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Should I?
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Should I? - June 28, 2000 11:29:00 AM
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purestlisa
Posts: 3
Joined: June 2, 2000
From: Elmhurst, NY
Status: offline
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Hi my name is Lisa and I'm starting my first year in PT school in about 1 week. Lately I've been thinking a lot about the future of PT. I have friends from the major telling me to change because the outlook of PT is not that great. PTs are not paid as much as they use to and it's not worth all the hard work and dedication.
I can't say that I have an intense passion for PT and I do know if I decide to continue I'll do my best to succeed.
Maybe someone can give me their opinion about my indecisiveness.
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Re: Should I? - June 28, 2000 12:40:00 PM
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Andrew M. Ball, MS, PT
Posts: 500
Joined: October 8, 1999
From: Chapel Hill, NC, USA
Status: offline
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You must live your bliss. If you're good at what you do, and truly passionate about it, then the money will come.
If you are not passionate about physical therapy, then you should not do it. If you're not passionate about computer programming, then you should not do that either.
Your question has less to do with physical therapy than what you want to do with your life, and how you want to live it.
The only person that can answer your question, therefore, is you. Are you passionate about physical therapy?
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Re: Should I? - June 28, 2000 1:47:00 PM
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purestlisa
Posts: 3
Joined: June 2, 2000
From: Elmhurst, NY
Status: offline
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Thank you for your response.
It's true ultimately it comes down to what makes me happy. Unfortunatly, I'm still at a dead end.
At this point I will attend PT school. I believe there are a lot of possible jobs for PTs. I will try not to be discouraged.
I'm confident that if I can graduate top of my class there will be a job for me.
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Re: Should I? - July 9, 2000 7:38:00 PM
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edilling
Posts: 139
Joined: January 10, 2000
From: pullman,wa,usa
Status: offline
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PL
The current market for PTs is tight but change is constant. Just because things are not as they used to be everyone says it is "bad". I personaly feel that 10yr ago when anyone who held a PT degree and had a pulse had 3 job offers without being interviewed was very unhealthy for the profession. Look where it has led us-- we are currently scrambling to get evidence for our practice because none was done in the "hayday", abuse of the payment system helped lead to the medicare pay cap, HMOs dramatically limiting visits, and inflated salaries. Therapists feel they are entitled to a $70k job because that is how it WAS.
Do not look at the current status of the profession from the eyes of the past. Look from the present and to the future.
I am not totally up on the job market but when you graduate you will probably have to search for a job and it may not be your dream location but, with a little effort, you will be employed earning a living wage+. As your skills improve (with continued growth and education) you will be in increased demand, be able to command a higher wage, and better dictate where you would like to work. [did I just describe 90% of professions?]
The future of PT is bright if we step out of the darkness of the past. Our profession is changing- for the better.
Erik
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Re: Should I? - July 10, 2000 10:17:00 AM
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mcap
Posts: 652
Joined: February 8, 2000
Status: offline
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Dear PT to Be:
Like everyone else here I think you should make sure of what you want to do. You will have a long career. Making the wrong choice now will affect you for years to come!!
You don't have to be completely passionate about what you do but you at least have to like it. If you are not sure of whether you will like it then your career will be a constant source of frustration and stress. If you think you will like being a therapist then you will be able to suceed, even in tight job markets - just work hard.
Another factor you may want to consider is how much do you like working with people??? NEVER underestimate how hard it is to work with people, particularly those who are suffering, each day. It means the rewards and satisfaction can be greater but the process is difficult. I beleive I underestimated this before I went it.
Finally, you must factor in finances. It is naive to make your decision without considering your funding. Figure out how much you need to borrow and what your monthly payments will be. A rough guide is about 100 dollars a month for ten years for every 10,000 borrowed. If you borrow a significant amount it will impact your life in a major way.
I like my career but if I personally had to choose at this point and had to borrow a great deal of money to complete school - I would not go!
-mcap
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Re: Should I? - July 17, 2000 4:32:00 PM
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charanderson
Posts: 25
Joined: December 27, 1999
From: Newbury Park, Ca, U.S.A.
Status: offline
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purestlisa,
I hope that your are happy with your decision to start PT school. I am sure that you can make it the right choice. I remember when I started College. I looked at an education as a means of getting to a certain career,ie PT, Nursing or Physician. Ten+ years out, I have come to believe that education could be seen as a starting point to unknown possiblities. There are many experienced PTs here that have added to or changed their career directions, I believe that there is at least one author, and more professors and entrepreneurs who are members to Rehabedge. So since you have decided to start PT school, enjoy it, commit to it and be open to change, new education and opportunities during your career. It is possible to find your passion through PT, even if it isn't in the daily clinically practice of it.
Charlene [URL=http://www.smarttiming.com]http://www.smarttiming.com[/URL]
[This message has been edited by charanderson (edited July 17, 2000).]
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