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Inside This Issue: • Insights from Josh
D’Angelo ’13, Former APTA Student Assembly President
• Alumni Spotlight: Latasha Thomas ’10 and Emily Main ‘12
• Commitment to Community Day
• 2013 White Coat Ceremony & Excellence Awards
• “No Shave November”
• And much more!
A Message from Dr. Costello
We welcome Dr. Scalzitti as Full Time Faculty!
THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY PROGRAM IN PHYSICAL THERAPY
NEWSLETTER Winter 2014; Vol 2
Update from the 2013APTA Walk on the Hill!
Fall Semester Highlightsfrom all three cohorts!
GW DPT Newsletter -- "1
A warm felt hello to all of our alumni, clinical sites and instructors, students, faculty, and lovers of all things GW related! Dr. Maring is on a well-‐earned sabba?cal and in the interim, I am ac?ng as Program Director un?l her return July 1, 2014. We are so very pleased to announce that over the New Year, we officially moved into our new space at 2000 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 2nd floor. We are conveniently located right across the street from the Marvin Center! We received great support from our Health Sciences Administra?on and the University regarding construc?on of the new space to meet our unique needs. We are proud of our two new large lab spaces, equipped with state of the art Pa?ent Movement System as well as two lecture halls, student lounge space, conference rooms, and windows, windows, windows everywhere! We thank all of you for your support over the years. In part the commitment to our PT program from the University is based on our excellent graduate outcomes, our close rela?onships with our renowned clinic sites, and expert clinicians who support our student learning both in the clinic and through classroom teaching. We will plan on an open house some?me in the Spring, but encourage you all to feel free to visit us in our new home!
Speaking of student outcomes….once again we are proud to announce that our 2013 gradua?ng class can boast a 100% first ?me pass rate on the Na?onal Physical Therapy Examina?on. We are excited for our 2013 gradua?ng class and look forward to their con?nued success as they con?nue their professional journey. …con?nued on page 2
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We are also pleased to update you on our Residency Programs. The Johns Hopkins Hospital/George Washington University Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Residency had a wonderful inaugural year with Dr. Jennifer Halvaksz as the Director. We are proud of our first 2 residency graduates, Maggie Richards, PT, DPT, and Kevin McLaughlin, PT, DPT, who completed the program in August. We have expanded our program to 3 residents this year and have added clinical experiences and mentors to the program as well. We completed our site visit this fall and are now recognized as a creden?aled program by the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Educa?on (ABPTRFE). We are proud of the excellent clinical and educa?on experiences that engage our residents and foster their growth as clinicians, educators and scholars.
The Program is excited to announce a new Neurological Residency program with Dr. Elise Ruckert as Director. The GW Neurologic Residency in collabora?on with MedStar Na?onal Rehabilita?on Network is halfway through its pilot year. We have begun the process of APTA creden?aling and are star?ng recruitment for our next cohort of neuro-‐residents to begin in July 2014.
Our applica?ons for admission to the program are on target to meet numbers we have seen over the past few years. We have over 800 applica?ons for our incoming class. We are currently in the process of conduc?ng four interview sessions in order to determine who will eventually make GW their home. For those alumni who may be interested in helping with interviews, please feel free to contact me!
Faculty are involved in a variety of research projects ranging from the scholarship of teaching and learning including interprofessional educa?on, to the use of Bayesian modeling to predict physical therapy pa?ent outcomes, and the use of Func?onal MRIs to examine the effects of dual task interven?ons. Clearly a busy and exci?ng ?me for all!
We look forward to seeing you at our alumni party at CSM 2014 if you are afending (Tuesday Feb 5th 5:30-‐7:30pm at Señor Frogs, 3300 South Las Vegas Blvd). We have a number of faculty and students presen?ng at CSM, so be sure to look for us! We will have some photos of our new space to share with you and look forward to hearing about your own professional journey! And… by the way… have you been following GW Men’s Basketball? They are having a great year in the Atlan?c 10. Go GDub!
Our new home!
