David Gillette, PT, DPT, GCS earned a Bachelor of Arts in History at the University of Washington in 2001, and his Doctor of Physical Therapy at the University of Washington in 2009. He completed his geriatric clinical physical therapy residency at the University of Minnesota in 2012, and became board certified in geriatric physical therapy in 2013. He is now an Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy at University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA, where he teaches several classes including Geriatrics and Advanced Clinical Problems, a clinic-based class. The humanities, including history, music, and art, have been a way for him to learn about and influence how he sees others and the world around him. This narrative describes his experience of coming to see more clearly the humanity of himself and his relation to others. He is working on incorporating the humanities into the classes he teaches, as he believes they can inform students of the patient experience and of themselves as professionals and as human beings. He would like to thank Becky Olson-Kellogg, PT, DPT, GCS, CEEAA and Debbie Hanka, PT, DPT, GCS for their mentoring during the residency and for their feedback on this submission.
The healthcare professions often attract talented, committed perfectionists. But what can practitioners do when that perfectionism negatively affects rehabilitation? In “The Best is the Enemy of the Good,” David Gillette describes how his PT residency experience, and the thoughtful guidance of his mentors, helped him confront the negative aspects of his perfectionism and turn his thoughts toward the good.