. Of course everyone would have loved hours and hours to perfect their answers, but with 2 hours you could definitely finish the test and have time to look over your answers. Some advice I can give, read over the questions first and devise a strategy for answering... you can do the questions in any order, they come up all at once. Some questions are worth more than others - try doing those first so you're not scrambling at the end. Be brief - don't answer with long winded, wordy explanations... you won't have time, and you may miss something really obvious. Plus the examiners are looking to see if you can get to the point. And don't worry about grammar and spelling - they don't care about that :-) They just want to see your ideas. Oh... and save your answers frequently! (just in case of a computer malfunction)

I can't give you specifics about the questions they asked because I signed a confidentiality agreement, but I can offer a little general advice:
- do some research about the physical therapy profession; what kind of settings does a PT practice in? what types of PT are there? what are some common reasons people seek out the services of a PT?
- think about why you want to be a PT, and the qualities you possess that will make you succeed in the program and as a physical therapist
- know about the program! (for any school you are applying to)
- think about/read some ethical scenarios a PT might encounter
- think about your strengths and weaknesses, and how to turn weaknesses into strengths
- and for the questions that tackle problem solving... They might seem wacky and unrelated to PT, but they are there to see how you think and if you can commit to an idea - so think about your answer, don't try to answer out of your scope of knowledge, and make sure you ACTUALLY ANSWER THE QUESTION - don't just beat around the bush, come out and say it!

And that advice really holds true for the McMaster "Multi-Mini Interview" as well. I found the Mac interview a little intimidating... you read the question on the door, a bell rings and you go into a room with an interviewer and just answer the question. Some of the examiners are really nice and give lots of visual and verbal feedback, while others are stone faced and (in my opinion... a little scary). Overall, it was an interesting experience. My strongest piece of advice would just be to relax - when you're REALLY nervous, it doesn't matter how much you know/prepare... you'll be too anxious to get what it is you want to say out there for the interviewer to hear.

So... that's it! EPIC, I know. But if you have any more questions - email 'em! Oh... and check out OTSweetPea's blog for more Mac interview stuff - it was about OT, but the process was the same for PT.

Back to the books *sigh*, that upper limb isn't going to learn itself.
PTStudent :-)

A Horrible Weekend...

2010-01-31T12:20:00.004-05:00

Life as a PT student can get really busy/crazy/hectic. We're in class 5 days a week for about 7-8 hours a day. Then there's after class studying to consider and extracurricular activities and there's very little time left for things like... sleeping.

But the weekends... oh the weekends! There are so many restaurants to explore in the city, so many museums, and amazing shops - there are a lot of ways in which one can unwind on the weekend. And unfortunately... this last weekend fell short of my relaxing expectations.

It all started Saturday night. It was a friend's birthday and our class was heading to a bar downtown for a few drinks and ended up getting a little more than we bargained for. I got NORWALK! NORWALK!!!! And for those of you who are confused.... the stomach flu. EWWWWWWWW!

It was horrible! At one point I remember promising my GI system I would never eat or drink anything EVER again.... I ended up in emerg because I was incredibly dehydrated. I wanted my mom :-(

BUT... a good thing to come out of it - I got three days off school with taped lectures so I didn't miss a thing! Once the nausea was gone, that was a pretty relaxing vacation.

15 people (and counting) in my class came down with the virus. And a residence at UofT had an outbreak this past week as well. If you are as unlucky as myself to come down with NORWALK - drink plenty of water/gatorade. Even if it makes you sick... KEEP DRINKING IT! And get plenty of rest!

I'm all better now! Yay me! And just in time to hit the books... sigh. Looks like another stressful weekend :-(

Cheers!
PTStudent :-)

Heading to the clinic!

2010-01-23T16:03:00.004-05:00

So this PT student is getting excited for my first placement! After our midterm on February 4th we start our introductory 3 week placement at a clinic in the GTA :-)

The 3 week placement is a chance for us PT1's to shadow a clinician and experience different areas of practice. I will be in general medicine - so a little mix of everything! And it's nice that we get a chance to see how the clinic runs before were asked to take patient care into our own hands... means I'll be less nervous, or hopefully it does!!

