EWU Physical Therapy 2015

Fun-draising!!!

Tue, 21 May 2013 23:03:58 -0700

So in our financial endeavor to gather funds for our trip to CSM next year, Zach managed to wrangle up 8 pallets of phone books that we have the next few weeks to deliver. Each route has about 500-600 books but will earn us around $130, so with 18 routes we should be racking in the dough. =)

"Because you’re alive you are going to have back pain."

Mon, 13 May 2013 13:02:11 -0700

“Because you’re alive you are going to have back pain.”

- Dr. Nelson

Flowers Blooming, Productivity Booming!

Tue, 07 May 2013 16:55:33 -0700

We are just over halfway through the quarter and all of us have made it through mid-terms. Just like the weather here in Spokane, things are really heating up. The plethora of project and presentation deadlines are fast approaching and we are scrambling a little bit to get in group meetings to organize each of the 3 presentations. It has been so hard not to want to play Frisbee outside at lunch but our diligence will prevail in this fight against fun in the sun.

Our electrical stimulation section with Dr. Gersh has finally concluded. We literally charged through the course content at a strong but tolerable rate with little rest interval and our brains feel a little like the muscles that we were stimulating during our labs: fatigued. We learned an incredible amount on the clinical application of electrical modalities and now we have a strong evidence base for our future practice. But we keep on keeping on and there is light at the end of the tunnel with Dr. V’s portion of the class seeming a little more manageable. Labs are split up amongst the weeks class periods so that we aren’t required at each period.

In our Educational Aspects of PT class taught by Dr. C and Dr. LaPier we are learning was in which to engage patients in physical exercise. We have covered the theoretical basis of the stages the patients will be going through as they begin or continue exercise through physical therapy and the complications and protocols that arise with each of the stages. We have also been given different assessments that can help us determine the learning style of the patient which is critical in planning and conducting a successful exercise/treatment intervention.

For therapeutic exercise we have finished our joint mobilization section which culminated with our practical examination involving a hypothetical case/patient that we had to supply and intervention plan, treatment, and follow up for with modifications thrown in there to simulate real life difficulties that we as therapists will have to adapt to all the time in the clinic. We are now moving on to the aerobic exercise section of the course which is complimented well by Dr. LaPier’s course in clinical physiology. Currently in physiology we are moving on from energy systems, metabolism, and fatigue to muscular endurance and cardio vascular implications to exercise, overlapping perfectly with therapeutic exercise.

In preparation for our clinical internships this summer we have been working with Dr. Palmer on WebPT which is an electronic medical record program that is common in clinics and having the basis of knowledge will help immensely for when our clinical experiences come around. Some of us in the class have already received notification of acceptance in our first ten week internships for the fall of 2014 which is quite exciting and daunting at the same time because it feels as if we only started the program yesterday. The other news is the new onboarding clinical management system that Dr. Palmer has instituted this year called Acadaware. It allows us to investigate potential internship sites, manage our internship affiliations, and load our necessary paperwork, medical prerequisites, and certificates securely onto an online program which we will be using for the remainder of our internships, hopefully streamlining some of the process.

In other news Fundraising has been going well as we are all spreading the word and collecting sponsors and donations for our main events; the Auction and the Wild Moose Chase Trail Run. We have had a great turnout at the local race events including Bloomsday where we have taken the opportunity to talk with local enthusiasts about our trail run and our cause. After Bloomsday our racers even got together for a little BBQ potluck to blow off any steam they had left from the 7-mile race. On another fundraising note we have entered a photo contest hosted by the APTA that will hopefully rack in a little more dough. The student WSU and EWU student governments have hasted so awesome events like free catered food and music a couple Fridays ago, and this past week WSU hosted complimentary coffee and breakfast for their finals week which all of us took advantage of because we are all a big family here on campus (or at least we think so) =)

Spring into Action!!

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 23:17:12 -0700

We are back again with a clean slate and backpacks chocked full of new books. It is only the end of week two of the quarter but we are already studying for our first exam. In our curriculum we are always transitioning to new topics with a major emphasis on what we have already learned in a sort of cyclical fashion. One of our courses this quarter is Applied Neuroscience in which we have to recall last quarters neuro content for Dr. Gersh’s half of the course focused on electrical stimulation and its functional application. Last week in lab we did sensory testing of the body which integrated many of those neural pathways that we harped on in Dr. V’s class last quarter.

