In order to explore the concept of professionalism in the context of being a student in a doctor of physical therapy program, it is necessary to define professionalism in the general context. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines professionalism as “the skill, good judgement, and polite behavior that is expected from a person who is trained to do a job well.” This definition is important because students pursuing a doctorate in physical therapy, rather than certified doctors of physical therapy, are still held to the same expectations even though the amount of training is not equal.
The first aspect of professionalism is “skill.” As a student, the skill involved in being a doctor of physical therapy is continually improving with each day of hands-on experience during school. (what about adding something about growing skills in collaboration, evidence based decision making, etc.) While the student’s level of skill is not likely matched by a licensed professional, it is important for the student to have experience
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In regards to being (instead of “being” try using something like “the role of” or “the responsibility of”) a student pursuing a doctorate of physical therapy degree, good judgement is similar to having common sense. The difference is that good judgement comes from past experiences and knowledge. It is important for a student to have good judgement when working with patients during the clinical internships. Good judgement includes being able to deduce which patients will comply with the prescribed rehab program, understanding a patient’s current abilities so that a tailored rehab plan can be devised, and realizing a patient’s potential for recovery. Even as students of physical therapy, this good judgement is essential to maintain the professionalism that is expected of a practicing doctor of physical