I'll be sure to post about my clinic experiences in the near future - but for the next little bit, I'll be studying intensely for our MSK midterm! It's always something....

Adios!
PTStudent :-)

I just wanted to say...

2010-01-19T20:07:00.003-05:00

There is so much more to ice than meets the eye. And who knew so much thought went in to putting on a hot pack?

ULTRASOUND IS SUPER COOL!

And we get to work with LASERS! LASERS! Man... I am such a nerd.

Electrophysical agents are really neat - even if I had to wake up extra early to have a test on them today :-P

PTStudent :-)

A little look into UofT PT...

2010-01-14T17:31:00.004-05:00

So some people have been asking me about how the UofT program is set up because it runs a little differently than some of the other Ontario PT schools, so I thought I'd write a post to give a little insight into PT at UofT.

We don't have any courses here. Wait. I guess we technically have anatomy as a separate course... Ok. So we have a course in anatomy that runs twice a week (ridiculously early in the morning, I might add...) But the rest of what we learn isn't divided into courses. How does that work?

U of T divides it's content into units - right now we are in unit 3 which is our musculoskeletal unit. So all of the material that fits into this unit is presented to us in a series of lectures/labs that are delivered over 14 weeks. There are no separate "courses" for assessment or treatment, biomechanics, etc - we just have lectures on these various topics.

How are we graded? I have heard that at other schools (namely Western - and please UWO folks, correct me if I'm wrong) they have an exam period that lasts 7 days or so and they have one or two exams a day in that period. U of T doesn't do that. We write one midterm during the unit which encompasses ALL of the material (minus anatomy) we have learned in lectures in the unit up until that point, and then we have a final for the unit which covers the rest of the material. Lab (practical skills) are also examined separately in a practical skills exam that resembles the McMaster interview and the National Exam we write to become licensed (I can describe how it works in a future post)...

So good news - less exams! Bad news - a LOT of material to cover for the exam! I don't know... it's not scary anymore now that we have a midterm and final under our belts - and everyone in our class passed :-) And I do like the idea that all of our stress is over in one shot, I always get so exhausted after writing 5 or 6 final exams...

For many, our schedule seems kind of wonky - since we don't have courses, technically nothing is ever the same... but there is a rhythm to it. Mondays and Wednesdays we have anatomy (ridiculously early... 8am -11am) and Tuesdays and Wednesdays in Unit 3 we have assessment lab, Fridays we have treatment lab... and so on an so on.... You get used to it! Plus all of our PT lectures are in the same building (500 University Ave), so you'll probably never end up in the wrong place!

Well, I hope that answers some of the questions about U of T! Please feel free to ask any and all questions you have about the program - I love it here!

Cheers,
PTStudent :-)

Home... at last!

2009-12-19T22:10:00.006-05:00

My first semester of PT school has come and gone... it seems like only a few weeks ago I was anxiously counting down the days until I moved to Toronto!

I have learned a lot these past four months - holy crap! It's been FOUR months?! (Really... time does fly by...) Like... did you know that physical therapy is the most stalked of the health professions? Stalked... as in crazy STALKER! Like... someone following you home and taking pictures of you to put on a creepy shrine they've put up in their bedrooms... complete with an altar they use to.... well... you get the idea.

Yes. Physical therapists are the most stalked of all the health professions. Can you imagine why?

Well looking around my classroom, my first thought was - "Why not? We're a devastatingly beautiful bunch of PT students!" And while entirely true... not the actual reason.

PT's use their hands in order to treat patients. There's a lot of touching. (PROFESSIONAL TOUCHING... keep your minds clean please!) But the therapeutic touch apparently elicits a deep emotional attachment in some people... And of course, the patient-therapist relationship inolves a lot of trust - trust that we will find out what is wrong, and hopefully be able to help solve the issues, trust that we won't cause any further injury. Trust + touching apparently = stalking. (And of course add in the beautiful PT part... we really are a good looking bunch ;-)! ). Lordy, I hope no one stalks me in the future! CREEPY!

