Page 18 - OPTA Access Spring 2019

APTA National Student
Conclave Recap
Nicholas O’Hanlon, SPT – The Ohio State University
The National Student Conclave (NSC) brings together students from around the country to learn, share ideas and get involved in the physical therapy profession . My experience at NSC, facilitated by the generosity of the OPTA’s scholarship, encompassed all of those things and more .
Almost all conferences offered around the country are centered around practicing physical therapists; CSM, NEXT, and state conferences all offer sessions on how to improve your practice and stay evidence based . NSC, on the other hand, takes a different view on the purpose of a conference . It’s put on by students, for students . While still offering educational sessions centered around practice, NSC also offers something that other conferences don’t: the opportunity to develop specifically as a student . Sessions about leadership, research and networking as a student, highlighted my time in Rhode Island; not only learning from the session presenters, but other students who exemplify what it means to be involved in the physical therapy profession from the start .
With attendance at NSC over 900 students, it’s impossible to meet everyone; but the students I met had a profound effect
on my desire to contribute to our profession through the APTA . They’ve sparked my desire to advocate for the physical therapy profession; I even met APTA CEO Justin Moore, who dedicates his career to advocating for physical therapy on the behalf of the
APTA . NSC is a place to learn what motivates other students and ignite your own passion within PT . For me, that meant learning how to get involved on the national level as a student and learning more about the legislation that dictates how we practice as physical therapists and physical therapist assistants .
Earlier in 2018, I had also applied to run for national office on the Student Assembly Board of Directors and was selected to run at NSC . Running as a candidate at NSC is such a surreal experience; all 27 students from around the country who are chosen to run become extremely close in the span of a few days . The stress, exhaustion and anticipation of running connected me to students from around the country, including North Carolina, Connecticut, Washington, and Georgia, and even though I was not selected
for office, I can whole-heartedly say that I’ve made personal and professional connections that will last throughout my physical therapy career .
Going to NSC is something I encourage every student to do if they can . It can give you a great foundation for professional
life in physical therapy and reminds you why PT is such an incredible profession . Surrounding myself with individuals who are passionate about their goals ignited the same fire in me and is something that I brought back to school and the state of Ohio . Thank you to the OPTA for the scholarship to attend!
18 | March 2019 | OPTA
(left) National Student Conclave Student Scholarship winner, Nicholas O'Hanlon with a few other student candidates
for national office.