i’m thinking about being a PT so if there are any PTs out there tell me how u like your job advs/disadvantages, basically ANYTHING!
GOOD PT career info links are welcome but i would rather get personal reviews from any PTs out there!
What’s a typical day of a PT?
Any have private practices cause i’d REALLy like to work on my own hrs.
thanks!
#1 by mistify on March 1, 2010 - 2:01 pm
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I love my job. It was recently named one of the most satisfying careers by a University of Chicago survey.
A typical day for me includes seeing about 10 patients for a variety of musculoskeletal ailments including back/neck pain, post operative orthopedic procedures, joint pain, falls/balance, etc.
I differ from the above poster a little bit in that I rarely set someone up on modalities…mostly because I think they don’t really do anything. Yet, they are still prevelant in practice. I’m also fortunate enough to work in a clinic where I work one on one with patients and, therefore, don’t feel compelled to “set someone up on something” while I go work with another patient. Rather, I spend most of my time educating patients, teaching them appropriate exercises and performing hands on techniques when needed. I focus on trying to teach patients how to manage their condition independently.
I do not have a private practice. Rather, I work for a hospital based outpatient clinic that is associated with a large rehabilitation hospital. I do not think I would want to own my own clinic…but that’s my personal decision. I think working for a hospital clinic lets me lead a very balanced life and flexibility in my hours, benefits and lesiure time.
Good luck.
#2 by Anonymous on March 1, 2010 - 5:10 pm
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Im in my last yeat of PT school.
I love PT as a career. There is so much direct patient care and problem solving involved. There is also lots of advocacy and public education opportunities available if you like humanitarianism.
There are MANY fields you can go into. Acute (ICU) care, infants, children, women’s health, animal care, athletes, sports, spinal cord injuries, brain injuries, nursing homes, war vets, elderly, home health, small towns, wound care, and consultation just to name a few.
If you own your own clinic, you will be working well over full time (I’m talking 80 hours a week) to get started (say the first 2 years or so), then you can either hire others to run your own clinic, or keep working to run it yourself. You have to be really dedicated, and you also need experience before you open your own clinic (you have to learn to be efficent in your field, and have to learn how to deal with medicare and insurance)
A typical day (I’m thinking outpatient since you want to open your own clinic) usually is open from 7-6 or so. Patients come in and usually get a modality (ultrasound, hot or cold packs, etc) for about 20 min, then you trat them with an execise program or specialty treatment (like spinal mobilizations or whatnot), then you give them a home exercise program that you have designed.
You have to be able to diagnose a problem, treat a problem, educate the patient, keep contact with others of their health care team, watch for serious problems, and follow through the treatment.
It is challenging, fun, and fulfilling.
If you have any specific questions feel free to email me.