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Andrew M. Ball PT PhD -> Re: DPT question (April 5, 2005 4:10:00 PM)
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Again, Dr. Wagner and I agree. A DPT and an MD or DO cannot be compared, a DPT isn't a medical degree while the MD and DO are. I agree that as non-medical clinical doctorates go, a DPT is "on par" (whatever that means) with the PharmD, AuD, OD, DDS, DPM, or DC. Obviously, as one of the newer kids on the block, the DPT is going to get picked on and tested by the playground bullies a bit before being respected on par, in the eyes of both the healthcare community and colleague professions, with some of the other non-medical clinical doctors aforementioned.
The EdD and PhD, which have come up before, are outside this discussion. While "doctors" they are both non-medical, and non-clinical.
I've been working out my DPT vision for quite some time now, and think I've got it. I DO NOT want to compete with an MD. That's not why I want a DPT. I want a DPT to be the safest therapist I can be. I want a DPT to treat more efficiently, more effectively than I have in the past. The value of a DPT isn't so much in learning when to call the MD with a concern, but rather HOW to communicate observed subjective reports of patient changes and visceral referal patterns in ways that neither "cry wolf," nor turn off physicians. In short, it's not about learning when an MD needs to be called, so much as when they don't need to be bothered for a false alarm. Can I get this without a DPT? Sure, but the DPT puts all of that continuing education in a nice, neat package, and allows me a label with which to communicate without unambiguity to others, that such a level of achieved clinical decision making has been at the very least presented to, if not absorbed by, the holder of the DPT. Without it, others either have to guess, or I'd have to tell them.
The truth is, while ya'll would never know it from my posts here, in person people around me realize that I've learned the art of, to play on words, "Toot my horn, without blowing it." For me, holding a t-DPT is all the tooting that I'll ever need to do. It's quiet way to say, "been there, done that, have diff dx education, have the imaging eduction, have the pharm education" in a way that is accepted to people who care, and not off-putting to people who don't.
Maybe I'm oversensitive about it, but having an MBA and PhD in a clinical profession where most people don't, I'm VERY self-aware about the way I come off in person. People almost expect some degree of arrogance or condescent, so the less said about certain topics, usually the better. Simply slowing down my speaking speed so as to pick my words carefully and avoid argument born from misinterpretation of something I say is on occasion incorrectly viewed as condescent.
Simply having a DPT is just about all I ever need to say about my entry-level clinical skills and how I've kept up with the APTA vision. It's respected by people who care, and ignored by people who either don't, or are threatened by the APTA vision.
It's just like a PhD in one respect. Anyone can do, or be taught to do research, but anyone with an earned PhD has demonstrated, under peer-review, that they have done so. It, like the DPT, is simply recognition of specific achievements.
Drew
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