GW DPT Program Updates (Continued)
Map data © 2014 Google, Sanborn
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Before I begin, I must admit – I’m still trying to figure out what in the world happened the past few years. Just a few weeks ago, I spent my final days as Student Assembly President at National Student Conclave (NSC). The Student Assembly is the component of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) that represents the 24,000+ physical therapy and physical therapist assistant students across the United States. I was elected, with the extraordinary support of my classmates, at NSC the year prior. My year as president was a rapid whirlwind of lessons learned in leadership, courage, and friendship. !Looking back four years ago, I chose GW’s PT program because the faculty seemed to be true educators who deeply cared about their students, both inside and outside of the classroom. My bit of passion for the profession, blended with a supportive and encouraging faculty turned out to be more dynamic than I could have ever imagined. During my first year, I began to discuss various areas I thought we could
improve our outreach as a program and profession. Quickly, I realized that putting myself out there by suggesting new ideas with a strong framework could bring incredible growth. Placing these ideas on the table allowed me, with much teamwork from my classmates and encouragement from the faculty, to start new initiatives and assume leadership roles with the program, the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, and eventually nationally with APTA. !During my time as Student Assembly president, I grew as an individual and leader. I worked with a Board of Directors that consisted of ten dedicated and passionate students from across the country. Together, we started large-scale initiatives including a campaign that APTA later said “surpassed any other letter-writing campaign on behalf of the profession.” Most importantly, we learned that no idea to improve our profession is too small or too grandiose; that with the appropriate preparation, support, and teamwork, we could achieve anything. !
The past few years have been the most rewarding experience of my life. I was fortunate to serve in a national position, but the foundation of my leadership abilities and the perspective I took to every discussion were formed during my time at GW. So, perhaps I am beginning to figure out what happened over the past few years – I mixed passion with extraordinary teachers and mentors and added in supportive classmates and colleagues. Along the way, I made friendships and connections that will last a lifetime. While I have graduated from GW and transitioned out of my role as president, the most exciting part of this experience is still developing: seeing current students take advantage of that same mixture to carry on and improve the traditions at GW and within APTA. !Don’t ever hesitate to put yourself out there – explore your passions, discuss your ideas, and meet new people. It’s not always comfortable, but PT is an incredibly welcoming profession. I have no doubt you will be surprised by all you discover.
Reflections on National Leadership: Insight from former APTA Student Assembly President Josh D’Angelo
Josh D’Angelo
2012-2013 APTA Student Assembly Board of Directors
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Class of 2015: What’s your favorite thing about fall in
the district?
1. Hiking in Great Falls. - Lindsay L !
2. How pretty the mall gets when the leaves change! - Nicole N !
3. All the pumpkin things! Also, flag football on the national mall. - Ben H. !
4. The crisp air, football season, and the trees being painted various shades of reds and orange. - Gabrielle P !
5. Enjoying the last of outdoor food truck festivals! - Leanna B !
6. Seeing the color of the leaves changing when running on the national mall! - Zalak S !
7. Sweater and light jacket weather! -Megan S and Brittne J !
8. Substituting coffee with hot apple cider in my morning tumbler. - Amy J !
9. Ben Hayes in his Yukon Cornelius halloween costume. - Class consensus
by: Sarah LaBerge • • •
In April of this year, the APTA’s Federal Advocacy Forum was held in Washington, DC. Physical therapists, physical therapist assistants and student physical therapists from all over the country were invited to learn and advocate for the physical therapy profession. The forum lasted three days and attendees learned how to effectively lobby members of Congress on issues the profession is facing. Topics discussed this year included the Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Services Act (HR 713/S 367), the Physical Therapist Workforce and Patient Access Act (HR 1252/S 602), and the inclusion of the Medicare therapy cap repeal and delayed implementation of the multiple procedure payment reduction policy in any sustainable growth rate reform package.
While many of these issues are out of the control of us as students, I believe we played a vital role in introducing representatives to the Physical Therapist Workforce and Patient Access Act. This legislation would add physical therapists to the National Health Serve Corps (NHSC) National Loan Repayment Program. The NHSC helps recruit
!health care professionals to serve the needs of underserved populations. In return for service, the NHSC Loan Repayment program will repay qualifying educational loans that are still owed.
