Physical therapy is important to me for a wide range of reasons. For one, it is not limited to a certain group of people. Physical therapy can be provided to those with musculoskeletal issues which a lot of us think about when thinking about PT; However, it can also apply to neurological patients, those who are in acute hospitals and IRFs, and pediatrics trying to meet their milestones. I can talk about how much being in graduate school has sparked my interest more in the field of physical therapy, but I think I fell in love with this profession when I was actually working as in aide in different clinics and settings. My first job was in a manual therapy clinic in San Clemente, this was during COVID when no one was willing to take in aides or volunteers at all so I was reaching out to as many people as I could. This clinic was an hour away from where I lived but I knew that it would pay off. This is where I learned the importance of protecting your body as a physical therapist and the need for strengthening your hands since they are your main tools in this setting. This was also the first place that I assisted in helping a neurologic patient who was learning how to perform a transfer from the floor into his wheelchair. I had never experienced something like this before, so I asked the therapist I was working with about his condition and what the end goal was. She told me that eventually the goal was to get him walking to he could play with his son. Being an undergraduate student at that time, I was looking at this man thinking about how many hours this was going to take to get him to the point of walking. Throughout my time at this clinic, I aided the PT working with this patient. Over time, floor to chair transfer got easier. Chair to table transfer got easier. Standing with modified independence got easier. I was watching him progress right before my eyes, it was amazing. I was in awe of him and the therapist I was working with. She saw the potential in him that I didn't know was there yet. By the time I left the clinic, this patient was walking with a front-wheeled walker with the therapist by his side to help when needed as I was following him with a chair just in case he got tired or needed a break. He reached his goal. Ultimately, I knew that I played a very small role in helping this patient walk again but I tried to be a motivator for him throughout his treatments, especially on the hard days. A physical therapist is a motivator, a health care professional, a coach, and an educator. After seeing this miracle, in my eyes, I knew that this is what I wanted to do for people. Encourage them when others think that their goal isn't attainable or plausible. Keep pushing them to be the best that they possibly can be. This goes for whatever setting I end up pursuing once I finish my time in school.