Other than that wonderful tid bit... I learned a lot about cardiorespiratory physical therapy - how to suction patients, clear secretions, and treat collapsed lungs. It was a really great introduction to the variety of practice that exists in the physical therapy world. And, thanks to all your happy thoguhts (and some intense study sessions) I passed my first unit!! Awesome :-) Also passed anatomy with flying colours! So while we were all going crazy with the amount of work we had to do this past month, it was worth it in the end... On to Unit Three! Musculoskeletal!!!

Cheers,
PTStudent :-)

So very tired.

2009-12-08T23:14:00.004-05:00

Anatomy every morning at 8:00am for the next two weeks.

Anatomy test Dec 16.

Still have 40 hours a week of class.

Grrrrrr.....

Need more time to study.... AND SLEEP!!!

Think happy thoughts for me,
PTStudent :-S

I've been busy.... REALLY busy.

2009-12-05T20:13:00.003-05:00

Wow. It's been a really long time since my last post. I apologize to everyone out there who take the time to read what I have to say - I've been busy... very very busy. But I have a bit of time before I have to start studying for anatomy again, and would like to catch you up on life here as an M. Sc PT student at UofT.

I've had a couple of assignments, a practical skills exam and yesterday, I wrote my final exam of our cardioresp unit - I have officially finished Unit 1 and 2 of PT school :-) Yay me! But dude... it was hard! I have found since entering the program that I have to learn how to study all over again. I thought I had studying down in undergrad - I was always really good at figuring out what was important and what questions would be on the exam, but seem to have lost my talents over the summer break. After our first midterm, I thought I could pick out what our profs were looking for. Apparently not. I definitely passed. I hope I passed.... I passed, yeah - I'll just say I needed a stiff drink last night and leave it at that.

And now it's on to MSK :-) The bread and butter of our PT knowledge. Don't get me wrong, cardioresp was pretty cool - we help make people breathe easier! But I don't think I could handle suctioning every day... and I think I want to go into the orthopediac/sports injury PT... neuro seems interesting too, ahhhh so many choices! I am really looking forward to starting the new unit on Monday, but I'm really hoping it's not as intense as everyone keeps saying.

I also hope my MSK profs can figure out what I did to my shoulder and wrist yesterday too... I fell down the stairs before I wrote my final :-( Hence the need for a stiff drink.

Ooooohhhh and it's almost application time! Christmas break is an excellent time to write your personal statement and get your pre-requisite chart done so you can ship off those applications and (hopefully) rest easy til April, when interview notifications are sent out. I had this whole post about filling out ORPAS applications... it was pretty awesome, if I do say so myself... but sadly it was lost somewhere out there in internet land. (I'm really not technologically savvy) So in the next week or two I plan to re-post it for your reading enjoyment :-)

That's all for now - take it easy!
PT Student

Pump, pump, pump, pump, pump... pumps your blood!

2009-10-18T10:13:00.004-04:00

So the UofT PT class of 2011 is starting it's 7th week of classes tomorrow, and we have our first anatomy exam on Wednesday! Everyone's getting a little anxious... and they have every right to be!

For UofT does not require anatomy as a pre-requisite to get into the program, so for some of our class this is the first exposure they've had to anatomy. If that were me, I'd be freaking out a little too (a little more than I am already, I should say... haha)

The exam consists of a few written questions and then as a 25 station bell ringer, where you have a minute and a half to identify/describe aspects of the specimen in front of you and then a bell rings and you move on to the next station.

I've only written one anatomy bell ringer before, and it was probably the most stressful exam I have ever written in my life! I thought I failed it. I just kept second guessing myself (is that even the tibia?). And in the end, I didn't fail. I actually had one of the highest marks in the class :-) But booooyyyyyyy was I worried!

Hopefully I keep my cool on Wednesday morning, and kick cardio-resp anatomy's butt! Oh and the title of this post refers to an awesome song that helps me remember the path of blood through the heart - check it out! Happy Days - Pumps Your Blood!