As students, we were encouraged to take as active of a role as we felt comfortable. As a resident of the State of Michigan, I had the opportunity to lobby representatives from Michigan. I even had the honor of meeting Senator Debbie Stabenow and discussing the Physical Therapist Workforce and Patient Access Act along with expressing my concerns of returning to Michigan after PT graduation. Overall the forum was a great opportunity to learn from other professionals and further develop our role as patient advocates. I highly recommend more students attend this years Federal Advocacy Forum.
Mark your calendars for this year’s Federal Advocacy Forum:
April 6 - 8th, 2014
March on the Hill: GWU DPT’s Unique Opportunity for Advocacy
Sarah and Senator Stabenow
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What have the third years learned in clinic so far? Insights from the Class of 2014 after Clinical Internship #2
• • • !1. Don’t forget baseline vitals - everyone has orthostatic hypotension in a hospital. 2. GW prepared us really well! 3. In an environment where patient presentation can change at the drop of a hat, always be
prepared to be flexible and creative! 4. When you are the only guy in a skilled nursing facility, you can skip your gym workouts. 5. Always have a set of back-up scrubs handy just in case. 6. Don't get involved in office politics. You are just there to learn. 7. In the inpatient setting, be prepared for anything because nurses and nurses aides are
often very busy. 8. Patients love having students and appreciate the effort you put into treating them!
GWU SPT’s Give Back!
Challenger’s Little League, Arlington, VA
AIDS Walk DC S.O.M.E (So Others May Eat) DC
DC Falls Risk Screen, Ward 3
DC Falls Risk Screen, Ward 2
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Introducing the Class of 2016 by the numbers:
We have 41 members, the largest class in GWU DPT history, including 12 men. The
average age is 25.1 years old, 5 of us are married, and 2 of us are proud parents.
We come from 17 states and the District of Columbia. 9 of us did not study science in
college, 2 previously earned a Masters degree, and 7 competed as collegiate
athletes. We have 16 tattoos and 26 pets between us.
2016 Fall Highlights; starting off PT school with a bang!
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With friends and loved ones in attendance, the Class of 2016 officially joined the medical community by receiving their white coats in an evening ceremony combined with the 2013 Excellence Awards. Attendees were honored with a keynote address from Nancy White, PT, DPT, OCS, and Senior Director of Practice and Research at the American Physical Therapy Association. Dr. White inspired those in attendance by addressing the role physical therapists can play in health care reform and encouraging the PT community to get involved in improving health care, cost containment and the health of the population.
Following the address, outstanding members of the second and third year classes were honored with awards of excellence, followed by the White Coat Ceremony portion of the evening. One especially positive sentiment of the evening was
having the second year buddies put the white coats on their first year counterparts, passing the torch as they took on their roles as mentors and welcoming the new students at the start of their academic journeys. “It was really nice having the second years there because it really felt like a welcome into the physical therapy world, as well as a welcome into The George Washington University community,” said first-year Lori Sako. After donning the white coats, students and faculty joined together to recite the Health Sciences Oath, a first for the class of 2016. Following the ceremony, students mingled with friends and family and took pictures to commemorate the event. “It was nice to take a short break from all the class work and stress and remember why we are all here and what we are working towards,” said first-year Rachel Wolfe, “It was a great night.”
White Coat and Awards Ceremony • • •
Written by Katrin Cooper, Photos by Linnea Farnsworth
2 0 1 6
2 0 1 5
Excellence Awards Recipients: Nora Brody, Brittne Jackson, Rachel Reoli, Megan Scovil, Leanna Blanchard, Jeff Farnsworth
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On August 29, 2013 the George Washington University Doctor of Physical Therapy Class of 2016 participated in the annual Commitment to Community Day. Once again, the School of Medicine and Health Sciences partnered with Kids Against Hunger DC Metro and World Relief Nashville/Memphis to help bring relief to those in need. Students and faculty of the physical therapy program set their work aside and helped create quilts, grocery bags and first aid kits for the World Relief Nashville/Memphis, portions of which were donated to Bread for the City, a service organization in the DC Metro Area. Students also participated in the packaging of nutritional meals, specially designed to help re-feed malnourished children. The students and faculty of the physical therapy program helped assemble 100,000 meals for Kids Against Hunger bound for Nyumbani’s Lea Toto, a program that provides medical support to children affected by, or living with, HIV/AIDS in Nairobi, Kenya. Students enjoyed exercising their artistic prowess and bonded over their passion for service.
