10/5

The title of my article is "Comparison of Efficacy of Neural Therapy and Physical Therapy in Chronic Low Back Pain" This article describes the treatment types of  neural therapy and physical therapy, and which one is better to treat lower back pain. The study showed that there is no real solution for lower back pain, and that treatment helps, but it will always be a problem for those who have it. There also is no better of the two different therapies, people just have their preference. and each injury can be different as well. The article fits into my research because it has to do with patients experiencing pain that are in need of therapy of some sort. The source was helpful by describing the effects of certain injuries and how they can be crippling, but physical therapy can help even if it isn't a permanent solution. I chose this article because it backed up my belief in the fact that physical therapy is a necessity for those with chronic injuries. I can use this source in the future if I need to reference to treatment options or helpful alternatives for helping with injuries. I believe that the article is a credible source because it was clinics, schools, and hospitals putting forth a study with a lot of data supporting it. I definitely can't wait to further my knowledge in this field of study, the more that I learn about physical therapy, the more I want to pursue it as a career. This source relates to my potential topic which will be decided in the future.

Graphic Organizer - 9/28

Source #____ Bibliography	Simsir Atalay, Nilgun, et al. “Comparison Of Efficacy Of Neural Therapy And Physical Therapy In Chronic Low Back Pain.” African Journal Of Traditional, Complementary & Alternative Medicines 10.3 (2013):431-435. Alt HealthWatch. Web. 25 Oct. 2015.
Annotation:	This article is a study to evaluate the effects of neural therapy, and physical therapy on level of pain, disability, quality of life, and psychological status in patients with chronic low back pain. A total of 60 patients were involved in the study, there were no significant differences in age, gender, and educational level. The results showed that PT and NT are effective for pain treatment and quality of life for those with lower back pain, one no better than the other.
Potential Quotes:	“It was suggested that the illness and dysfunction are always associated with the dysfunction of autonomic nervous system that results in decreased blood supply to a particular tissue and impairment of healing process.” (4) “Neural therapy is a holistic therapy that affects the neurovegetative system and uses local anesthetic agents.” (4)
Assessment:	This source is credible because it was a group of schools, hospitals, or clinics participating in a study to find out which treatment therapy would best affect those with lower back pain.
Reflection:	This article gave me some of the background and treatment types for lower back pain in neural therapy and physical therapy. I will use it to prove that any pain is treatable even if it doesn’t go away, physical therapy is always helpful.

College and Scholarships - 9/14

I was asked to search for some colleges and narrow it down to certain schools that fit my preferences. The three colleges that fit me the best were Mercer University in Macon, University of Georgia in Athens, and Georgia Regents University in Augusta. A quality program of study for me would include open study halls, independent assignments, and free time that allows me to compete on a cross country team. All of the Universities that I listed above have the criteria that I listed. I know this because I also have friends that go to these colleges and they hold them to the same criteria as me. The size of the school does not really affect me that much as long as it is not over crowded. I'd like the school to be within 100 miles of home as well, just in case of any family emergencies, or when ever I come back to visit. I also do not mind what type of people go to the school either, I get along with people of all races, shapes, and sizes. The school I apply to must also have a cross country program, because that is my one passion other then physical therapy. The school I am most interested in is Mercer University which is ranked around 200th in the country out of physical therapy schools, it may not be the best, but it has the environment and athletics that would make up for it. Three scholarships I can apply for are the Tommy Aaron/Charlie Aaron Foundation Scholarship, the Holcomb Family Education Scholarship, and the Jim and Dee Snow Optimist Scholarship. These three scholarships include graduating in the hall county area which I will try to take advantage of.