AHHHH!

2009-10-04T22:09:00.001-04:00

First term test on Tuesday...

So much to study....

Stressed? Yes.

Wish me luck. Lots of luck...

Thanks in advance,
PTStudent :-)

"Pssst... you have some human tissue on your shoes."

2009-09-23T17:01:00.003-04:00

Last Wednesday, I dragged myself out of bed for my first 8am anatomy lab over at the medical sciences building on campus, anxiously awaiting the opportunity to get up close with human anatomy - like REAL bodies, not plastic models. After I walked into the lab room, I lost some of my excitement, and some of my breakfast.

Formaldehyde smells. Bad. REALLY BAD.

And I also realized as we were sitting next to the dissection tables, that there were dead people under those black sheets. Real human beings who lived, breathed, and died. It was morbid. It was creepy. It smelled so bad.

Then our professor gave us a bit of a demonstration (we were dissecting the muscles of the chest wall as part of our cardio-respiratory unit), and I think I was scarred for life. She just DUG right in! Ripping at flesh like it was nothing! And then she got squirted with human juices... Some people had to leave the room.

Now don't get me wrong... I love anatomy! I love learning about the amazing machine that our bodies are, but it was a little overwhelming.

Today was our second lab and we were opening the chest wall to examine the heart and lungs. For me, it was better (easier) than last week. I had gotten used to the smell, and the weird noises the tissue can make when you're cutting, and I dove right in with my hands like our prof that first lab. I cut muscle. I sawed through clavicles and broke ribs. And then.... I got human juices on my shoes.... I almost lost my breakfast, again.

Apparently our cadaver had died from complications with colon cancer, and our professor believed he died as a result of pneumonia. She explained to us as all this fluid was POURING out the holes we made in the pleural cavity, that the fluid was the result of an infection and our cadaver must have felt like he was drowning on dry land. Poor guy. I am very thankful he donated his body so that we could learn, even though his pleural effusion leaked onto my sneakers.

So anatomy rocks! Smell really sucks. Hopefully I won't feel like losing my breakfast every week. And some advice - never wear good clothes to the anatomy lab, clean your scrubs from time to time (the smell lingers!), and don't wear good sneakers!

Until next time, take it easy!
PTStudent :-)

One Week Down...

2009-09-10T18:04:00.003-04:00

So I have officially been a PT student for one week :-) And boy am I tired! Early morning anatomy lectures and clinic visits are going to drive me to drinking coffee soon, I swear.

But this week has been so amazing! Our second year student council has put on some great events, and I feel thoroughly welcomed by the faculty of medicine, the rehab sector, school of graduate studies and by the university in general. (We're easy to please when we get free food!!)

The UofT campus is also so beautiful! The architecture and history of the buildings provides a great atmosphere, and I think I'm finally settling in to living in the big city... though I still find it scary when people approach me on the street - I wonder if that ever goes away?

I know that I had said previously that I will be posting application advice for people thinking of going to physio school, and I still intend to... but as it is only September... I think I will wait on that front until OUAC applications are released in October (and maybe I have more time on my hands), and bombard everyone with info then :-)

For now, I am off to the gym! (sigh....) So take it easy, and enjoy this beautiful summer weather we are having!!

PTStudent :-)

Moving!

2009-08-31T19:44:00.004-04:00

Bright lights, big city, and the hum of the traffic lulls me to sleep. Dude. I live in Toronto now!

The move to the city was wonderfully smooth - something that hasn't been the case for me in the past. I guess I was due for some sunshine on moving day :-) And after hauling my stuff up my apartment stairs I was left with the task of finding room for everything in my TINY room. Oh well... It's a really good deal in a great location - I shouldn't complain. But I might sleep on the couch in the living room from time to time to grab some air.

So I've just been figuring out the city... I am directionally challenged most of the time, so navigating the TTC has been, let's say.... interesting. But I think I have it down... I think...

