Your Passion for Physical Therapy

One of the most important things to convey in your personal statement is your passion for physical therapy. Admissions committees want to see that you are invested in this path and you have a clear understanding of what it entails. Make it clear WHY you are interested in Physical Therapy above all other professions. Why PT over OT, Medical School, Speech-Language Pathology, or nursing. Talk about how you first became interested in physical therapy. What particular experience solidified your desire to pursue PT as a career? Share your passion for this profession and your commitment to pursuing it. Show that you will be a dedicated student who will contribute to your program AND the profession.

Your Unique Experiences

Your personal statement should also showcase your unique experiences that have prepared you for a career in physical therapy. Think about any volunteer work, internships, or shadowing experiences you have had in the field. How have these experiences have shaped your understanding of physical therapy? How have they have prepared you for success in a PT program? Additionally, include experiences from other areas of your life. These experiences have helped shape who you are as a person. Explain how they will contribute to your success as a physical therapist.

Your Future Goals

Finally, your personal statement should also discuss your future goals in the field of physical therapy. Discuss your long-term career goals and how you plan to achieve them. Additionally, talk about how you see yourself contributing to the field and making a positive impact on patient outcomes. Show that you have a clear understanding of what you want to achieve and how you plan to get there. Demonstrate that you are a focused and driven individual.

Your personal statement is an opportunity for you to showcase your passion, experiences, and goals in physical therapy. By highlighting these points, you will show admissions committees that you are a committed and dedicated candidate. It will also show that you are ready to succeed in a PT program.

How I Approached My Personal Statement/Essay

When I wrote my essay, I talked about the moment I knew that I wanted to go into healthcare and the moment I knew I wanted to specifically go into physical therapy.

When I was 11, I was able to travel back to my orphanage in China where there were countless children who were ineligible for adoption because of their physical disabilities. From neurological conditions to just atrophy from laying in bed all day and not moving around. I wrote my essay about how this experience sparked my passion for working with children and my desire to go into healthcare.

Then, I talked about why I chose physical therapy. How this passion came from teaching a preschool martial arts class. By teaching this class, I was able to see how movement was able to help these kiddos break out of their shells, and become far more comfortable and confident. From this, I knew I wanted to help children using movement and exercise to improve their overall function.

From there, I talked about how doing martial arts all my life helped me to become a better student. Taking on leadership roles and learning to lead a class at such a young age helped me to become more confident and effective. It also taught me that no matter what position we are in, we all have an opportunity to be a student. We always have the opportunity to learn and grow. I related this back to physical therapy and how important it is stay updated on research, become a mentor, and contribute and learn from the profession throughout my career.

I ended my essay by summing up all of my experiences and how they all contributed to the choice to pursue physical therapy. How these experiences have shaped me as an individual.