Hey, I am a first year PT school and I wanted to ask you how you handle frustrations when learning new skills in the classroom. I feel like my classmates master a skill & move on so much quicker than me. I get SO angry & frustrated with myself bc I feel I’m not keeping up. I often end up getting teary eyed & snap at my partner. My attitude is hindering my learning plus it’s not professional. Everyone is helpful, I feel that I just have an issue with being way too hard on myself. Any tips?

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I understand a lot of what you’re feeling. I a little bit of that my first year, so here are a few things to keep in mind:

  1. The loudest person in the room is not necessarily the smartest person. If you actually listen to the people who seem to know it all and spend their time letting everyone else know they know it all, you’ll realize that not everything they’re saying is always right. And even if they are right, they’re probably being so pushy to mask their own insecurities.
  2. There’s probably only a few people loudly declaring that they get it and are ready to move on. Maybe they do; maybe they don’t. Everyone else likely feels the way you do. But most people aren’t going to run around telling the whole class they don’t get it.
  3. No matter how well they understand lab, no one in your class is an experienced PT. Maybe they can pass a practical after one lab session (although even that is doubtful), but they’re hardly practiced clinicians. In the grand scheme of things, we all have a lot to learn still.
  4. Passing a practical doesn’t mean you’re fully competent with a skill. There are many skills I learned in lab, practiced repeatedly, and was tested on that I still didn’t feel comfortable performing until I had done them several times in the clinic. Other skills I still need more experience with (which is okay since I’m still a student!), and still other skills I never even got a chance to perform in the clinic. Not to mention all the skills I still have yet to learn in class, continuing education and from my future colleagues. We all have a lot more experience to gain, and that is how it’s supposed to be. If you were expected to become proficient with these skills right after lab, you wouldn’t have to spend 30-something weeks on clinical rotations.
  5. The person learning the fasted won’t necessarily be the best PT. As I’m sure you realize, there’s a lot more that goes into being a PT than just performing what you’ve learned. You’ve got to get along with your co-workers and patients, and develop a host of other skills. Maybe you’re not the fastest learner, but I’m sure you have a bunch of other traits that will make you a great physical therapist.

I know it’s hard, but try not to worry so much about your classmates or get angry with yourself. The most important thing you have to do is take care of yourself and your own learning. I’ve found that it helps not to walk into lab blindly. Before lab, make sure to review the relevant notes and readings, and also take a look at the lab handout ahead of time if possible. Being caught up on the material and knowing what to expect in lab can go a long way to making sure you get the most out of lab. Also, try to find a classmate with whom you can practice lab skills once a week or so. And if you feel comfortable, talk to your professor. She or he may be able to give you some tips or even help you better comprehend the skills. It’s definitely a struggle sometimes to not feel overwhelmed in PT school, but hang in there, and soon when you’re treating patients you’ll realize you picked up a lot more than you thought you did!