Make the wrong choice?

[FLsurferDPT]

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[markelmarcel]

First, I just want to say it's very brave of you to stand up and say, hey I don't know if I made the right choice or not.

If you are having doubts, then most likely those doubts are well-founded. But, I know it may be cheesy, but I do like to make pros/cons lists.

Compare everything between the two. Salaries, job outlook, coursework, personal things (like your family and friends). Really research what you can do continuing education wise for both careers. Don't let yourself have any misconceptions about either profession.

I am considering doing my PhD with either anthropology/anatomy or palentology/anatomy so that I could potentially become an anatomy professor.

Usually, if we are honest with ourselves the right answer will stare you in the face.

 

[jbizzle]

Yes, very brave of you and commend you for coming out on SDN with this issue.

I saw that you attend Western Carolina and have high praise for the program from your previous post, but the program should be praised as a whole and not just the "program" itself (If you know what I mean) such as the faculty and student support, what the atmosphere is like more competitive or supportive and family like, and your classmates want to see eachother succeed. Now with that said how do you view Western Carolina now.

I know a friend of mine who went through the same thing you are going through. She got accepted to UNF PT school as we were both very competitive and after the first semester she dropped out and went to a Nursing program.

If you're not happy doing what your doing/pursuing then that should be the determining factor. Not because you are stressed out because of the course load, etc. If you really like the field of PT but not doing so well in your classes, then I would say stick with it. But you are already talking about going into Medicine, nursing while still in PT then you should move on.

Remember, most health care related careers have practicals built into their curiculums also, so if you can't compse yourself now, can you compose yourself later?

 

[FLsurferDPT]

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[mtm34]

FLsurf, I love surfing by the way. Anyway, I was reading your posts regarding how much you enjoy your school and program.... what happened?

 

[DPT2DO]

You are right on with your assessment of the PT schooling. The initial promise of the profession/education seems grandiose until you've actually experienced it. The restrictions in scope are downright scandalous when you consider the quantity and quality of education we receive. Luckily, you have the fortitude to step up now and admit that this is not for you. It took me about 5 years after starting PT school.

Don't forget, like jbizzle said, you will still need to develop solid patient skills no matter where you are in medicine. In my opinion, that will come with repeated patient exposure. As long as you are willing to endure some uncomfortable patient encounters you will be fine.

Also, the aspect of writing patient notes, fear of declining reimbursement and feeling of relative unimportance will follow you everywhere in health care. The feeling of importance/control is a huge factor in my job satisfaction and is one of the main reasons I've decided to pursue medicine. I feel that documentation and reimbursement issues will always be there; that's the trade-off I'll accept for the satisfaction of helping patients and understanding human physiology. You'll have to ask yourself if you're willing to accept some of the shortcomings of healthcare in order to reap the individual benefits.

 

[FLsurferDPT]

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[noyceguy]

I'm currently in PT school and I'm really learning a lot. Recently, I'm contemplating whether I really made the right choice to pursue the profession of physical therapy. When I shadowed the profession, I really liked what PT's do but now i'm thinking I would rather be more involved with internal treatment such as administering medications, possibly surgery, and treating more of the patient that is just limited by PT. I have no debt from undergrad and going to in an instate public school for PT school I really haven't spent much on my education (I'm only one semester in). Also, i'm not doing that great in PT school because I've gotten really nervous on my practicals and I haven't been feeling too good because i'm in a place four states away and don't have family/friends/support here and the people in my class or professors haven't really been much support. So, I'm thinking of going back home and doing an accelerated BSN program. I really respect the nursing profession and since I originally started out wanting to help people, I still think I'd be able to do that.
I feel like in physical therapy school they make you learn so much information but while in reality you can only do so much because of restrictons and thinking about patient/reimbursement issues. Also, for the longest time I've wanted to do oversee's medical mission work and I feel like with nursing I could do so much more. Also, since i'm young I could always go back to medical/DO school or NP school as where with PT, once you have the degree, there is no much you can do after that.
Finally, all this talk about cuts in PT reimbursements have made me even more unsettled about where PT as a profession is going.
Any advice would be great?? I would start the one year accelerated BSN program back home where i'm from in may and so housing/food would be free and I would have help (my mom is nurse).

FLsurferDPT, I don't mean this in an unkind way, but if you are unsure about whether you want continue at Western, please give up your spot so that someone who knows what they want can have an opportunity.

 

[jbizzle]

FLsurferDPT, I don't mean this in an unkind way, but if you are unsure about whether you want continue at Western, please give up your spot so that someone who knows what they want can have an opportunity.

She is already in the program! Her cohort will just be down one person. Not like someone will be thrown in with her cohort if she decides to pursue nursing.

 

[Chevy Chase Fan]

good for you for asking the tough questions, op. if you're not liking it now then you should get out before you incur any more debt. best of luck.

 

[Chevy Chase Fan]

if med school is too time consuming, maybe you could consider PA school. i get the impression that an NP is pretty much the same thing as a PA though, so whatever works for you.

 

[PSYCHNP]

Thanks DPT2DO. I was really hoping PT school would work out but am really liking the idea of doing an accelerated nursing program and then becoming an NP. I feel like DO school is great but way too much time and money. It's amazing that you did both!

If you go the route of BSN I would definitely consider staying in school to get an Advanced Practice Nursing degree (i.e. anesthetist).

The job of an RN in many areas (i.e. med/surg, ER, ICU) can be extremely stressful, demanding, with a high degree of responsibility. I literally saw nurses crying at work. The pay would probably be less than PT. So, I would think long and hard. Perhaps the PT program you are in is just that bad?

