There are about 30 PTs at the clinic I volunteer at, and I certainly can't shadow them all. Currently, my favorite PT to shadow is an east coast rock climber, who told me today that I have awful shoulder mechanics. Like many of the PT's, he's very strong in his craft and intellectually gifted, but the particular skill that allows him to stand out from the group and makes me want to copy his style, is his listening ability.
I was amazed when I began shadowing at how much information some doctors fail to hear. Often its because their mind is elsewhere: diagnosing the ligament tear, typing in chart notes..., and their brain is so actively focused that they aren't hearing the patients words. Othertimes, it looks like they are not checking in on the facial cues and emotional body language of the client. Sometimes they simply don't ask the right followup questions.
Many of us have had the experience of being in a doctors office and not understanding the high-tech vocabulary they are using, or not having things properly explained or broken down. Or of mentioning a pain or ache, and having the MD brush it off as nothing.
My favorite PT is amazing! He hears everything, like God or the Paparazzi. His jokes refer back to topics the client touched on earlier, and his explanations are clear and match the lowest barometer of client vocabulary. The complexity of explanations increases as clients become more familiar with their personal anatomy. I'm hoping to learn and absorb his style so I can be one of the doctors with ears...
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