College Websites:
www.mercer.edu
www.gru.edu
www.uga.edu

Time Management - 9/8

Many high school students juggle multiple responsibilities. I for example, am one of these individuals. Without proper time management it would be nearly impossible for me to handle all of my responsibilities. I start off the school day with early morning cross country practice at 6:00 with school following right after. And on two of those days I go to my mentorship immediately after school, which consists of helping out physical therapists for two hours. I am also deeply involved in my church, and I lead a small group on Tuesday nights and further my faith on Wednesday nights. Along with all of these, I have a part time job, and I have to squeeze in time for homework. Without time management there would be no way for me to get all these done. It helps me get all my work done with as little stress as possible, and as efficient as possible. This will definitely help me when arriving at my mentorship, making sure I get everything else done on time. It is also important for each physical therapist to pay attention to each patient, equally distributing the time when there are more than one person in need of help. Also, there is a time for paperwork, and a time to help those in need of therapy. And it's always important to stay caught up on paperwork, but it should not cut into the time of the patient. That is how time management is necessary in my career study, as well as in my own daily life. It may be the most important thing when it comes to getting your responsibilities done with the best results.

Internship-8/31

Tim Elmore wrote an article about a bad experience one of his friends had with summer interns. He invited six college students to intern at his company and he wanted them gone by the month of June. These college students didn't get the necessary preparation for the line of work. To change the view on an internship, Tim called it a "twelve week interview." He does so because it is like a career simulator preparing you for the job you will have one day. Necessary attributes are teachability, initiative, responsibility, and energy. These talents can lead to a great experience from both the interns, and for the growing leaders that teach them. Tim's blog can be found at  http://growingleaders.com/.

This applies to me because Physical Therapy is the career field I want to go into and I am going on a year long interview. I want to be able to search for what needs to be done and complete it. I also need to complete any task given to me and complete it respectfully and responsibly. If I don't learn from my mentorship than I will have nothing to apply to my career, so I will do everything necessary to give myself the best experience. Therefore, if I come into my workplace with a passion to work and the right work ethic than I think my experience will be a great one.

Work Ethic

I learned that work ethic is usually divided up into three categories: Interpersonal skills, initiative, and dependability. Individuals with good interpersonal skills are often very good at communicating, whether it be in their professional lives or personal lives. They also work very well in groups, and are great when interacting with consumers or clients. Workers without initiative usually procrastinate or miss some golden opportunities which can lead to the loss of a job. Dependability includes honesty, reliability, and punctuality. These types of workers are valued by employers. Workers that aren't dependable can be expensive and result in a loss of resources. These are the attributes that are necessary for work ethic and each one is just as important as the other.

I learned that there are some areas that I need to improve on in my work ethic. Usually I'd like to think I'm a good worker but I still have my struggles. One of them being procrastination. I always wait until the last minute which can cost me missed opportunities as well as poorer results. I have to carry theses things over to my mentorship and really work on my punctuality, dependability, and initiative in some ways. When working with physical therapists I need to be respectful, be patient, and be willing to be there when they need me. I expect to further my experience in this career field as I work on these qualities of work ethic.

Communication

Communication is one of the most important job skills to obtain, and each situation is different. Whether we are talking to our friends, talking to a boss, writing a blog, using visuals, or just listening, communication is key. First off we can't talk to our boss like we talk to our friends, the slang we use around our friends is most likely inappropriate in your work place. A proper way to write or post online is important as well, you may not be speaking and changing your voice like you would during a speech, but the effectiveness is also determined by the language that you use. And listing is just as important when it comes to communication. If your boss tells you to do a job a certain way but you weren't paying attention and you do it wrong; it may result in a punishment of sort or the loss of your job. All these communication skills are important to master and use in order to gain the best experience in whatever situation you are put in.

Every person is expected to talk appropriately. Not all employers understand the slang terms that we use with our friends or even our family. Not only will they not understand it, it is also very inappropriate. When in an interview, always respond respectfully and with more than one word. Be confident and speak clearly in order to set yourself apart from the rest. When I am interacting with my mentor, I will be sure that I will answer questions with more than one word, as well as asking questions about things that I am unsure of. Firstly that shows that I have been listening, and secondly, it is important to make sure you do the job right the first time. I also intend to speak up if there may be a problem, which my mentor most likely expects from me as well. Communication will be key in every situation of life, and I intend to use this advice that I have obtained to the best of my ability.