Busy Again

Just academically here's the run down...
Tomorrow - Quiz about Modalities
Thursday - Cumulative Final in Musculoskeletal Path.
Monday - Presentation on Vertigo & Dizziness for Neuromusc. Path
Tuesday - Final Practical for Modalities
Wed. - Final Writ-10 Exam for Modalities
Thursday - Final for Neuromusc. Path.

Then 11 days off and bada-bing, bada-boom I start my first clinical experience which is probably one of the most nerve-racking parts of PT school.

Add to all this, being sick, working for my mom on saturday (which makes me sick), babysitting my nephew on friday (hope I don't get him sick), giving the first years a presentation about the benfits of going to conferences (making them sick), taking part and organizing our mentoring program (no sick reference here), continuing to plan the student conclave we are hosting here (which will be sick), figuring out whats what with running for student assembly, and so on and so forth, fun/sick times

See you guys next friday :-D (I'll probably make a bunch of posts between now and then anyways)

E-Stim can help tissues heal...

As much as I should be reading my notes, I happened upon an article that almost counters my notes. This article is claiming that "150 years ago, German physiologist Emil Du Bois-Reymond discovered that electric currents could speed up the healing of flesh wounds. But his research has been ignored ever since. Until now..." The article then goes on to talk about this "groundbreaking study that these researchers did on electrical current. New Scientist News needs to do some research themselves.

I happen to have a quiz in my Physical & Mechanical Modalities class about electrical current and it's use on not only wound/tissue healing, but also transdermal drug delivery, pain modulation, and muscle contraction. The main types of tissue healing capable treatments that we have covered are HVPC (High Voltage Pulsed Current) and MES (Microcurrent Electrical Stimulation). The APTA even has a section known as the "Section on Clinical Electrophysiology and Wound Management". Bottom line is this article is a crock and should never have been published or at least mentioned that this phenomenon has NOT "been ignored for the last 150 years."

I also wanted to congratulate Floyd Landis on his win at the Tour de France (23 days in July, 189 riders, 2255 miles). He was able to do it despite having AVN (Avascular Necrosis) the same condition that Bo Jackson had and apparently Brett Favre too.

Also, check out this article that talks about "a brain implant [that] makes it possible for paralyzed patients to move a robotic arm and a computer cursor with some ease."

BODIES - Busy

I went to BODIES yesterday. Fascinating anatomy exhibit. I would talk more about it but I feel like trash. Us health students get sick too... boo! I'm not sure if it was something in the BODIES air or the Pizzeria Uno food... I would imagine it was the chain restaurant food, and I make thi spledge today: I will avoid eating at chain restaurants like Applebee's (right across the street from my school), Chili's, Pizzeria Uno's, etc...

Also got a chance to stop by the 4 day seminar they are having at my school held by the Institute of Physical Art. From the half hour I was there I learned about the slump test and implications of nerve tightness which can be released by flexion or extension of the spine on Knee extension. A few things we had not covered in our curriculum yet but very interesting stuff. It was mentioned that there is no "Evidence" behind some of these concepts, but you can see it right before your eyes when the subject only had 45 degrees of extension and then was flexed and added 15 degrees and hamstring tightness was eliminated... I apologize for my rambling since I feel ill and I only got a small part of the seminar, but I assure you it was good stuff and I look forward to attending similar courses as Continuing Education when I get out.

More on Direct Access

I got a quiz on Tuesday and a Final on Thursday and feel sick as a dog, so I go now, all the best

Direct Access/ACL injuries

BREAKING NEWS: NEW YORK is 43rd state to get Direct Access!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Insider information... It is official as of today, and will most likely go into effect within 30 days.
This is huge in the world of PT, and I plan to do a better write up of the implications of this momentous bill (25 years of fighting for it, 1 year for me... and boom we get it :-)
I would like to thank all of those who wrote letters to the governor and to every single person involved over the last 25 years for making my future a little brighter as far as autonomour practice goes. VISION 2020 - read about where we want to take PT in the next few years.