Toronto is veeerrrryyyy different from what I'm used to - I grew up in some very small communities where everyone new everyone else, and of course all their business too. And moving to London for undergrad was kind of a shock - I thought it was so big! It took me a while to get used to not waving and smiling and saying to hello to everyone who was walking down the street... but I managed. So hopefully I'll find my place in the city soon. It's been fun exploring so far!

O-Week scavenger hunt is tomorrow :-) I'm excited to finally meet my classmates! And hopefully the internet in my room will be connected soon... So until then... take it easy! And hey, maybe I'll see some of you this week at 500 University Ave (aka the Rehab building and my new home for the next two years)!

PTStudent :-)

Forgive me, I'm new at this...

2009-08-15T16:21:00.004-04:00

I loved my old blogspot template... I thought it looked pretty good... but apparently it wouldn't let anyone leave comments. I'd like comments :-) It's cool to get feedback from everyone out there in internet land (oooohhhh...) and it's cool to know people are actually reading what I have to say!

So I've gone back to the more simple layout, but it should let you leave some feedback, and if there's still problems... shoot me an email at a.physio.student@gmail.com

PTStudent :-)

Now look away while I shove this needle in your arm...

2009-08-10T12:05:00.004-04:00

I feel like a pin cushion. Who knew you had to get so many needles to go to physio school?!

When looking to see if my immunization records were up to date, I realized I’d need a Measles, Mumps and Rubella vaccine (the year I had mine originally was apparently defective), a tetanus booster, I’d have to have blood tests to prove I have immunity from the Hepatitis B vaccine I had waaaaayyy back in Gr. 7, and then of course there was the two-step Tuberculosis test! And for those of you who don’t know, a two-step TB test involves being stuck in the arm with a needle and having a *mysterious* liquid injected under the skin until it forms a bubble which will then be checked in 48 hours to see if a reaction occurred (and the process is then repeated 1-3 weeks later for part 2 of the 2 step test) – GAH!! I’ve been to my family doctor so much this summer (I did have mono too…) that all the nurses know my name – the cool thing about that is, they’re all so thrilled I’m going into the health care field that I get tonnes of well wishes and lollipops every time I’m there.

So I’m TB-neg, and have the Hep B anti-bodies… I’m all immunized… now the only thing left to do for health requirements is re certify my standard first aid with CPR-C. And oh man organizing that hasn’t been all that pleasant either... U of T requires us incoming PT students to re certify our first aid/CPR after August 1 but before September 1. Four weeks, that’s not so bad right? Well…… factor in the fact that the Red Cross has limited re-certification courses available, and I have to move into residence the last week in August… that doesn’t leave much time!!! Factor in the fact they almost lost my registration info and then almost canceled my course, and you get one stressed PT Student!

But… it all seems to have worked out. (Insert sigh of relief here). At least I don’t have to get a police records check as well – not that I’m a criminal or anything, it would just be one more thing I had to do.

After my CPR class all I have to do is shop for school (yay!) and then move! So excited!!! I just want to get started, but I know I should also take some time to enjoy summer holidays – this might be the last one I have for a while.

Until next time… take it easy!
PTStudent :-)

Let's start at the very beginning...

2009-08-04T11:52:00.005-04:00

Oh my goodness! It's August! Only a few more weeks to go before I'll be heading down to the big city and start Orientation Week!!! Wooo hooo! Can't wait :-)

But people might be wondering how I got here... what led me to physio... a story has to have a beginning right? So here we go!

I just graduated from the University of Western Ontario in Health Sciences. I chose Health Science because I always knew, from very young, that I wanted to be in the health care field, but I wasn’t exactly sure if I wanted to do medicine or not, and health science was a great mix of anatomy/physiology and health care policy. Health Sci really made me realize how much I loved learning about the human body! (That sounds kind of creepy… but think about it, our bodies are amazing machines! Take a course in human physiology and you’ll know what I’m talkin’ about (our kidneys… spectacular!)) And yes… I am aware that most of what I have just said makes me very nerdy, haha. I just love anatomy and physiology!