Commitment to Community Day • • •
by Hanna Schlang
Students decorated grocery bags for World Relief Nashville/Memphis.
Students packed nutritious meals to help re-feed malnourished children in Nairobi, Kenya.
STUDENTS IN ACTION!
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No Shave November
by Jim Buckley &
Hanna Schlang • • •
While No Shave November may seem like an excuse for men to be lazy and let their facial hair grow for an entire month, this year, the men of The George Washington University Doctor of Physical Therapy Program decided to add a benevolent purpose to it. Lead by first year Jim Buckley, a team of twelve men from the GW DPT program decided to abstain from shaving and created a team fundraising site on The American Cancer Society’s website in order to raise funds and awareness for the battle against cancer. For the month of November, the men of the GWU DPT program saved the money that they typically spent on shaving supplies, and instead donated it to the American Cancer Society. In addition, their stately facial hair served as an avenue for discussion and conversation to raise awareness about cancer and their team’s fundraiser. !
!!!!!!!!!!!! !When asked about
what inspired him to spearhead the event, Jim responded, “My Grandfather died of prostate cancer. It’s personally important to me to raise awareness to get people talk to their doctors about prostate screenings because sometimes the cancer may be developing without any symptoms.” The event was a great success with the team raising $212.61. “It was much more than I was anticipating and I want to thank everyone so much from the bottom of my heart” said Jim about the experience. Hopefully, ruggedly handsome facial hair continues to be a staple of the GWU DPT program for many Novembers to come.
THE MEN OF NO SHAVE NOVEMBER
“My grandfather died of prostate cancer so it is personally important to me to raise awareness...”
Beard Superlatives:
10/31/2013 Last Day to Shave!
11/14/2013 Half way there!
11/26/2013 In full bloom!
Best Mustache: Jim Buckley
Best Beard: Steve Matlak
Best Effort: Nick Ienni
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Dr. David Scalzitti was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. He loved sports from an early age, and credits his time on the high school football team for indirectly sparking his interest in physical therapy. “Football got me into working out, and working out got me interested in knowing more about the body, which got me interested in volunteering in PT, and applying to PT school,” he explained.
However, physical therapy was not always the clear path for him. As a successful high school math and science student, he had applied and was accepted to several engineering schools, as well one pre-physical program. After several positive volunteer experiences in the field, Dr. Scalzitti decided to follow his true interests and enrolled in the pre-physical therapy program at University of Illinois at Chicago.Two years later he was accepted into their physical therapy program and received his first of many degrees, a Bachelors in physical therapy.
Although now a certified orthopedic specialist, Dr. Scalzitti’s initial interests were varied. He first practiced in acute care, gaining experience in cardiopulmonary physical therapy and wound care. It was not until he moved into the outpatient world that Dr. Scalzitti discovered his
passion for orthopedics. “It had an appeal with my sports background and my interest in exercise,” he explained, “but what I really liked was getting to use my examination and clinical decision making skills to figure out my patient’s problems and prognoses, and working with them by setting goals to get them better to improve their function.”
Beyond the clinic, Dr. Scalzitti was also interested in research, and it was that particular interest that sent him back to UIC to earn both a Masters in Kinesiology and a PhD in Disability Studies. During his work on his PhD, Dr. Scalzitti became involved with the American Physical Therapy Association and accepted a job offer as the Associate Director of Research Services where he managed the Hooked on Evidence database and was responsible for adding over 8,000 articles over the course of his tenure. His job eventually grew into the Lead Specialist in Evidence Based Resources where he helped launch one the APTA’s current initiatives, PTNow. It was during his time at the APTA that Dr. Scalzitti became involved with The George Washington University. “When I was in PT school, I never thought I would pursue a career in academia,” Dr. Scalzitti admitted, but when “GW reached out to me to find out if I would be interested in
Meet Dr. David Scalzitti
Type to enter text
Dr. Scalzitti and the Class of 2015 having class with Abraham Lincoln!