In our Therapeutic Exercise course we are now learning ways in which to engage with the patients whom we spent the past half of a year learning examinations and evaluations for. We started by learning about joint mobilizations which can be very effective treatments for patients with limited joint mobility and the corresponding capsular pattern. Along with what we have been learning, our prior knowledge of the body’s surface anatomy and arthrokinematics has been pertinent.

As a transition from clinical anatomy, we have started our section of physiology with Dr. LaPier. This is our first class with one of the leading cardiopulmonary researchers with a resume the size of some of our textbooks, and so far so good. She is teeming with knowledge and slowly but surely we are soaking it up. Right now we are laying the foundation for our interaction with patients. Seeing as we will all be working with patients with systemic disease, it is in this class that we will be learning the physiological impact of and treatment considerations for the primary pathologies that our future patients will present with.

To complement our physiology course, we are learning Pharmacology with Dr. Russell. Along with those systemic pathologies comes the myriad of medications and prescription drugs to help facilitate healing. But with any drug there are physiological consequences and Dr. Russell is going to help us learn how these drugs will influence who we can treat, and how the drugs will impact our intervention strategies.

With all that being said, IT is time for some sleep to get ready for what comes next! =)

Practicing gait deviations in functional anatomy. =)

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 12:01:37 -0700

Practicing gait deviations in functional anatomy. =)

Long Overdue!

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 00:30:34 -0700

It has been too long since I have posted so this may be a bit overwhelming but here goes nothing! We are all very relieved to have made it through the long winter. The bi-polar northwest weather kept us guessing, changing from hail to snow to a bright sunny day within hours. In the classroom it was a bit more consistent.

Since I have last posted we have had our annual open house for accepted and wait-listed students to come and visit the campus. Many of the current students and their significant others helped lead tours, participated in information panels, and answered many questions that the prospects inquired about life in the program. Overall it was a great success with a promising show of potential and enthusiasm.

Neuroscience definitely picked up toward the end of the quarter. The cumulative laboratory final was quite daunting walking into the classroom with brain cross-sections laid out all over the lab with pins identifying the structures. We all made it through and the subsequent two tests, including the final, were tough and in rapid succession, our brains working at full throttle. But above all Dr. V and his appropriately intermittent stories kept us laughing in class making the two hour class periods much more enjoyable.

In functional anatomy Dr. Nelson has effectively transformed all of us into the weirdos on campus. The second half of this quarter has been all about gait, gait, and more gait. We have been learning about gait deviations, causes, pathologies, patterns, etc and now we are constantly analyzing the gait of everyone on campus, identifying plantar flexion contractures and compensated trendelenburg signs. To say the least we have been getting some odd looks from fellow students. We capped it all off with a final practical where we all had the opportunity to play the role as the physical therapist as well as become one of those individuals that we had been watching ever so closely.

Clinical anatomy has finally come to an end. We had to say goodbye to the dissection bodies that were donated to us by the University of Washington. We finished off the remaining of our lab times disarticulating joints and dissecting out the visceral organs and pelvis. Using these bodies have really helped us put into context the organization and variation of the human musculoskeletal structure. Its great because we are now learning how to integrate that structural information and the functional implications into our intervention plans.

As soon as we really got to know Dr. Cleary in our diagnosis course, she is back on sabbatical. But she definitely did not leave us empty handed. She helped us learn some of the most important facets of physical therapy, like how to recognize when a patient presents with a problem that is outside of the scope of our practice. In the last few weeks before finals we went through all of the systems and identified signs, symptoms, and clinical presentations of diseases that primarily impact these systems.

It was a long road but spring break has arrived and we have all survived. As the weather gets better our spirits will continue blossom similar to the trees around campus (which are long overdue for some color). But the cold still seems to find its way into Spokane but we can all feel that Jack Frost is on his way out and the Easter Bunny will be bringing some more sun. =)

Going a little brain-crazy! =)

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 22:09:23 -0700

Going a little brain-crazy! =)

Lets just say we had a heart to heart in Dr. Russell’s...

