Reflections on balancing being a clinician and educator as a physical therapist

By Anonymous -
With the spring semester in full swing at USC, I wanted to take some time to reflect on the juggling act that we often find ourselves in when we, as clinicians, take on multiple roles: clinician, faculty member, clinical instructor, researcher, etc. What are the benefits? What are the struggles? Is it possible to be proficient at all of them (especially at the same time)?

Teaching in the classroom allows me to challenge myself not only by making sure I know what the best practice is for my patients, but also by holding me accountable to be able to teach it to other soon-to-be physical therapists. I end up asking myself many questions…Is this the best technique? Is that assessment considered best practice? Are there other ways for us to reach the same outcome? What’s the most important piece of information here and was it conveyed to the students? These teaching moments are great opportunities to demonstrate, improve and share my knowledge.

However, appreciating and knowing the value of taking on other roles does not mean it is always an easy “yes, sign me up!” There are things to consider: Do I have the time to dedicate to the task? Are there classes/projects available that interest me? Would I be able to be flexible with my current employer to fit this into my schedule? It is important to think these things through before committing to a big project. What helps me most is having support from my mentors and colleagues, being honest with myself in determining if I have enough time (including the mindfulness Erin talked about last week), and allowing myself to be flexible when things don’t run according to plan.

Juggling teaching and treating has certainly been a challenge this semester and finding the right balance for myself is an ongoing task and an area where there is always room for improvement. But I’ve already expanded my skillset, connected with many students, and applied lessons learned in one setting to the other…and it’s only February!

By Pamela Ressler, PT, DPT, NCS

www.reactivept.com





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