January 2020 PT/PTA of the Month

Name: All PTs and PTAs who serve as clinical instructors
Location: Across the State of Alabama

A new opportunity this year has allowed me to travel the state and interact with Clinical educators and clinical coordinators of clinical education. These interactions have not only been enjoyable but have been overwhelming and humbling as I have witnessed the commitment of the PT community to serve the profession.

As a result, I would like to take this opportunity to nominate ALL the PTs/PTAs who serve as clinical instructors across this state as the PT professional of the month.

Communications including phone calls, e-mails, and physical visits have demonstrated the burning desire of these individuals to assist in clinical education. As everyone is well aware there have been multiple payment changes which have been anticipated and have been implemented during the time I have been in contact with these individuals. This has not dampened their desire to assist students and the educational process for students. This is evident in clinics/hospitals/SNFs in the rural area and in major cities as well as in very large facilities, individual private practices, and multi facility private practices as well as facilities with major corporations.

I have been proud to visit many former students and classmates and meet new professionals. Many of these PT/PTAs are APTA members and many are not. They are on the front line of what we as PTs do. They not only treat patients, negotiate the billing process, keep up with new documentation rules, survive buyouts of corporations, perform community service/leadership in their communities, they are also still eager to oversee students in the clinic.

I am renewed with pride for my profession as these individuals exemplify what Physical Therapists/Physical Therapists Assistants are about and I feel the grass roots, front line PTs/PTAs should be awarded the PT/PTA of the month award. I have been humbled and inspired as we share experiences and motivations for why we are Physical Therapy professionals. They all seem to have 3 distinct characteristics:
1. A compassion for people and a motivation on meeting the needs of patients
2. a focus on practicing ethically and passing on the values of our profession
3. a desire to assist with the education of the next generation of PTs/PTAs

Thank you for this opportunity to nominate the PT/PTA clinical instructors for PT/PTA of the month.