We all know that whenever a physical therapist is presented with the question of what to do in a patient care scenario, the answer is "it depends."

It depends on the patient's ability, available resources, and personal desire. These things aren't always clear at the outset of a session, so we go in with plans A through F, and then use patient feedback, clinical reasoning, and outcome measures to identify the plan that best enables our patient to progress toward his or her goal. We also know that the first thing you try almost never works. So the process of navigating "it depends" is as much about adaptation as about preparation.

For me, adaptation was harder-fought than preparation. I could study until I'd ace didactic tests, but I struggled, especially at first when practical exams didn't go the way I expected. In my final clinical experience at Stroger Cook County Hospital, the adaptation piece of my physical therapist practice finally got strong. Stroger was tough, and I loved it because every day when I woke up to go to work I told myself that the experiences I was about to have would make me a better PT by the end of the day.