Hand Therapy Exam Prep | Shardae's Success Story To Becoming a CHT!
===
[00:00:00] I wanted to share what you had to offer to people who I think could benefit from listening to your story yeah, that's fine. Alright. Awesome. Awesome. I feel like we haven't really met, why have you been to the, we've never really done a private call or chatted much.
[00:00:20] I did, I did attend like the Saturday calls, but yeah I was like on the fence. I was like, I don't know if I'm really wanna take this test. And I didn't wanna like broadcast when I was gonna take it cause it gives me more anxiety cuz I was telling my friends and it like asking me every week when I'm signing up for the test.
[00:00:38] I was just like, I'm not telling nobody else I'm taking this. Because I just don't wanna freak out, so I, my God, I know. Like he wanted us to tell you, but I just kept it to myself. That's ok. Everyone got, everyone's got a strategy and the thing is like it worked. , you say it right? [00:01:00] Was the, then let ask you, was this the first time you took it?
[00:01:04] Yeah, it was the first time. I've been studying on and off for like over a year. Cause I contemplated may of last year. And I stopped studying in March and then I picked back up like May. And then I stopped again cause I got a new job and then I joined your program like November. Yeah. And then I started from there and I continued on in May. Okay. Awesome. So let's talk a little bit about where you work, where were you working before the new position? I went to Howard and one of my professors Dr. Ross, she's a cht. And she has her own clinic, so I couldn't get in the hands because I had two level two and both of 'em were in acute care, one in P one and adult.
[00:01:55] So I already knew coming outta school, that's what I wanted to do. So [00:02:00] I'm originally from south. So I would reach out to her like every so often to see, when she would be hiring or whatever. And one day she just gave me the opportunity to come work for her. So I worked for her for three years.
[00:02:13] Awesome. So 2017 to 2020 October I work for her and then recently in October. I moved to Spartanburg Carolina and I'm now working for outpatient through a rehab group, and it's called Kona Rehabilitation. Okay, cool. What sparked the move? Did, was it just a personal thing or were you looking for a very particular opportunity?
[00:02:46] I was raised by my grandmother, and my grandmother is 85 and she's been having some health issues, so I wanted to get closer to home because I was driving like six hours. To come see her on the weekend. Wow. So now I'm [00:03:00] like three hours away. Okay. Also, that's brings me closer. Okay. That's awesome. Now, one of the reasons why I ask about work experiences, because sometimes people have jobs where they do treat hands, but it's not.
[00:03:18] What is a typical surgeon's office? Tons of postsurgical, and they feel like they're stuck in some way, and then some people. Are coming from a surgeon's office where they're only seeing hands, they don't see shoulders, or they only are told what to do all the time so they don't have to figure things out.
[00:03:39] So they're stuck in a different way. How, yeah. This, how is your setting. In terms of so right now it I think the last six months is where I've learned the most. I'm working with a doctor that is,
[00:03:57] oh, you froze. Most doctors wouldn't [00:04:00] do. And my, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. You froze. Do you mind repeating that? Where is it? Okay so right now it's Spartenburg. I'm working for Kona Rehabilitation and Dr. Brown, he's one of like the best doctors in the area, but he does pretty much all. , your trauma patient.
[00:04:18] He does like gunshot wounds. He does like brachi plexus injuries from gunshot wounds. He does like the typical things that most surgeons won't do. Like if they're just specializing in like hands or elbows, like he pretty much the whole upper extremity. Awesome. Previously I would see like your typical carpal tunnel.
[00:04:38] Oh, you broke up again. No, I'm sorry. You broke. So you saw typical carpal tunnel trigger finger, like not as severe.
[00:04:55] Yeah, I wa I wasn't seeing like the severe [00:05:00] surgical patient. It would be, I would say more, like eight to 10 weeks if that's like a timeframe and then they'll be out the door. But now like I'm getting your, the rotator cuff tears. , just just more complex things.
[00:05:14] Yeah. More complex things and things that you read about that would make things . Yeah. The ones that you read in the.
[00:05:25] Yeah, it's kinda and you like it might be an arthroplasty with an on the nerve transposition, it's multiple things keep you, on your toes. Okay, awesome. I love it. I love it. So now that you. Tell can you share a little bit about what you did to prepare? What do you, what did you do to prepare that you felt really helped you the most?
[00:05:54] One of the most important things I think you should do is definitely get the Purple book just so [00:06:00] like you have, questions to you. Learn from. I also I've done a lot. I've taken the hand therapy of prep course and that is through, what is it? The hand therapy.com.
[00:06:13] You know what I'm talking about? Okay. Yeah. Yeah. So when I first started studying, that's what I was doing first. Okay. And, I was going through the questions in the Purple book. I got with you in November. So what I would do was I would study the questions based on what we were covering. And I went through the Purple Book more than one time, actually.
[00:06:38] Okay. So the first time I would just like, do questions and see what I would, what I knew. The second time around, what I did was I would do the questions and I would quit what I got wrong, and then I would go back over why I got it wrong, and then I would use the rehab of the hand to try to dig a little bit deeper to [00:07:00] understand like certain concept so that, certain questions wouldn't trip me up.
