Safety is a hallmark of the physical therapy profession. Physical therapists (PTs) and physical therapist assistants must at all times protect the safety of patients, clients, peers, and team members. Because physical therapy is the science of movement, we tend to think of safety foremost in physical terms, but it has psychological and emotional dimensions, as well. Actions have consequences, but so do words. Consider the following scenario, in which a student feels threatened not only by what's said, but also by the institutional silence that follows.
Heart of Gold, or a Tin Ear?
Milton is the coordinator of clinical education (CCE) and a credentialed clinical instructor (CI) at West Side Medical Center—serving as liaison to a local doctor of physical therapy program, linking students with CIs, and sometimes taking on the instructional role himself. He greatly enjoys the opportunity, year in and year out, to share his passion for physical therapy with "the kids" as he calls them, facilitating their transition from "caterpillars to graceful butterflies."