With a few first years at the class of 2016 white coat ceremony
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teaching a research class, I thought with GW being local and the class being an evening class, it wouldn't be that hard to just hop on the metro and come over once a week.” After a successful semester teaching the Research I class, he was asked to stay on and teach subsequent research courses. He enjoyed his time teaching so much that when an opening for a full time faculty member became available he decided to apply for the position and after a national-search was conducted he became the newest addition to the department of Physical Therapy. “It was a great chance to interact with both future and current physical therapists,” Dr. Scalzitti explained, “But really the GW students were the selling point.” As a full time member faculty, Dr. Scalzitti looks
forward to developing his research, working closely with his colleagues, and spending more time with students. In addition, Dr. Scalzitti is excited expand his volunteering and service ventures, and especially hopes continue to involvement with one service project called Challengers Baseball which connects students with a division of little league baseball for children with physical and mental challenges. Although he just joined the Department of Physical Therapy as a full time member this August, Dr. Scalzitti had been a much-loved professor for some years already and will surely continue to be in the future. Both students and faculty are excited to officially welcome him to The George Washington University.
Meet Dr. David Scalzitti
Q: What are some of your hobbies outside of the school and outside of PT practice? A: I continue to work out regularly and in the summer I am a part of a softball team, which I really enjoy. !Q: What was the first research project you ever did? A: I did the science fair. It was in 7th grade and it was something to do with does the Loch Ness Monster really exist, from a scientific approach. I think I got a second place ribbon. !Q: If you could meet any historical figure, either living, or since deceased, who would it be? A: I have been fortunate to work with a number of well known PT’s in my career. However, if could go back in time, I would have liked to have met a number of the early leaders of physical therapy including Mary McMillan, Catherine Worthingham and Eugene Michels. !!Q: What is your favorite candy? A: It depends. A few years ago I determined that my favorite cookie is Oreos. As you will notice if you pass by my office there is different assortment of candy in my dish almost every week. If it’s chocolate, there may be a positive bias toward Twix or perhaps the potential health benefits from dark chocolate. But for non-chocolate, my favorite may be gummy bears, Skittles, Skittles are high up there, or Twizzlers. !Q: If you were not a physical therapist, what job would you like to be doing? A: I would like to manage a baseball team. !!
Q: If you were a type of research what type of research would you be? A: I would be a guideline because not only is it one of the higher forms of evidence but it incorporates many other forms of evidence. !Q: Who is your favorite Smurf? A: I would like to think I have the wisdom of a Papa Smurf !Q: What is your spirit animal? A: Maybe a moose or a wolf. !Q: If you could have a superpower what would it be? A: Time travel !Q: Who is your favorite super hero? A: Right now I would have to say Optimus prime, for my nephew William. Or maybe the old Batman, he had his own laboratory down in the Batcave with the Batcomputer. I could go with Batman. !Q: What advice do you have for the next generation of physical therapists? A: You can succeed by setting goals and having a direction in your career. But in physical therapy many doors will open up that maybe you didn't think you were interested in, such as teaching, or research or working with different patient groups. I would say at least listen when these opportunities present themselves, and be open to considering where these opportunities could take you. !
— Hanna Schlang
Getting to Know Dr. Scalzitti
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!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!WHAT HAVE YOU DONE SINCE GRADUATING FROM GW PT? Dr. Thomas: I worked for an outpatient orthopedic practice for three years and decided that I wanted to sh i f t my focus to n e u r o l o g i c p h y s i c a l therapy. During my :irst three years as a physical therapist, I learned a lot about the :ield and most importantly, I learned about myself as a clinician a n d emp l oye e . I am thankful for the time that I spent working for that company. !Dr. Main: I took a few mon th s o f f ove r t h e summer to travel and catch up on missed time with my family and friends, then entered the MNRN/GW N e u r o l o g i c P h y s i c a l T h e r a p y r e s i d e n c y program at the end of July 2013 and I have been at it ever since!