[00:07:05] That's right. Awesome. Yeah. Cool. In terms of the program, what were in terms of the program, I share several strategies. In terms of studying, was there any one strategy that you thought was the most helpful to you? I think the most helpful strategy is if you know your anatomy I think that is like the fundamental thing that you have to, get, but as far as learning styles and things like that, I try to combine all three.
[00:07:37] So like visually, like reading, looking at the video. . What I would do is I would record myself sometimes and on my way to work I would listen. And then it's a girl on Facebook. She did like the purple book questions and like she would go over why she got certain things wrong and I would listen to her as well.
[00:07:58] And then when I'm at [00:08:00] work, I would try to take what I've learned and I try to put it to. . So I try to use all those things to help, just make it stick better. Okay. That's really awesome. What did you find most valuable in the program outside of strategy? What's what thing did you like the most about being inside the hand exam prep program?
[00:08:20] I feel like you you like on Saturdays like, cuz during the week it was more like us listening and we can ask you questions and things like that, but you can understand like why some people answer questions the way that they answer 'em. And I think a lot of times you can learn from that.
[00:08:38] Cause you know you have these certain concept. In your mind, but when somebody like breaks it down to how they come up with the answer, it helps with test taking strategies and you, you have your peers, you can bounce, things you know, on and off and learn from each other.
[00:08:57] That's awesome. So you really loved [00:09:00] the, like I, those, the Saturday calls are the bonus additional calls where we just totally focus on purple book questions. You like that the most? Yeah, like I did because I felt like that was like where you really got to put what you learned throughout the week, into practice.
[00:09:21] I felt like that was very helpful for me, and I know you devote a lot of time. Like I, I really appreciated, you going over questions and things like that, but I think also it was smaller. It wasn't everybody, on the Saturday calls and I love it. It was certain people that were consistent.
[00:09:38] Yeah. Yeah. I like that about it. I love it. I'm That those calls, cuz that was something we had added because before we would do some of the questions during the lecture, but it's so much information all at the same time and then do some questions so we decide to separate.
[00:09:54] So it gives me a lot of joy to know that was so helpful [00:10:00] cuz it was something that, that that was new that we did. Beginning of this year, and I'm looking to, expand upon that even more a little bit so that yeah, we can add more value and just help more people be successful when they pass, when they take the exam.
[00:10:16] That, yeah. . Yeah. If there was anything that you could tell people who were like on the fence about. , a program like this or any kind of program that helps them to pass, what would you say to them? . I feel like if you invest in yourself, nobody's gonna invest in you better than yourself.
[00:10:34] So it, it is like you need to put the money forth and, try to, learn what you can learn. Even, even if you're unsuccessful, you're getting something, you're benefiting from it. So I feel like you, you have to invest in yourself at the end of the. I love it. You're right.
[00:10:49] Nobody's gonna invest in you the way you invest in yourselves. Perfect. In terms of, I'm always looking to what can I do to help and provide more value within this type of [00:11:00] program? Having gone through it was, is there anything else that you could recommend or say I could have done better or anything to improve upon?
[00:11:08] I don't think it's nothing that you could have done better, but I feel like for you it's like time consuming. Like you have to block out so much of your time just to do all of this every week. So like me thinking, I'm like, you should honestly like. Upload, like going over just like how you already have the videos, but you know what I'm saying, like from a standpoint, I feel like you could probably break down the chapters in the Purple Book.
[00:11:35] Cause I know you don't cover every certain thing, but maybe even like a hour, lecture on certain topics. Just what, I'm trying to think of something that wasn't like, Talked about a lot like for instance, er Ergon, right? Yeah. We didn't go over er like that. And I got one question on ergonomic
[00:11:57] The one, just have a library of. [00:12:00] Library. I only had one tenant transfer and I'm just like, I studied my behind off. Yeah. So it's just I feel like you could, you actually have a library of just the general topics, and, yeah. I feel like you could still meet. In the week, but where you're not spending all this time like lecturing, girl, I just feel like from your standpoint you using a lot of time , but it's helpful.
[00:12:27] I'm, it is helpful, but I'm trying to look out for you in the long run so you don't get burned out. I was just talking to someone and she's I just don't send you emails because, I know you're busy. I'm like, I'm not as busy as people think I'm . You're not , but I thank you for looking out for me.
[00:12:43] . It is I'm always I like the lecturing cuz it, it actually makes me better. Okay. And then cuz the more we do it, the better we become. Yep. And and yeah, so we are building little. More topics and videos over a period of time based on people's needs. Like a lot of the [00:13:00] videos that are in there are the way they're done because people had questions, , and I was like, , why? How do I think through and break it down for that person who, it would be more challenging for. And we are or you're just adding a little bit at a time based on like everyone's questions, but it, it's a lot of topic. Yeah it's a lot of time.
[00:13:18] It's a lot. But congratulations to you. Thank you. You did it. You passed. You're a certified hand therapist. I'm really excited for you. I think that the investment is always a good thing because in the long run of the longevity of your career, you're gonna have so many options. You're gonna have so many choices.
[00:13:36] In terms of, what you wanna do, where do you wanna go with your career over the long run. So I'm excited for you. Thank you. Yeah, I appreciate it. And thanks for everything. No, thank you. And reach out anytime you need. All right. All right. I will. Bye. Have a great night. All right, you too.
