Labels
Posted by

Advice for Year 1 Students


Congratulations on getting accepted into the Physical Therapy program at UWI Mona campus. Now the work truly begins. This program pushes you outside of your comfort zone and requires you to exercise an extreme amount of determination, perseverance and mental fortitude to be successful throughout each year. The content examined each academic year has frequently been adjusted and distributed so that the workload does not become totally overbearing but at times it can leave you feeling "swamped" and "out of control." However, the most important thing to remember, is why you are here and why you chose to pursue this degree in the first place.  

"Service over self"

Physical Therapists are Movement Specialists. They are experts in their field. They are knowledgeable, dedicated healthcare workers who help people navigate through their physical rehabilitation after an injury, accident or any other condition that has affected their activities of daily life. They are entrusted upon by the family members, loved ones and friends of their patients to give them the best care and treatment for their recovery. As such, you must put yourself in a position to become an excellent Physical Therapist to ensure that your patients get the care that they need. This mindset must be developed from Day 1 and must stay with you even on the hardest days at school. Always remind yourself of this. 

"Knowledge is Power"

Power to become an excellent Physical Therapist and help as many patients as accurately as possible. Pay attention to your first year courses as they set the foundation you need to carry you throughout your remaining two years. Take all courses seriously but especially Anatomy and Physiology. Learn the body inside out and ensure you know all muscles, their attachment, origin, innervation, blood supply and actions. Know your dermatomes and all bony structures within the human body. Try your hardest to grasp all physiological concepts and processes that occur within the body. Honestly, the advice would be to apply yourself 150%, pay attention in classes, study hard and make proper notes during lectures. Review notes after classes, ask questions you may have, do extra reading in your free time and overall really try to understand what is being taught to you. Study regularly and figure out what works for you. This may be individual studying, group studying, studying with music, following a timetable or simply completing tasks that you know must be done. Take the time to assess and understand your learning style and craft your studying sessions around it. 

"Your Health is Your Wealth"

As future healthcare workers, sometimes we may forget to take necessary breaks when we are overwhelmed or feeling drained because of the very same quote, "Service over self ". But know this, we will not be able to help anyone if we are not physically and mentally healthy. In helping others, we must remember to take care of ourselves first and ensure we are in a position to effectively provide assistance to those who need it. As students, it's important to learn balance between schoolwork and extra-curricular activities. Get enough sleep, eat meals daily and on time, drink lots of water, exercise regularly and do things that you enjoy ever so often. Join clubs or different groups around campus where you can display skills that you have such as Sport Teams, Choir, Drama Club, Environmental Clubs, just to name a few. Ensure to pray and stay rooted in your faith. Have a good support system that will keep you grounded especially if you are away from home or in a foreign country. Prioritize you mental health by learning and implementing different coping mechanisms for stress and depression. If you do need professional help, do not hesitate to reach out to the Psychology services made available to the student body. 

"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up"

-Galatians 6:9

Thank you for reading and stay tuned for our next article!

Feel free to check out our Instagram page using the link below for further advice and tips such as time managements skills and other useful studying tips.

Any queries or concerns, contact us using any of the following social media platforms below. 

Email Post
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

Contact Us

Name

Email *

Message *