Janel Eck

I knew I wanted to attend PCT as soon as I decided to become a PTA because it was local, had an accredited program for PTAs, and was known for giving people great, hands-on learning experiences. Personally, I learn the best by participating in class, watching demonstrations, and practicing what I have been shown.

I have always wanted to work with athletes. When I completed a job shadowing experience at Phoenix prior to attending PCT, I got to meet a lot of amazing patients, all with very different injuries, problems, and diagnoses. There was one patient attending therapy for difficulty walking and balance impairments. During my time shadowing, she was finally able to complete an activity she had been struggling with, without any assistance, and cheered out loud in celebration.

To anyone who is considering a career as a PTA, I suggest completing a job shadowing experience. This was the deciding factor for me as I got to see what the job really entailed, and it helped me to understand how many different types of settings there were and the variety of patients you may see in each.

Penn College really prepared me to begin my career as a PTA more than I could have hoped. The PTA program was well-structured and led by amazing individuals who cared about my education. The faculty was always within close reach to aid my classmates and me with any and all questions or difficulties we were having. The hands-on experience I received at Penn College prepared me for my first clinical experience and made me feel comfortable when I got my first job.

One of my favorite parts of my time at Penn College was how the entire class had become so close, like one big family, helping each other in every way we could. We went out to lunch together between classes and would stay late using each other as patients to practice new skills we were learning. Without my classmates, PCT would not have been the same, and I probably would not have done as well as I did. The professors told us this was very common in the PTA program, even with the varying ages of traditional and non-traditional students. 

While I was at Penn College, our clinical director, Chris Tilburg, spoke with me about a great clinical experience at Geisinger Medical Center in the acute care setting. While I was there, I got to spend time on each floor in the different ICUs and saw much more than I could have expected. It really did help me in so many ways, so I am happy Chris helped me get that experience. 
Today, all my coworkers have helped to improve my knowledge through demonstrations with current patients and continuing education experiences. It really is a great atmosphere where we are all able to share and learn from each other. I look up to each of them as my mentors and hope I can continue to learn from them.