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 22:12:20 -0800

Lets just say we had a heart to heart in Dr. Russell’s class before dissecting the thoracic cavity today. =)

Tiffany’s birthday celebration. Nobody gets away from us...

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 21:39:06 -0800

Tiffany’s birthday celebration. Nobody gets away from us on their birthday! =) #teamspirit

Valentine’s Day serenade for Rikki from her secret...

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 21:23:04 -0800

Valentine’s Day serenade for Rikki from her secret valentine. =)

Love is in the Air!

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 21:11:00 -0800

Another two weeks have gone by and we are finally picking up the pace. Neuroscience is consuming our brains in more ways than one. We are all putting in the effort to wrap our brains around the exact material that they consist of and I am sure it will show on next weeks exam. In other news, our diagnosis is really starting to take shape. Slowly but surely building the foundation of the most critical step to intervention: The initial contact with the patient. We are opening our eyes to the complexities of the initial interview with the patient and how pertinent in patient management it is. To top it all off we get to test out our acting skill attempting to be 81 year old women with COPD. Quite entertaining. This week in Functional anatomy was 100% exams. Both our practical and our written exams. Stressed? Maybe just a little but the consensus is generally positive and I’m sure that everyone survived. The tests were focused on the joints of the head, neck, and back, all of which desperately need massages.

For this Valentine’s Day we decided to draw names for a secret valentine in the class and it looks like there is still some creativity left in our brains somewhere. Chocolate dipped strawberries, dark chocolate, light-up heart pens, sexy out of date calendars, and a paper chain filled with the worst pick up lines ever conceived. Little to say it was all capped off with a lovely serenade of Rikki with an old Italian love song, properly butchered by some men of the class. It was a fun loving holiday that kept our spirits high.

"You guys are so fun. I love it."

Fri, 08 Feb 2013 16:33:02 -0800

“You guys are so fun. I love it.”

- Dr. Vander Linden

Back on Axis

Sun, 03 Feb 2013 23:11:00 -0800

Another week has gone by in a quarter that is seemingly slipping by like the disc pathologies that we have been studying. For our clinical anatomy we were required to build models of a vertebral segment with the creative license to use whatever material we like. Lets just say that there is no lack of creativity in this class of brainiacs. Students used bacon and potatoes, cheese, glow-n-the-dark clay, paraffin wax, foam, and one even out of metal wire. In our functional anatomy class we have been learning some surface anatomy as well as goiniometry all in relation to the spine and its mobility. In this section the variability of structure and function within our class is just astonishing and is really opening our eyes into what it will be like out in the clinic when that same variety and diversity also presents itself with disability. In Diagnosis we have been going through scenarios of possible patients and how we should be screening for referral while incorporating greater detail into the history of the patients and the problems that they present. This specific class structure is allowing us to work through hypothetical scenarios while at the same time testing our knowledge and recall of the information we lecture on. A fun and new take on class. This past week we were subjected to our first Neuroscience exam. It was a tough one; pressuring our brains to work so hard on the exact content from which they are made. Needless to say we all did extremely well with a class average of an 89% with a median of 92%. Congrats! In other news the march on Olympia took place with a little over a third of the class participating in the legislative day activities in the state’s capitol. While we still have yet to pass our spinal manipulations bill more progress has been made and all the students seemed to have had a lovely time representing Eastern Washington University’s DPT Class of 2015.

Some of us decided to get together and have a potluck for the Superbowl on Sunday. There was a pretty good show of our classmates and those who went had a great time cheering for their teams and grubbing on some great homemade snack dishes. A nice little moral boost before heading back to class tomorrow. =)

"Exercise is a four letter word for your patients…"

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 21:15:04 -0800

“Exercise is a four letter word for your patients…”

- Dr. Nelson

Monday humor…

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 08:38:35 -0800

Monday humor…

Back on the grind this week after having the majority of the...

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 08:30:10 -0800

Back on the grind this week after having the majority of the week off due to the National Combined Sections Meeting attended by most of the professors and the second year students. Here is a little pep talk to keep you motivated and at the top of your game. Enjoy =)

Full Steam A-Head!!!!

