The Scary Unknown

Over fall break I participated in Luther's Externship Program where they pair up current students with alumni for a job shadow. This is the second year that Luther has had this program in place to give students an opportunity to narrow down their future career options. I was able to shadow a physical therapist at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics for 2 days since I've had the idea of possibly working in the medical field for a little while now. Before doing the externship I didn't know if I wanted to be a physical therapist or not, but I wanted to explore my options and see what was out there. Now I know what I don't want to do.

When signing up for the externship I had expected to be at a rehab clinic working with outpatients. When I think of physical therapy I mostly think of athletes working to get stronger and come back from an injury, because that's the only side of physical therapy I've had any exposure to at all. It didn't even cross my mind that physical therapists work with patients who are currently in the hospital, and it definitely didn't hit me that I'd be shadowing a physical therapist who works only with inpatients and specializes in patients with neural injuries.

So Monday morning I left my house at 6:45 am and didn't return until 6 pm. All day I wore scrubs, walked all over the hospital, and observed some patients who were not in the best situations. A lot of the patients that we worked with were quite elderly and could barely move around in bed without help. Some other patients were located in the ICU after having spinal injuries. It was hard for me to be around that kind of setting where people were so immobile and sick when I knew that that night I was going to be going for a 10 mile long run.

After just one day I had the strong feeling that I do not want to work in a hospital. The atmosphere was just too grim for me. I would rather be working with younger, optimistic athletes who aren't in life or death situations and who can really get some benefit out of the physical therapy. So I haven't ruled out physical therapy totally but if I don't want to work in a hospital then that rules out a huge chunk of other possible jobs. That's scary.

I had been thinking about taking the MCATs after my junior year and applying to medical school. Now that seems to be out the window if I don't want to work in a hospital. All of this thinking about the future makes me feel a bit anxious, leaving me to wonder what in the world I'll be doing in 5 years and whether it will be a fulfilling job or just something I got mixed up in. The future can be a scary thing since I don't know what I'll encounter, but for now I'll just try to live in the here-and-now and take opportunities as they come.

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:10-12