As a PT student, it was difficult to imagine devoting any ‘free time’ to the profession! But, getting involved in your local or national PT associations doesn’t have to be laborious. I would rather argue that it’s exciting and enjoyable! The trick is….to find an area of interest and stay with it.
One question that I frequently get asked is ‘why get involved’. Students who participate frequently discover many current PT issues and learn to collaborate and receive mentorship from faculty and students from other programs on patient care, education and research. I believe that students can greatly enhance their communication, advocacy and leadership skills and meet lifelong acquaintances upon joining these associations. And, not to mention, these networking opportunities make it easy to find a suitable job upon graduation!
There are several ways to be involved At the local Utah PT Association (UPTA), there are spots for students to have a voice during the UPTA board meetings, or to participate in the UPTA student special interest group which brings up student-related matters to the board and students volunteer at a UPTA community outreach events such as the Leukemia and Lymphoma Light the Night event in October 2018. The weekly commitments for UPTA are minimal for students, roughly 1 hour every 3 weeks. Find this information at https://www.uptaonline.org/page/Students. Another way to to get involved is the student assembly at the American PT Association (APTA). This assembly represents students from every PT and PTA program across the country and provides advocacy, community service, and networking opportunities which may take between 1-2 hours per week, depending upon the committee you serve. Find additional information at http://www.apta.org/CurrentStudents/. Lastly, attending and volunteering at a student networking event (National Student Conclave), or participating in an APTA section in conjunction with a faculty member may be the best fit.
The good news is that your zealous attitude, energy and a fresh perspective is always welcomed by most associations. Since both your local or national PT associations include PT faculty member volunteers, they are very aware of your tight schedules and limited time commitments, which makes it even better to serve!
I hope you find this blog useful, because ultimately, the goal is to realize that we are all working towards a common purpose; that is, to advance the profession and improve patient care. I will close with a RMU student success story who was, and still is, significantly involved within the profession. Enjoy!
Success story by Aasta McColery: I started by volunteering at the UPTA Spring conference because I wanted to start networking with my future peers. After the conference, I was excited to find other leadership and volunteer opportunities within the APTA. It was easy to find one hour/week to devote to my future and the profession. This helped me in getting accepted to a residency program and created a strong network of diverse peers across the country.
Hina Garg, PT, MS, PhD, NCS
Assistant Professor, Entry-level DPT program
Multiple Sclerosis Program Director