Sun, 13 Jan 2013 20:37:00 -0800

After a long and relaxing break we have finally staggered, limped, driven, rode, and walked back from our respective holiday getaways. Some of which include Hawaii, India, and Mexico. Lets just say some of us are jealous of the tan skin that speckles the classroom. But regardless of where we have been over the break we are all very enthusiastic and optimistic for this quarter; with new classes, a new professor, and a breath of fresh air.

This past week has been quite easy on us. Late arrivals and early dismissals have allowed us the luxury of easing into this semester which is considered as one of the toughest with our in depth neuroscience course taught by Dr. V and our Diagnosis course taught by our new light-hearted and spirited Dr. Cleary who has just returned from sabbatical. But regardless of the gracious schedule changes, the information has been tumbling in. In neuroscience we have already laid the foundation of structure and development of the CNS which we will now use as a framework as we delve deeper into the complexities that riddle the brain and neurological system. In Diagnosis we have begun to identify the methods in which we employ to determine whether or not patients that come to us at physical therapists should be treated by us or be referred to a doctor of medicine. In the PT world it has become evident that there are criticisms of our profession’s inability to properly diagnose patients, which has lead to struggles in obtaining direct access in certain areas and the adequate reimbursement from insurance companies. Well it is this course that will show to those skeptics that our understanding of the body goes beyond being experts of movement.

We have also progressed on with both our Functional and Clinical Anatomy courses. After covering the extremities and the apendicular skeleton we are moving on to the head, neck and spine with the ultimate goal of drawing bridges between the two courses and emerging with a comprehensive knowledge of the entire body and how it moves throughout our daily lives.

In Evidence-based Practice we have begun our module on applying a more statistical approach to looking at our current tests and measures. We are learning formulas which we can use to determine the specificity, sensitivity, and overall validity of these tests which will assist us in our diagnosis of patient pathologies and dysfunctions.

Overall we are excited to be back. Our tanks are full and we are ready to continue learning about the things we love the most. =)

Sledding Through the Finishline!

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 21:25:10 -0800

Whew!!! All done and all limbs accounted for. It was a mad rush to the end but we all made it. And what better to celebrate the end of our first quarter than a holiday ugly sweater party at Louie’s house. Lots of laughs and an interesting white elephant exchange. Finals week sure tested our time management abilities. Within the week we completed 4 written and 3 practical examinations. I pretty comfortable in saying that stress levels were at an all time high, sleep was at an all time low, coffee consumption increased by 300%, and eating habits changed dramatically. We were all blessed by the student committees here at the riverpoint campus who provided free massages, unlimited coffee, and complimentary breakfast during finals week which kept us all going strong.

We now have all made our way back to our families and friends and plan on spending time away from our books and studies. Gaining weight and relaxation are more likely to be on the agenda and i know we will all be refreshed and ready to roll after new years. Peace, Love, & Happy Holidays!!! =)

Louie Cerenzia, our beloved but clumsy fellow classmate,...

Mon, 03 Dec 2012 22:20:37 -0800

Louie Cerenzia, our beloved but clumsy fellow classmate, unfortunately broke Dr. Chatellier’s favorite coffee/tea mug a few weeks ago. Today we held a ceremony for her mug to surprise Louie, but little did Dr. C know that Louie had prepared a eulogy for her dear mug….

The Final Stretch!

Fri, 30 Nov 2012 17:56:43 -0800

Well we are almost there moving into December with only one week left before finals. The past week we have continued our dissection of the cadavers through the shoulder, including the brachial plexus, and down to the wrist. In functional anatomy we are learning more manual muscle tests for the upper extremity as well as surface anatomy for bony and soft tissue structures. In our integumentary therapeutics we learned about the uses of ultrasound and its clinical significance and health/healing impact.

On Friday the other half of the class presented their posters on their critically appraised topics along with the occupational therapy students. Everyone looked nice and sharp and concluded these projects with an air of professionalism, a quality that we refine here at the graduate level of study. Those who did not present stayed after lunch to see the case study presentations of the second year students. Over their 5 week internships this summer they chose one of their patients to conduct a case study on in which they compiled research and organized the information into posters. I think we are all excited and anxious to be the ones coming back from or first internships with a wealth of experience to share. But for now it is time to grind it out and cram as much information into our heads as possible before finals! Gotta go study! =)