In other news I have a quiz tomorrow and upon reading the only other student PT blog I know about she has a test on the same subject so instead of just responding to her latest post on the RealRehab page I will do it here:
Isn't that funny, I have a quiz tomorrow on the knee and hip/pelvis... As a review and perhaps to "compare notes" let me know if you have anything different from the info we got:

ACL Tears - usually complete
MOI- hyperext., valgus, ant. tib. translation
Tx- conservative unless gross instability
Sx- allograft, autograft, synthetic (nylon)
*allograft - taken from cadaver, autograft- taken from pt. and transplanted to other part of their body --> most common tendonds taken: 1st-patellar tendon, 2nd-hams
Traditional and accelerated protocol
young pt.--> reconstruction
research says:
1/3 conservative Tx alone = full recovery - "copers"
1/3 are "adapters" who do not get Sx and scale down their activity level
1/3 are the Sx group or "non-adapters" who's injuries are so bad they give out with ADL's

Also, through the numerous conferences I have been to since I started PT school last year I have seen ACL prevention brought up at almost every single one... here is one resource that may be useful to many people: aclprevent.com
Also, I would like to point out that because of a generally greater Q angle in females, they are much more likely to get an ACL injury and should be the focus of prevention programs.

Now I go study the rest of the knee and hip/pelvis and all the terrible fractures that can happen to them.
All the best.

Hate

Strong word... very few things I hate... but here goes...

People that smoke... moreover, people that smoke around me... worst yet, people that smoke around children... Now I do not hate people that smoke, I hate the fact that they smoke and are destroying their own health and anyone around them. I also would be very interested in seeing the effect of the smoke that enters the atmosphere (I have yet to see any research on the subject, but then again I have not looked that hard)

I hate regrets...

Hate, hate... eh, not too much else I hate because of the following...

We have no free will!

Now I know I am veering away from the focus of this blog (Student PT) but I thought this was interesting enough to write about. This was brought up to me by a Philosophy professor I had in college. Basically he stated that every single aspect of your life, every decision you make, is because of something external. You have no control. Why did you choose the chicken over the fish, not because you have a real choice, but because of some past experience that has made you favor fish over chicken, or something you heard, or even a desire you cannot control. From birth you have no control over anything. This is why there is a nature versus nurture debate, because those are the two things that make a person who they are.

It is a complex theory but it makes a lot of sense. It makes it hard for me to be completely upset at someone because they are a victim of their genetics or environment. This makes me very tolerant of a lot of things and people. Of course we should not let murderers go because they were abused as children and "it's not their fault", people still should be held accountable for their impact on society...

Anyway back to reality, this is the first week I can recall this summer that I do not have a quiz or exam, so woo hoo. I go study now and such.

Calvin and Hobbes Explain It All

And I leave you with some qoutes I have recently come across...

"The time is always right to do right." Nelson Mandela
"Maybe this world is another planet's hell." Aldous Huxley
"Red meat is not bad for you. Now blue-green meat, that's bad for you." Tommy Smothers
"We're lost but we're making good time." Yogi Berra
"You can't buy love, but you can pay heavily for it." Henny Youngman
"Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay and price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and success of liberty." JFK

Ode to Salvador Dali

This post will be so brief, it's already finished.

No More Pennies For Your Thought?

A new bill has been proposed to eliminate the penny due to rising zinc costs and the regressing importance of this coin. I say save a penny, earn a penny... They do add up.

Anyway, it was a good week of escuela. Many classes, much information, need a break. Did pretty well on the exam and quiz this week. Stayed busy. Looking forward to swiming with my 2 year old nephew tomorrow, although it may rain...

I did want to mention the interesting surgery that we watched earlier this week from OR-live.com. It was an artroscopic rotator cuff repair. I am really looking forward to seeing more surgeries, they are just so interesting to watch and really help to understand how the body works and fails to. And I'm Spent!

Great Quote

This was on the Evidence In Motion Blog recently, great quote on why everyone thats part of the PT profession should join the APTA...

"Every man owes part of his time and money to the business of the industry in which he is engaged. No man has the moral right to withhold his support from an organization that is trying to improve conditions within his sphere." - Teddy Roosevelt

Strategery

The tile refers to an SNL skit with Will Ferrell playing the role of George W. (fyi, if you google the word "failure" this is the first result). When asked to sum up his administration in one word, "W" responds with "strategery". Briliant!

Took an exam that kicked all of us in the brain yesterday, followed by a lecture about electrical stimulation and a quiz that we are now taking on the computer to help get us ready for the NPTE. SOAP notes aside, I ended up finishing up my article about grandfathering of the DPT degree (yes, I procrastinated the heck out of it, and I am sorry). Although it is not my best work ever here it is, all feedback welcome:

We’ve come a long way as a profession, from certification programs of the early 1900’s to the current possibility of grandfathering in the Doctor of Physical Therapy degree to the entire profession. However this notion has come under debate in recent months.

