1. It is important to pay it forward because that is how anything in this world is accomplished. When you look at not only accomplishments but the stepping stones to them, we can see that nobody has been alone on their journey. They have accepted some sort of help or support from someone along the way so that they can accomplish something and help pay it forward to someone else who needs it in the future. 2. I am pursuing a career in physical therapy rather than other health professions because physical therapists help patients feel proud of themselves. They are part of a team of people helping patients feel better about themselves and take control of their health and bodies again after experiencing pain and other unpleasant symptoms and even some of the scariest times in their life. With physical therapy, we do not just make patients feel like a diagnosis but we bring patience and humanity to the patient. I am interested in this profession because I want to be an integral part of a person's recovery journey. I appreciate that they can help not only reduce pain and other symptoms but can also help people to move or work on specific parts of the body that need thorough attention. Physical therapists combine patient education and compassionate care for every patient and I believe that both are necessary to help the patients now and in the future take care of themselves the best that they can. Helping patients with these aspects of recovery is crucial to improving the quality of life that they experience and I want to be the person helping them feel as optimal as possible. Physical therapy is the best fit for me because I would like to treat the root cause of my patient's discomfort and be a part of their support system. I want to be able to help patients identify the true cause of their symptoms and pain instead of just referring them to a medical doctor to treat their symptoms. If we could eliminate the cause of these symptoms, we can not only help the patient to feel better now but also help them to prevent feeling worse or reinjuring themselves later. I also know that by doing this physical therapists could help prevent patients from having to use medications or undergo unnecessary surgeries. I believe that a holistic approach to each patient will help them to receive the best possible treatment unique to them rather than treating them generically. Part of that is being part of their healthcare team so I can communicate with other healthcare professionals working with patients and advocate for them before they have to experience more trauma to their bodies. In my experience as a volunteer in a rehabilitation unit, I was able to support the patients during their exercises and on their breaks to keep going even when they said that they couldn’t. Being part of their support system, and oftentimes being their only support system, and being able to witness that moment where they get the strength to push through and persevere past their pain and exhaustion was incredible and felt like an honor to be a part of. I want to give each patient that same amazing experience when I become a physical therapist. I want to utilize a nutritionist who specializes in whole food, plant-based meals to help my patients recover quicker and also lessen some of their symptoms like lethargy and inflammation. I would especially like to work in neurology with a focus on neurodegenerative diseases to help slow their progression and manage their symptoms better than just a therapy regimen. 3. I hope in about 5 years post DPT, I will start my mission to either collaborate with local hospitals and open my own clinic in my hometown, Montego Bay. From previous trips, I have seen that many hospitals throughout Jamaica are either very small or dilapidated. Because of this they only offer basic care and most times, will not have access to any therapy services unless it is in a more well off area, like Kingston, or it will be too expensive for the residents to afford. In Jamaica, chronic illness and injury are the norm. Every family in Jamaica is affected but not many have the means or access to care beyond just medical attention. I would like to collaborate with hospitals, starting with the main one in my hometown, to set up outpatient rehabilitation centers for the residents, either within or on the outskirts of the hospital. Start small with one collaboration and over time open more outpatient rehabilitation clinics across the country to help them be more accessible to the residents. I also hope that I would have helped assist, if not lead, research projects in regenerative medicine to help make progress between it and physical therapy.