I was 14 years old when I decided I wanted to become a physical therapist. I found myself in a PT clinic as a patient with low back pain. Through six weeks of treatment, I learned firsthand how physical therapy can help reduce pain and improve self-efficacy. I decided to sign up for my high school's Anatomy and Sports Medicine classes which further contributed to my interest in the human body and the unique ability to restore function to people who are hurting. I started shadowing physical therapists and began to see that PT not only helps to reduce pain- it also greatly improves the patient's quality of life.I continued to learn more about the movement system throughout my college career as an Exercise Science major. The more courses I took and the more clinical experience I gained through shadowing and working as a rehabilitation tech, the more my desire to become a Physical Therapist grew. I observed as therapists established rapport and relationships by providing each patient with individualized care that would allow them to achieve their goals and return to their prior levels of function. I increasingly wanted to be able to help my future patients in that way one day. I feel so privileged to be spending my career working with patients to help them reach their goals and improve their quality of life!