!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!WHY DID YOU ENTER THE RESIDENCY? Dr. Thomas: I felt that the residency would give me an opportunity to explore an aspect of physical therapy in which I had lots of passion but limited experience. I also love the option of being able to gain teaching experience and give back to the University that gave so much to me. !Dr. Main: When it came time to graduate, I was undecided on which setting I wanted to work in and I also felt like I still had so much to learn. To me, this residency was the perfect opportunity to get the mentorship that I so desired as a new graduate in a structured way and also gain experience in various clinical settings. !!!
!HOW WOULD YOU SAY THAT THE GW PHYSICAL THERAPY PROGRAM PREPARED YOU FOR YOUR CAREER? Dr. Thomas: This program prepared me extremely well for my career. I was challenged to engage in goal-‐directed and self-‐directed learning; both are useful tools in clinical practice. The program also helped me recognize the importance of evidence-‐based practice which allowed me to “re:lect” on my successes and failures as a clinician and move forward for the well-‐being of my patients. It is up to each of us to go beyond the basics and become an elite clinician. I believe the GW DPT program is the catalyst for the passion and desire to become elite. !Dr. Main: GW cultivates an environment of re:lective practice and feedback. I think the ability to openly a c c e p t c o n s t r u c t i v e feedback may be the single most important skill I have taken away f rom the program. It’s not easy, but it is hands down the best way to grow as a clinician. Finally, GW’s program instilled in me a desire to never stop learning and bettering my practice. I’ve had some very in:luential faculty members, mentors and classmates to thank for inspiring my outlook and career choices. !
Dr. Emily Main, Class of ‘13 Dr. Latasha Thomas, Class of ‘10
The 2013-2014 MedStar National Rehabilitation Network & GW
Neurologic Residents!
Alumni Spotlight:
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MANY THANKS to our Newsletter Team:
Rachel Haman (‘15) and Hanna Schlang (‘16) for their contributions and creativity to this edition of the Program Newsletter.
Faculty Editor: Elizabeth Ruckert
1. Class of 2014 Graduation Coverage
2 . C o m m u n i t y S e r v i c e Challenge
3. Updates from Dr. Plack on h e r F a l l 2 0 1 3 S a b b a t i c a l Experiences
4 . M e e t t h e C u r r e n t Orthopaedic Residents
5. Alumni Spotlight
6. GW SPT’s at Combined Sections Meeting
Stay Tuned for the Summer Program Newsletter!
!WHAT ARE YOUR PROFESSIONAL GOALS FOR THE FUTURE? Dr. Thomas: to obtain my N e u r o l o g i c C l i n i c a l Specialist certi:ication, g a i n m a n a g e r i a l experience, own my own business or become a Director of a physical therapy c l in i c in an existing practice and to continue teaching with an emphasis on diversity and cultural competence. !Dr. Main: I am also interested in continuing to teach students at some l e ve l , e i t h e r i n t h e classroom or in the clinic. As I gain more experience, I would like to eventually become a mentor for other clinicians and students. In general, I hope to attend a s many c on t i nu i n g education modules, courses, and conferences as possible throughout my
!!career and always practice using the best available evidence, because at the end of the day, all of this is for my patients. !WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE FOR CURRENT PT STUDENTS PREPARING TO ENTER THE WORKFORCE? Dr. Thomas: My advice to every Student of Physical Therapy is to humble yourself, glean everything y o u c a n f r om y o u r professors and clinical instructors and begin setting goals for your future while you are in school. I would encourage each student to write down a goal and begin to map out the path to obtain the goal. Also, make sure you de:ine what kind of clinician you want to become. !!
!!Dr. Main: Here’s a piece of advice I got from one of the senior therapists who I worked with during my :inal full-‐time internship. She told me “any decision you make will be the right decision.” I thought that was great advice, because regardless of where you choose to take your :irst job, you WILL learn. There is always something to be learned. Even if you discover that a particular :ield or setting isn’t for you, that is still valuable information. You have a long career ahead of you and where you choose to take your :irst job will not de:ine your entire career. Finally, when you decide to take a job, make sure that they deserve you! ! By: Megan Scovil and Rachel Haman