And so I struggled for most of university over whether I wanted to be a doctor or a physio. I knew a lot about medicine but I didn’t really know what physical therapy was all about until the summer I turned 17. That was the summer I spent A LOT of time in my physio's office. I am pretty athletic, playing about 4 sports a year during high school, so I know a thing or two about athletic injuries. This summer in particular, I hurt my ankle playing soccer. I wish I had some spectacular story to tell about how I managed to hurt myself so badly... but the truth is I basically turned around as I was beginning to run, and BAM! I was on the ground with players, coaches, and referees all freaking out, talking about calling ambulances around me. (It was bad... they gave me morphine at the hospital!!!!) Long story short... I suffered a third degree ankle sprain and didn't walk for 2 1/2 months, and my doctor said I might not be able to play competitive sports anymore.

Now I'm not going to say I went to physio and BINGO was instantly fixed. It was a lot of hard work! But my physio helped me get the swelling down, and strengthen the tissues I had left around my ankle to help protect me from future injuries. She got me walking and running in time to start playing field hockey in the fall, and I am able (and still do) play competitive soccer… and volleyball, too!

This experience really opened my eyes to the world of physical therapy, and ended up being the deciding factor in my medicine/physio debate (well that and I realized I didn’t like organic chem as much as anatomy!). I realized that with physical therapy I would be able to use my love and knowledge of anatomy everyday… there was great opportunity to develop problem solving skills… in physio I could work with athletic teams and stay closely connected with the athletic world… or do respiratory physio (there’s lots more to physio than sports injuries!) and best of all… I’d be able to help people get back to the activities that they love, just as my physio helped me return to sport. Some other great reasons to choose physio – less schooling than medicine, no MCAT and pretty much a guaranteed job upon graduation (we are in desperate need of PTs in this country!)

One thing I want to clarify however is I didn’t choose physical therapy because I didn’t have the marks to get into med school. Some people think PT school is easier to get into than medical school – this is NOT the case! PT is a professional program like law school and medical school… it’s competitive! Although programs report lower admissions averages (around a 75% or mid-B average) in the last two years of undergrad, the people who ultimately get acceptances have averages much much higher than this. Just like med school… there are more people applying than there are spaces available. Check out ORPAS for some interesting stats on this subject.

So that’s how I figured out how I wanted to start my PT adventure (basically). For all those potential applicants out there, you’ll want to really think about why you want to be a physical therapist. Not only in order to decide what you want to do as a career, but in order to help you in your admissions process – you’ll be asked this question in personal statements and interviews, I can pretty much guarantee it.

Wow, this is epic… so I guess that’s that. And if anyone has any questions at all about PT, don’t hesitate to shoot me an email at a.physio.student@gmail.com. Now I’m off to enjoy the sunshine while it’s still here!

PTStudent :-)

So I was thinking I'd start a blog...

2009-08-01T20:40:00.003-04:00

Back in April I found out I was invited for an interview at McMaster and U of T for the M. Sc. in Physical Therapy programs (yeah yeah!!). After I had let family and friends know, and done some entertaining though highly embarrassing happy dances, I figured I should start *really* preparing for them. So of course... I went to the wonderful world wide web.

I couldn't find much about the CAP (Computer Administrated Profile) that U of T uses (other than what I could find on their pt homepage), but I hit pay dirt when I searched for Mac's MMI (Multiple Mini Interview). One particular site was a blog for an Occupational Therapy student who gave awesome info and tips on how to prepare for the MMI and other ins and outs of the ORPAS application process.

I was blown away. I became a religious follower - even though I was applying for Physical Therapy. And after all the letters had come in and my admissions ordeal was over, I wanted to do for others what this blogger had done for me. (I also came down with mononeucleosis and had nothing better to do... haha!)

So the purpose of this blog is to help applicants with admissions procedures, give info on various programs, weigh in on my own program (I did get in!!!), and maybe act as a place to vent as well.

This blog is my story... my adventures in becoming a Physical Therapist :-)