I have been sitting on a thought for a while as I work on decorating my new office. I have recently earned another certificate to put on the wall. I placed this new one above my very first manual therapy certificate and it made me think about the differences.

The new one is the largest yet, but not because they had a lot to write. It is pretty and the frame is huge, but there is one problem, I have minimal emotional connection to it. The old one is from 2003 when I had been out of school for only about a year. It was the first test of my knowledge in manual therapy. I remember the stress of studying for that certificate and how I connected it with my aspirations to become like my manual therapy mentors and role models. There was so much riding on that first passing mark; that moment helped define the rest of my journey. The certificate did not give me any extra initials after my name but more importantly it gave me the seal of approval that this was my path.

Yes, the new certificate has opened more doors for me. This approval from my professional association allows me to do more but again, there is the lack of an emotional connection to the achievement. I remember the massive struggle to study for the exam. It was not my passion and the information was not interesting to me. I did not really see the purpose other than I was told that I had to do it.

I still enjoy seeing that little certificate with my mentors’ names on it. That connection is more important to me than what any other organization gives me, no matter how big or pretty it is.

– Rajesh Khemraj, PT, OCS, COMT, FAAOMPT

Clinical Faculty Instructor at The North American Institute of Orthopaedic Manual Therapy