Katie Woosley

Wow, it’s been one year since starting physical therapy school, and what a roller coaster it has been! On this day last year, I was full of anxiety, as I prepared for PT school orientation the following day. Just one week before, I had graduated from Lenoir-Rhyne (Go Bears!), packed up all my things, and moved to a new city to start this next chapter of my life (yes…it was a very quick turn around!). I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into, and, honestly, I don’t think anything could have quite prepared me. Now, I am sitting here typing this post after finishing the first day of my second year…crazy! Now that I am finished with my first year of PT school, I thought I would share a few things I have learned along the way to hopefully help other future PT students or anyone starting a new chapter of life!

• Trust that God has you where you are supposed to be! – A couple weeks into school I started having some major imposter syndrome. As I would sit for hours and hours studying gross anatomy making little progress I would often think “maybe I’m not cut out for this” or “maybe I don’t belong here.” Seeing how stressed we were in class one day, one of my professors talked to us about how many amazing students applied for the seats we were sitting in, but they picked the 32 of us for a reason! They saw something in us and they want us to succeed! Although it may not feel like it, we are supposed to be here and we could do this. As I learned to trust that and know that God has me right where I’m supposed to be, I began to have more confidence and trust in myself as well. 
• Community is SO important…find your people! – I am so lucky to have found such wonderful friends in my program. You are no longer competing against one another to get into school. You are in this journey together and you will need to lean on one another! Find people who will push you to be a better student, teach you, help you through the hard times, and celebrate with you in the good times!

• Take time for yourself outside of school! – The first time I came home for a weekend last summer we had a small family gathering. It sounds crazy, but I remember it feeling so weird because people were talking about “normal” life instead of bones, muscles, and the brachial plexus. That’s when I realized I had been in such a bubble for the past couple months and I needed to start spending some time each day not thinking (or at least trying not to think) about PT school. Take the time to go to church, exercise, bake some cookies, or hang out with friends (both PT school friends and friends not in school with you). I promise those few hours you spend doing things you enjoy will help you be a better student. And sitting by the pool with a gross anatomy textbook does not count as a break…been there, done that! 🙂
• You are in PT school to learn, not make perfect grades. – This was one of the hardest things for me. In undergrad, I prioritized my grades in order to get into PT school. Of course, grades are still important in PT school, but the main priority is to learn. You are no longer studying for a test, you are studying and learning for your future patients. For the first 1.5 semesters or so of PT school, I found myself measuring my success based on my grade. I would get so frustrated with myself when I didn’t make the grade I wanted after hours and hours of studying. The reality is, PT school is a firehose of information and can be very overwhelming. You are not going to know everything and that is okay. A not so perfect test grade does not mean you are a bad student or will be a bad PT. Give yourself some grace! I was anxiously texting a friend before a big exam one day and she said, “I am sure of one thing. You will be a physical therapist regardless of your score tomorrow.” I like to think back to these words during times of stress. 
• Trust the process! – Going into a clinical (more to come on clinical later!) at the end of my first year was honestly a little daunting. I have learned a lot the past three semesters, but there is still so much learning ahead of me, and I was scared I wasn’t ready. As I got ready to perform my first solo evaluation the second week of my clinical I was terrified, but by the end of it, I realized I knew more than I thought I did and that I could do this. Clinical allowed me to apply what I already know and learn so much more. It was also a breath of fresh air and a good reminder of why I’m doing what I’m doing!