Last week was my final clinical evaluation. It went a lot easier than my mid-term.
My supervisor didn’t really have anything to say. She asked me how I felt about things and I said I felt I’d improved. She mentioned that she felt things were improving and that I still need to work on doing what I need to do instead of ‘thinking out loud’ all the time (one of my faults in general, not just while massaging). But that was it, and there wasn’t really much else to say. She wished me a good summer and that was it. I think because it was the end of a very long day for her, she didn’t want to keep anyone longer than needed. If they’d been having issues over the second part of the semester, she told them what she’d observed. But if things were generally going well, she just left it at that.
My own thoughts are that I’m starting to see how all these tests and assessments we have to learn fit into the big picture. I’m getting my head out of my textbook and thinking about clients as people, not walking diganoses. It’s more congruent with my philosophy of care, and fits where I want to be after I graduate. So I’m happy with it. I still have a lot left to learn, but I’m happy with it.
Speaking of philosphy of care, I am a bit concerned over how some of my instructors view me. When speaking to one of them a few weeks ago, it was mentioned my strength was how I always strive to be the best I can, which means I get high marks and study hard. While I do appreciate how I’ve been noticed for that, I don’t want anyone to look at me as the brainy girl who can’t get her head out of the textbook and have empathy for her clients. I want to achieve a balance between the two; becoming a therapist who is good technically but also relates to her clients in a way that inspires trust and confidence.
My exams started last week as well, with my oral practicals. I think I passed both and now have to concentrate on my written exams. Monday was my theory exam, which I’m sure I did well on, and today I had my advanced communication exam. I’m sure that went fine as well. Friday things finish off with my pathophysiology exam, which I’ve been preparing for in between studying for other exams. I have a general idea of the pathologies being tested (neurologic ones such as MS, Parkinson’s, Migraines, etc) and now just need to get the fine details down. I’ll start on that this afternoon, now that my communications exam is over.
One thing I have to really promise myself this summer is to keep up with my hands-on practise. I’ll have to find more volunteers in my area to practice techniques on. I’ll have a few friends from school and my fiance to start, but I should probably look for a few other folks as well. Fortunately my job will keep me on my toes as far as the technical/textbook component of things goes.