By: Dr. Trey Martin PT, DPT
Getting your feet wet in any profession is challenging. Add in the jitters of starting a job+new city+autonomy as a Physical Therapist+a pandemic and it becomes sink or swim. Today, I want to bring to you five things I've learned at my first "career" job. These five things bring light to the joy of early growth, both academically and personally.
Lesson 1: If you don't know something the first time, you better figure it out before the second time
This is a spin off from something Mike Reinold said to me while I was interning at Champion. He said, "Never not know the answer to the same question twice." Full disclosure: I have evaluations in which I leave scratching my head. That's okay in the moment, but its not okay to stay scratching my head for a month of treatment. For me, it may take hitting the books, talking to a more experienced PT about the case, referring elsewhere or taking a second look at my exam findings. As a new graduate, I've learned that I have quite a few knowledge gaps, but I fill those gaps after the first time and refine them from there out.
Lesson 2: Organization is your best friend
Organization is not a gift of mine (my mom just hit the retweet button). That being said, organizing everything from your daily notes to your evaluation sequence will make your life easier. Automate the things that you can automate, so your brain has processing space for the complex. You shouldn't be wasting time thinking about where the towels are or what forms you need signed. Do it the same way each time and the little things become second nature.
Lesson 3: Almost no one is textbook
Perfect example, yesterday I had a new evaluation for lumbar radiculopathy. It starts off looking spot on, but there is always a wrinkle it seems. During the evaluation, I learn the Ortho the patient recently went to wants to test for ankylosing spondylitis. The patient also reports "joint pain all over" (maybe RA?). Point being, human beings are complex, multi-faceted creatures full of complex processes, emotions, and body functions. You can't view them as a textbook would and you will rarely have a patient with one chief complaint that fits perfectly in your textbook case. You have to be mentally flexible to even evaluate the biology, and that isn't even getting started on the psychology and social adeptness component of being a great clinician.
Lesson 4: You know more than you think
I had/have this nagging fear that my care won't be good enough and it will be my fault a patient does not get better. Remember: you've been trained to do this. You have plenty of experience and knowledge base to draw from. I believe if you genuinely care about your patients, aren't afraid to seek help when you need it, and you have an organized process, you will get results.
Lesson 5: Loving the growth process is essential to avoid burnout
If you are anything like me, you want to be great at everything you do, and you want to be there yesterday. This is a tough pill to swallow. You graduate with your expensive, (framed) piece of paper, and a license (to heal). You want to be incredible at your work, because you want incredible results for your patients. You see the great skill, charisma, and adept maneuvering of your clinical instructors and colleagues. You will get there. Be the kind of person who is better at what they do in 6 months, 6 years, and 60 years. That is all you can do. I am forcing myself to enjoy the bumps along the way.
Closing Thoughts:
My message is simple. Being new at a career is daunting. However, your perspective can make it a season of growth or a season of stress. You choose.
A quick heads-up on two things I love this week! One is a world renowned book, the other is a recovery product on the rise!
The Product: Today's feature is the Myostorm Meteor. The meteor has been featured on SharkTank (where I first saw it). It combines vibration and heat into a palm-sized, post-workout game changer. I love using the Meteor for post-workout soreness or as a quick pick me up! Unless you can convince a significant other to give daily massages, you need one of these. It's $50 off right now bringing it down to $99. The Meteor can be found on their website (which I linked) and Amazon!
The Book: If you know me at all, you know How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie is a constant recommendation to read from me. This book was written in 1936, but is highly relevant today. I don't say this lightly, it is a life-changing read, it quite literally makes you a better person (results may vary)! The paperback form of this runs between $9-$15 dollars on Amazon. This book is also on audible, googleplay, and apple audiobooks (if you're into that sort of thing). How to Win Friends and Influence People is a timeless classic that should be required reading in every university and high school on the planet.
As always thanks for taking the time to read this blogpost! If you like this blog please share it with a friend who would benefit from reading it. If you despise this blog, send me a message and help me improve it. You can find more from me on Instagram: @athletedocrehab and Facebook: athletedocrehab
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