Emma Hintz
Tell us about your work. This may include job title or organization, projects you're involved in, populations with whom you work, etc.
In July, 2019 I will begin graduate school at the University of Minnesota for their Doctor of Physical Therapy program and am currently interested in pursuing the geriatric patient population.
What led you to this profession? Tell us about your path.
Growing up, I had initially pictured myself going into medicine, but after hearing from a physical therapy student about their experiences in school and what attracted them to PT, I looked more into pursuing a career in physical therapy. What I found was a community of people that were interested in helping people in a multitude of ways focusing specifically on movement. I decided that I wanted to pursue a Human Physiology B.A. at the University of Minnesota. Majoring in human physiology offered me the ability to explore any health-related career that I may be interested in, though I always knew that I wanted to go into PT. My experiences in my major-related courses as well as the volunteer work that I completed worked together to help me to feel comfortable and prepared to take on PT school after I graduated. I'm excited to take on this new adventure!
What is your advice for current CLA students interested in a health care career?
My best piece of advice is to take a chance on something that you wouldn't normally feel comfortable doing. This could be volunteering/shadowing in a setting that you didn't think you would like or taking a class that isn't necessarily related to what you want to pursue a career in. Diversify your experience - doing so can help you to discover new things about yourself. You never know what you're going to find out!
Describe your participation in extra-curricular activities, volunteer work, research, or study-abroad opportunities during your undergraduate years that helped you prepare for your current role.
I was nervous to join extra-curricular activities when I was a freshman. The idea of going to a meeting or event by myself was terrifying, so I didn't end up joining my first club until my sophomore year. Once I got involved, I found a home in the Undergraduate Physiology Society. It connected me with a wealth of resources and people that were interested in the same things as me. I learned more about what I liked to study, again confirming that PT was the right choice for me. Eventually I became the president and have loved getting to know more people and create a network of people that are interested in going into PT after getting a degree in Human Physiology.
What experiences did you have that confirmed your choice of profession?
I volunteered at the University of Minnesota Medical Center for a little over a year with a physical therapist. We worked with patients in all different units, with all different backgrounds. Though many of the patients had the same diagnoses, each person was different. They all had different backgrounds, personalities, and motivations. From these experiences, I have learned not only more about treating a patient for their diagnosis, but truly tailoring the treatment to the patient's needs and motivations. This was such a gratifying experience that solidified my decision to go into PT.
