Will the previous demand for PT's especially from the Philippuines come back? like the previous conditions in hiring foreign trained PT's that existed prior to 1996 hwen I think mass freeze hiring began. Because so far, only the nurses are enjoying such employment opportunities in health care.
Posts: 25
Joined: May 14, 2004
From: Australia
Status: offline
From what I can see, even though i was trained in a pretigious School of Physiotherapy in australia, and despite all my work experiences, I am treated like an undergraduate student when attempting to be licensed in america to work. going thru proliferative amounts of paperwork, exams, clinical placements to be registered...all just too too much for a physio who wants to alleviate america of its shortage of physical therapists.
Posts: 456
Joined: October 22, 2002
From: CA
Status: offline
From what I have heard from Canadian PTs, they have no problems coming to work in the US. Only PTs from India and other Asian countries have a problem. Phillipines is still very highly recognized country for PTs to come to the US.
Posts: 1568
Joined: November 15, 2003
From: Australia
Status: offline
Hi Yen
No, it does not make much sense, but each country is individual re whom it takes in. The UK is relatively easy for Aust trained PTs to work; but the schools in Canada, the UK and here are fairly comparable from what I can gather. Where did you train? I am interested in your term 'a prestigious school' - my bet is Qld, Sth Australia or Curtin (WA)....wrong?
Posts: 25
Joined: May 14, 2004
From: Australia
Status: offline
chuckles :) ...did i really say prestigious? I really liked the School of Physiotherapy which I trained in and yes, it was South Australia. I had extremely good professors and lecturers and clinical educators.
Posts: 12
Joined: June 19, 2004
From: USA
Status: offline
I think that USA in general do not welcome foreign trained PTs. They trust american trained PTs. I think that PTAs helped the PT profession in USA as they are responsible for administering treatment in many settings. You can have one PT in a clinic supervising many PTAs. However, there are still a few PTs who are still coming from overseas and getting licensed in northern states.
The eligibility for foreign trained therapists has changed alot in the last decade, my wife came from the PI in '89, at that time it was relatively easy to get in, there was even a special provision written in the immigration policy for PT's. One of the problems was, and probably people in the Philippines know this, was that less than reputable schools popped up, graduating PT's to go to the US, and the regulatory system tightened up, so that many other foreign trained therapist, like Dutch therapists, were found to be lacking in educational requirements, such as history, or non-PT related courses. Then of course came the lean years, and there was little demand for foreign therapists, and maybe even a little resentment that they had diluted the market.
Now there is a shortage again, but most PT's and the APTA realize the advantages to that so are in no hurry to push for changes. Some of the regulations are silly and insulting, my wife was originally licensed in Arizona, she eventually worked as director there, supervising several other PT's. She let her license lapse now that she is in TX, she was told that in order for her to get licensed in AZ again she has to be supervised for 6 months by an American trained therapist because she was foreign trained. That is ridiculous, that she should need to be supervised by someone she may have supervised.
Posts: 2
Joined: March 28, 2005
From: Chicago area
Status: offline
Historically there have been many foreign trained physical therapists working in the Chicago area- they have been sought-out here. I've had the pleasure to work with wonderful therapists from England, Sweden, the middle east, Holland... I'm now in a position to hire therapists myself and have run into long-delays when hiring a Canadian therapist with proper work papers, due to an extremely slow licensure process in Illinois. The timeframes are very long for licensure to be processed in Illinois even when a therapist is a U.S. citizen and U.S. trained and moving from a different state. The second problem is 9/11. It is very difficult for foreign therapists to receive governmental approval to come to work here- lots of hoops to jump through. The U.S.A. is not unique in this practice- we're still more liberal in this aspect than many other countries! The world has become a smaller place through globalization in the marketplace and through the www communications. But the more doors a house has, the more a need for a good security system is perceived. I hope we can find a way to bring that stream of foreign trained therapists to our country. We need more PTs, and the cultural exchange is a benefit to everyone.
Posts: 3
Joined: October 22, 2004
From: Philippines
Status: offline
Thanks for everyones reply, I have to change screen names because this is the 3rd time we changed PCs. Anyway, it was interesting to see that somehow the demand is coming up again. It is sad to know that there is a slow licensure process in Illinois, 'coz I am bound for an employer in Chicago. I got stuck with a slow visa process due to the retrogression and now I have to anticipate another slow process. So sad.
Posts: 17
Joined: April 22, 2005
From: New York City
Status: offline
I've seen plenty of wanted PT's/PTA's advertised in the Advance for PT magazine. Surprisinlgy, there is a great demand here on the east coast (e.g. New York City when there are 8 PT school in the metropolitan area ). Some of these staffing companies are willing to hire and sponsor foreign trained PT as their ads indicates. I believe the demand is back, so don't despair; you'll find many facilities and companies on the internet looking for PTs, send email to their human resource department, do something! Jobs won't come to you unless you do the work.
My other advise for foreign PT's who wants to work in US is to prepare themselves academically because US trained PT's are now graduating with a Master's or an entry-doctorate. All Bachelors program are phase-out as required by CAPTE. Those who graduated with only a Bachelor's degree may have difficulty because US immigration requires that a foreign PT have similar or higher level training to their US counterpart.
Years ago when I started working, I've come to meet so many other foreign PTs from the Philippines ( like myself ), Austrailia, Peru, Taiwan, Netherlands, England, India, Hong Kong, Canada, Poland, Egypt, etc. and it was a great learning experience. I wish that Filipino PTs and for that matter all PTs from other nation would again have those opportunity....
with regards to the new requirement that foreign trained PTs must have a masters dgree in order to work in the US, i've read that they are imposing that on those graduates from 2003 up. has the rules changed? is evryone required even those who graduated before 2003?
well if this is so, getting there must be doubly hard.
Posts: 17
Joined: April 22, 2005
From: New York City
Status: offline
I don't know if a master's degree is required and that those who graduated prior to 2003 qualified to work here, for certain a foreigned trained PT needs to have an equivalent training. If you don't have a masters in PT, go for it...it's never a waste but a smart career strategy, when all the rest are statisfied to be among the "pack." One thing for sure, the demand is back! Now for how long one can never be sure, things could change...
I hope filipino PTs realizes that PT in the US is evolving, with greater responsibility and autonomy are given to us. It behoove us to advance PT knowledge and profession, and acquiring knowledge thru masters or doctoral training for example is a positive response to the call. Few years back, though I had a good training as a PT, I was acting merely as an assistant or technician to the physiatrist(in the Philippines). That's not acceptable here in the US anymore.
Posts: 37
Joined: January 13, 2005
From: houston
Status: offline
Having a master degree would definitely help when you do credential evaluation. However, not all states require a master. Some accept bachelor degrees, while there are others who only accept entry-level US masters. For example, Tx does not accept foreign trained PTs who graduated at 2003 even if they have PhDs.
Posts: 37
Joined: January 13, 2005
From: houston
Status: offline
This is board specific. The rules are different for each state. You should check with the state you are interested in about the rules.
Some states as NY welcome foreign trained PTs while others as Tx do not welcome foreign trained PTs and do not accept licensure application from any alien who were educated outside USA.
Printable Version
All Forums >> [RehabEdge Forum] >> The Future of PT >> Foreign trained PT's 
Foreign trained PT's - 
New Messages
No New Messages
Hot Topic w/ New Messages
Hot Topic w/o New Messages
Locked w/ New Messages
Locked w/o New Messages
Post New Thread