So, one thing I think this blog suffers from is a lack of context. You would have to dig pretty far back to learn about its origin or to get a feel for the range of topics it has covered. As such, new readers may find it tricky to figure out what to read and where different topics may be found. To put it more and less succinctly, the better blogs get buried and while Memento was a good set up for a movie, reverse sequenced blog story lines are not very readable. Christopher Nolan I am not.
Who I am is a New Professional, or NP as I like to shorten it. Much of the time this blog has been a font for the random thoughts, experiences, and musings I've had at the beginning of my career. The title, Move It, is a play off of the new APTA slogan Move Forward and is meant to evoke a common PT phrase, "Move It or Lose It." But also, at the risk of being un-PC, it is a message directly to New Professionals, "Move your ass!" No one is going to do it for us. And if we don't move our profession forward, then quite certainly, we will lose it.
I'm one of a cohort of past student leaders that, upon leaving my role within APTA's Student Assembly, found myself in the vacuum of general membership. Luckily, the New Professional moniker had just been created and gradually more attention has been given to getting our demographic involved. Many times over, this fortuitous timing has benefited me greatly.
"But what is this blog about?" Despite being a self-affirmed APTA nerd and often blogging about experiences specific to that avenue of professional involvement, Move It has included universal themes for PTs and PTAs trying to find their calling. I've blogged about career indecision, visionary meetings of forward thinking, physical therapy steering and governance, and often times just my own perspective on where PTs and PTAs can and should be going.
I try to be pointed but fair about the problems that I and we face. Sometimes it's interesting... sometimes it's not. But I think it is important that there is a record of the types of things we go through. And more so, that NPs begin to form an empowered sense of self and direction within our profession. Move It is my idea of what might, in some small way, help kick start that process.
The most recent blogs are about my recent nomination for APTA office at the national level. I'm blogging about the process and, eventually, either the excitement or disappointment this amazing experience will afford. My number one goal, as a blogger and as potentially the youngest person ever slated(fingers crossed) for national office, is to inform and bring together new PTs and PTAs. Follow Move It or just wish me luck but spread the word and tell me what we can do to accomplish this goal.
Cheers and look for more additions and functions on the blog soon,
Ben
Right on Ben! Our association needs more upcoming voices out there to represent the needs, concerns, and visions of the "new PT" (and PTA). By "new," I don't mean it just in the context of New Professional, but also in the sense of: educated in 2000-something under the auspices of vision 2020 and The Guide.
ReplyDeleteWe are a different animal than those who came before us, but strongly rooted in what our predecessors built to develop us! You're one of the best leaders I know of any age, good luck!
Thanks James! I appreciate the kind words too but especially the shared sentiment! I think that most health care professions are going through some changes right now. I hope that all of our actions continue to push PT to where it belongs, amongst our colleagues advocating for sound treatment, disease prevention, and a healthier society!
ReplyDeleteLove your enthusiasm Ben...met you at the apta blog today. My hope is you NP's can bring something fresh into the mix...if you look back, every time Scott blogs, it is about lack, limitation or playing by the rules (not made by PT's but 3rd party payers, MD's, etc). As an OF (old fart)I'm no anarchist...but I also believe as PT's we've been technicians too long. When I came into the profession in '81 in the Army, we were doing eval*Rx as primary providers, ordering xrays, labs and anti-inflammatories in addition to PT. 30 yrs later, we still can't Rx directly. As an NP, that makes 2020 a 40 yr process of slow growth. So take it from an OF, start pushing edges before you are 50 to move us ahead. The decades fly. Looking forward to learning more from you. Good luck http://www.drmatthewtaylor.com/blog/
ReplyDeleteThanks for coming to the blog Matthew! Always happy to have new readers and voices. Slow growth is right! As you point out, the military model has been comparatively innovative for decades. But only now will "alternative models of care delivery" be explored. There seems to be a barrier between demonstrated effectiveness in the military and what is perceived to be workable in the general populace. It's very unfortunate! I've visited your blog briefly, but have you ever written about this disparity?
ReplyDeleteSorry for the delayed response, playing some catch up on a few precious days away from the clinic.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea PTs had been ordering films and so forth for so long.
I once heard a fact (fact?) that policy-wise Medicare operates, on average, 7 years behind the federal model. It seems PT as a primary portal to the healthcare system is lagging far behind that 7-year-average. Just an observation, and I hope we can soon make advances in this area.