Bsa Personal Statement
As a young boy I dreamt of some day being an engineer in outer space or a world-renowned artist, but then I discovered the human body. Consisting of over 30 trillion cells and enough blood vessels to wrap around the world twice, I have yet to find a supercomputer more complex or a work of art more intricate. What started as a fascination has become a transforming life passion. Thanks to many unique experiences I will be able to bring the same transformation to others and exemplify the APTA’s vision for physical therapy.
When I volunteered with Disability Resources & Education Services (DRES), I had the privilege of being apart of the rehab and training process of individuals with disabilities along with wheelchair athletes. DRES became a second …show more content…
There, students from a student organization at U of I aided a team of healthcare professionals to run free clinics. My initial awe of the mountainous landscape were quickly overshadowed when I realized the team did not have the resources to meet the needs of the large mass of local Quechua people that had gathered at our clinic. It was heartbreaking to have to turn away people that could have been so easily treated in America. Yet, I saw hope when a therapist was empowering the local people to care about their own health education. He went further than treating symptoms; he talked topics relevant to everyday life which were worth more than a few painkillers we give out. To my delight I saw the same vision I had witnessed in Illinois was still so evident 6,000 miles away on the mountainsides of Peru.
So whether I volunteered or worked, those experiences have played an important part in preparing me to embody the APTA’s vision. I will get to take what I love and use it to make a deep, lasting impact on those I work with as a physical therapist. I look forward to helping patients and communities improve their quality of life and aid the body in its masterful process of healing by supporting, inspiring, and teaching as I have been learning throughout my experiences. Perhaps best of all, I can continue exploring this complex machine and wonderful work of art that is the human
When I volunteered with Disability Resources & Education Services (DRES), I had the privilege of being apart of the rehab and training process of individuals with disabilities along with wheelchair athletes. DRES became a second …show more content…
There, students from a student organization at U of I aided a team of healthcare professionals to run free clinics. My initial awe of the mountainous landscape were quickly overshadowed when I realized the team did not have the resources to meet the needs of the large mass of local Quechua people that had gathered at our clinic. It was heartbreaking to have to turn away people that could have been so easily treated in America. Yet, I saw hope when a therapist was empowering the local people to care about their own health education. He went further than treating symptoms; he talked topics relevant to everyday life which were worth more than a few painkillers we give out. To my delight I saw the same vision I had witnessed in Illinois was still so evident 6,000 miles away on the mountainsides of Peru.
So whether I volunteered or worked, those experiences have played an important part in preparing me to embody the APTA’s vision. I will get to take what I love and use it to make a deep, lasting impact on those I work with as a physical therapist. I look forward to helping patients and communities improve their quality of life and aid the body in its masterful process of healing by supporting, inspiring, and teaching as I have been learning throughout my experiences. Perhaps best of all, I can continue exploring this complex machine and wonderful work of art that is the human