Twenty consequential years of service in the military and my exposure to soldiers at close quarters are the two major reasons for my desire to pursue graduation in Physical therapy school. I have been a witness to many difficult situations in the course of my career as a Drill Sergeant, where I supervised, trained, and interacted with more than one hundred and fifty soldiers per training cycle. I oversaw the welfare of a good number of soldiers and had first hand knowledge of their emotional, psychological and physiological needs. This has intensified with my continuing professional experience in the field because I have guided and taught a varied set of people right from a physician to a layman with no medical experience whatsoever.
My ultimate aim is to improve the quality of life for soldiers returning from war and I am focused on doing research that will aid the rehabilitation of injured or afflicted patients and help them regain their proper movement. I have a burning desire to help soldiers regain their strength and functionality and would do this to the best of my capacity, because my association with them for twenty years has made a very big impact on me. My supervision of a research project in the Department of Kinesiology, studying the improvement of muscular strength and stability in geriatric population has reinforced my desire and ambition for training in a physical therapy school
Work as a licensed practical nurse and EMT have given a great outlet to my natural flair for the medical field, and my BS Degree in Kinesiology [GPA 3.29] has stood me in good stead all these years. As a student of Kinesiology I have a good base in the study of human movement from both a theoretical and applied perspective I have been taught in detail about the motor skills, about how and why we move. However, this could only help me assess movement, or problems in movement with regard to physiology, anatomy and biomechanics. I would like not only to assess but to apply therapeutic techniques to correct the identified problems. I can do this only as a physical therapist and my interest in this field will be further enhanced and refined with a proper systematic training in a graduate physical therapy school. My greatest strength is a capacity for hard work, along with good time management and living up to fulfillment of internal targets. I can work and achieve under pressure and this quality was exploited to the full in my military career. I would apply this strength of character to make productive use of the opportunity in Graduate School and come out in flying colors on completion of my course.
I am sensitive to the needs of people and love working with them. Helping them overcome mental blocks by inducing a positive outlook, assisting them achieve their full potential in spite of obstacles , are very challenging tasks and they give me immense soul satisfaction. . I have been the top of my class during advance supervisory training and drill sergeant school and have received many letters of achievement over my years in the military on account of my commitment to duty and for ensuring the safety of my soldiers. I am a member of the disabled American Veterans Association, American Legion, and Red Cross. I volunteer at the veteran’s administration hospital in El Paso and am a supervisor in a Golden Age Exercise Program [research program].Disabled American Veterans is an organization of disabled veterans who are focused on building better lives for disabled veterans and their families.
The organization accomplishes this goal by providing free assistance to veterans in obtaining benefits and services earned through their military service.
Since its founding more than 80 years ago, the Disabled American Veterans has been dedicated to a single purpose: building better lives for America’s disabled veterans and their families. My voluntary work here where I assisted veterans to get access to medical help is another factor that has motivated me in my ultimate goal of improving the quality of life of soldiers and those around me.
All these years of experience have given me enough confidence in my area of work but only specialized education and research can help me achieve my mission in life because physical therapists treat patients who are suffering from physical injuries or disabilities by teaching them various therapeutic exercise and activities that strengthen muscles, improve mobility and relieve pain. This can justifiably be fulfilled only by recognized qualified therapists and only the training and knowledge I gain in the Graduate School of Physical Therapy and research in this specialized area would take me a long way in realizing my dream.
As a physical therapist I would like to develop a rehabilitation plan and provide ongoing evaluations based on patients’ activities and progress I would like to help reduce the patient’s pain, and increase the patient’s strength, endurance, and stability. In addition to treatments given in the office, Physical Therapists work with the patient to develop a home therapy program; they form long lasting relationships with their patients and it is this relationship that is the key to the healing process. I have, on a personal level, been most impressed by this aspect because of the feeling of connect with a fellow human being in this mechanized world. Moreover, I have a tendency to maximize results with minimum resources This quality of mine would enable me to get innovative practical and cost effective tools in therapy, benefiting the less affluent population. All my practical experience aided by proper theory and education would help me serve society better. All through these years, the more and more opportunities I got in this field where I could get varied experience, the more determined I have become to enhance my qualifications and get into an in-depth study of human movement and application of therapeutic techniques to geriatric population. Twenty years of physical training and ten years of classroom teaching experience have given me great exposure.
Exposure has made me realize that there is great scope for specialized research in this area and I WANT TO improve myself and give higher quality help to society. The expertise I acquire in a physical therapy school would definitely change my life and make me a better person who in turn will be in a position to change the quality of life of soldiers and others. After my education in Graduate School I plan to work with soldiers and their families and enhance my skills. Later, I will open my own practice and volunteer to help soldiers and others in the community who are in need of assistance in regaining their normal functionality. I love teaching kids and working with them and shall do my best in providing therapeutic assistance to afflicted children.
“Employment of physical therapists is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through 2012 – “faster than average” as an anticipated increase in jobs of 21 percent to 35 percent between 2002 and 2012, compared to an average overall job One of many reasons is the growing elderly population and increase in the number of individuals with disabilities and/or limited function.’[1]. “Physical therapy has been progressing as one of the largest allied professions in health care – research, development, technology, expertise, expansion. Whether it began through a simple prick on the skin or massive catastrophic deaths, the history of physical therapy owes much to the moment when humans learned how to care”.[2] There can be no looking back and there is only further scope for improved methods and techniques and prospects in this field because as long as we live we will continue to care. This is sure to help me in my professional career and personal ambition, creating a win-win situation for myself and those whom I am able to serve.
