Seasonal Change

Well the wait is over. I have had so many emotions and thoughts this week. I am going to try to write them down. It will likely be in several blogs. Where to start?  Many of you know that I have been slowly working on a McKenzie certification. Like most things in life, I did it the hard way. I became interested in the physical therapy treatment technique for spine when I started working in outpatient orthopedics.

 In order to be certified, one has to take 4 classes and sit for a written and practical exam. The classes and exams are given different dates and places all around the country. There is about 5-6 hours of written test followed by a practical exam. This exam is unique as there is not practice exams and only 4-5 practice questions. No one knows what the exam is truly like until taking it. The practical is performing three of the 100ish techniques that are selected at random on the professors who are grading you. It may have changed now, but there is a 60% first time pass rate.

When I took the classes they were all 3.5 days long. There for to take the classes, travel time and money, time off work, place to stay, and tuition for the course are all necessary. Due to the circumstances, it took me a couple years to take all the classes. Most physical therapists who continue taking classes beyond the first two have certification as a goal.  While I was taking the classes, I had no intention of sitting for the exam. Testing of any sort has always been a challenge for me. The way God created my mind, I have to study differently than many. It takes extra time to rewrite material in different form prior to being able to study it.  I just did not want to put the time and effort required to do so.

I took the last class just prior to heading to Guatemala which began my two years of traveling. The more I considered it, the more I thought it would be nice to have the certification for all the work and money I had already put towards it. I, however, did not see how that was possible traveling and practicing alone or with people who were not familiar with the technique. In September 2013, I began the process of studying. Working in a rural setting aided in fostering the discipline to study before and after work. I continued studying until March. The weekend prior to leaving for Mercy Ships this spring, I sat for the exam in Chicago. The complicating factor was I had limited practice during the two years of travel therapy and was not around any therapists who were McKenzie trained since winter 2012.

Nonetheless, I did my best. The written proved difficult. I let nerves get the best of me during the practical. I knew as soon as I finished the practical that I did not pass that part. God was faithful and provided fellowship with one friend from Bay Cliff Summer Camp and another friend from Messiah College the evening after the test. I was very glad when I found out  for sure while on the ship that I had passed the written.  I knew how to study differently for the practical. I, however, would not have known what to do differently to pass the written.

The McKenzie Institute has provision and allows one to retake only the written or only the practical. The timing of retaking the practical was complicated by my service dates with Mercy Ships. The way the timing worked out, I was able to concentrate on studying the practical part for the better part of August. I practiced on a certified clinician, family, friends, rewrote steps of all the procedures multiple times, and prayed for His peace.  I retook the practical portion the first weekend of September. Immediately prior to taking the exam I received notification that one of my flights in my itinerary home was canceled.  I decided to deal with that after the exam.

This time, I felt more confident, yet due to nerves was not sure I had performed what I knew. The results would come about two weeks after taking the exam. Not being certain I had passed, I set in my mind to work at a McKenzie clinic when I returned from Mercy Ships.  Then again, I may just give up on it and continue practicing the techniques as one of my tools without the certification. God again blessed me with friends to fellowship with immediately after taking the exam. The longer I waited for the results, the more sure I was that I did not pass again.

Dad  had my permission to open any mail that came from McKenzie Institute while I was not in Charlotte. He called me Thursday to tell me he received something from McKenzie. It was a certificate! I had passed the practical. I could not believe it. I asked him again if it really was a certificate. I am so relieved this season is over. God is good! His timing and faithfulness was woven throughout the process. It will be interesting to see how God uses it in the future. The next place of learning will be on the Africa Mercy.