At the 2006 House of Delegates, RC-16B was passed which allows for the clinical use of “Doctor of Physical Therapy” for those who have earned a “doctoral” degree in PT. Then came the debate on RC-17, which was in opposition to grandfathering with a focus on dissuading those not earning a DPT in anticipation of grandfathering. The Student Assembly spoke in regards to those investing in DPT degrees who would feel slighted by a grandfathering. After a lengthy discussion both for and against the RC, the motion was withdrawn still leaving question as to whether or not the process truly unites the profession.

2004 statistics show that only 13.5% of practicing PTs have a DPT, and this current percentage potentially weakens our appearance of solidarity in the medical community. In the APTA’s path towards VISION 2020, becoming a doctoring profession will be a huge step. How will grandfathering affect our VISION?

Teaching the Joys of Science

I stumbled upon this editorial piece written into the New York Times by one of the Associate Professors at my program. Thougth I would share this good read:

Science education may benefit from creative and engaging teaching, but a more profound problem stands in the way. Parents, teachers and educational administrators at all levels push a pervasive culture of building self-esteem, in which students are praised for thinking well of themselves instead of doing well.

As a result, many students are uncomfortable if they are told that their answer is wrong, whether it's a spelling, recitation of historical facts or complex science problem.

Studying science requires working through many problem-solving tasks with right and wrong answers. So until students stop being afraid of getting wrong answers, they will drop out of science disproportionately.

To overcome this problem, we must revamp teaching practices from elementary school through the university level, and support those who provide clear feedback on right and wrong answers, give timed tests that promote quick thinking about complex issues and grade students who master academic skills better than students who master the art of feeling good about themselves.

Summertime and the livings easy

I think PT school could be the only Professional program that goes through the summer. My law peoples have breaks, med school - breaks, people I know working on masters in numerous fields, all breaks... I am sure there has to be someone else sitting through classes right about now...?

Treat for my loyal readers

Get FREE movie tickets just by trying on jeans!

From July 11 to 25, slip on a cute pair at AE and score a ticket to any AMC Theatre! (No purchase necessary.)

American Eagle Outfitters
ae.com

I just got mine today, freaking awesome dude!

PS, the Dentist said I have perfect teeth and I just am not in love with Neuroscience.
Thank you and Good Night!

Seltzer and Salsa

I feel like I have ended a whole week of classes, but it has only been half that so far... boo!
So having gone shopping and purchasing some seltzer, I was reminded of a theory I had a few years back: the little bubbles in soda are actually carbon dioxide gas... the body is constantly working to get carbon dioxide out of the body because this is just a by-product of the body's metabolic processes and high levels are not good for the body... you are putting something that your body is trying to get rid of right into the body... soda is bad for the body. However, I am not 100% sure of all of the physiological processes of soda drinking... anywhom...

Going off my last post, I would like to say I am actually going to go study and organize all my extracurricular stuff right now :-D

PS... The Simpsons episode where Homer goes to see a Chiropractor is quite comical... "Dr. Homer's miracle spine-o-cylinder" "Less talking, more cracking... Actually we don't crack the back we just make some small adjustments, now you are going to hear a loud crack" "Stop Chiropracting Homer!" "Awww, Dr. Steve didn't do anything"

Getting It

Got two good tests out of the way... Although on one of them I was not completely confident with the material I was mostly familiar with it which was good enough to get a pretty darn good grade.

But I feel like I am starting to get it a lot more and gain confidence. With the first years now here that is my best advice to them is to bear with everything. Get familiar with the language and the ideas of PT. Eventually it will all come together. It feels real good to be gianing this confidence in my academic work. Now I just hope to get all of the extracurricular aspects down.

Professionalism is a huge part of becoming a PT. This includes giving back to the community and the profession among other things. As a student I hope to do what I can to display professionalism as I develop it and to spread it to whomever I can. Now I gotta eat some food before class. Peace out!

35% Exam

I have a few hours until my Neuromuscular Pathology "midterm." This covers everything since the beginning of the summer course. Some interesting stuff in there such as Upper/Lower Motor Neuron Lesions, Hydrocephalus, ataxia, apraxia, athetosis, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, and many more. My law school friends tell me of their courses that only have one exam worth 100%... to that I say yikes (but it is open book). Anyway, I should get back to studying, but I may hit the gym for 20 minutes first to get the brain juices going a little first.

Also, yesterday was exactly one year of grad school for my class. Congrats to us! And a warm welcome to the 1st years, all 38 of them (there were only 20 in my class). I got to give a little welcome speech to them about being a student. A good time had by all... Now to the exam.

Hope everyone had a great 4th of July.