 

[FLsurferDPT]

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[Chevy Chase Fan]

to me it sounds like you want to go to medical school more than anything else but are too afraid to admit it. be honest with yourself before you commit yourself to another program you don't truly want to be in.

 

[mac_kin]

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[Chevy Chase Fan]

I'm surprised by how many PTs end up going into medicine after a few years. There are several on this forum alone.

 

[lee9786]

Question... If PTs opted out of Medicare due to low reimbursement rates, and accepted only cash, could a PT run a fully autonomous, PT clinic? From what I understand, the big issue with real direct access is reimbursement from third-party payers. So if they weren't involved, private practice wouldn't be dependent on physician referral, at least in most states.

If the clinic was run without third-party reimubursement, the PT wouldn't have to spend so much of their time with paperwork and more time with patients. They could have more PTA involvement with the less complex patients and PT aides work with rudimentary tasks. Patients would pay for the service out of pocket.

Would it work? Why or why not?

 

[jesspt]

Question... If PTs opted out of Medicare due to low reimbursement rates, and accepted only cash, could a PT run a fully autonomous, PT clinic? From what I understand, the big issue with real direct access is reimbursement from third-party payers. So if they weren't involved, private practice wouldn't be dependent on physician referral, at least in most states.

If the clinic was run without third-party reimubursement, the PT wouldn't have to spend so much of their time with paperwork and more time with patients. They could have more PTA involvement with the less complex patients and PT aides work with rudimentary tasks. Patients would pay for the service out of pocket.

Would it work? Why or why not?

Lee,

Some PTs do run cash-only practices. They are few and far between, but they are out there.

 

[jesspt]

Hi there,

I am a recent PT grad, considering career choices with possibly medicine in mind. Let me tell you a bit about my PT story before I tell you my advice.

First, after undergrad I applied to medicine (basically it is a lottery nowadays) and did not get in. I opted for PT and got into one of the best programs in the country. I loved my program - very well taught, very good clinical placements and very supportive peers and faculty. Hands down the best two years of my life (it is a Masters).

In PT there are basically 3 general routes (cardiorespiratory, neuro, and MSK). My dream was sports PT, you know like those guys who assist the national teams and go to the Olympics. In the end, due to the way my placements played at school (admin faults) I graduated with a bit less MSK experience than my peers and had to opt for a hospital job in cardioresp. I don't hate it but I don't love it either, and will be trying to change into MSK within the next year.

The Career Pros: working in a hospital exposes you to so many different cases, different interprofessional teams, learning opportunities, etc. With some extra post-grad courses, you can pretty much switch into any PT field and vary your career path. If you are someone who needs constant intellectual stimulation and change, at least with PT you can fairly easily switch work settings and specialities during your career, and can become involved in clinical education leading to teaching at a university.

The Cons: I do chest therapy with all my patients and then get them up to walk. I spent 2 years memorizing anatomy, special tests, lab values, mundane surgical procedures. In my job, I need to recognize when someone is safe to get up (check simple values and vital signs and talk with RN) and then I clap on their chest and take them for a walk. Like you said - for what I am specifically doing right NOW, it seems like over-education. BUT, when I switch into ortho, I will be glad to have the anatomy/special tests etc all memorized. Also, a lot of what is learned in PT school is BASIC PATIENT EXAM AND CLINICAL REASONING, which will be required in any health care profession. And some of the very basic techniques like motor assessments, auscultation, ASIA spinal cord grading, manual muscle tests, these skills are important to almost all primary care professions - nurses included. So if you are not liking learning about patient interviews and SOAP notes, sorry friend, nursing care is not your field.


The best part of my job is the patient relationship I can develop - I spend 20-40min with each patient per day (which is likely 4-8x more than docs). Seeing the neurological ones succeed and start to move their arm, or progress their walking is very rewarding. The family/patient relationships and success is the best part of my work.
Dealing with nurses is the worst - lol, sorry to burst your bubble. I really think that unless you go into nursing with the goal of being a nurse practitioner or some sort of advanced OR or education nurse....the work will be 100x more boring than PT.

Nurses basically respond to call bells, change diapers, hand patients their meds, change dressing, and maintain a very neat and strict record of fluid balances, body weights, meds. I work in this field every day in acute care, trust me, nurses get told what to do, then do it. If you feel nursing in acute care will be more challenging and interesting than PT in acute care....you are in for a surprise.


Anyway, what is potentially driving me out of the field is the fact that it was a huge educational investement, with no permanent job guarantees (all us new grads are on mat leaves and contracts), private practice is money driven (noone cares about your skills as long as you can see as many people per hour as possible), and people are unemployed or maybe have 400 insurance for PT per 12 month period (which is like 4-5 visits). So really the opportunities in private care are low, and starting your own business is quite the risk in these economic times.
Patient's ability to access PT is very dependent on a lot of factors beyond our control (economy, taxes, insurance policies, our scope of practice).

I think unless some significant changes occur in my life (a permanent job opens up or opportunity to take ownership of a clinic) then I will be leaving the field completely. In the meantime I'm going to play the med school lottery game one more time.

This sounds like Canada, no?

 

[jbizzle]

I'm surprised by how many PTs end up going into medicine after a few years. There are several on this forum alone.

I'm surprised as well. Chevy Chase Fan, what are you planning to do now?

 

[FLsurferDPT]

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[FLsurferDPT]

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[Chevy Chase Fan]

You have all the prereqs for medical school. Why would you get an RN? You're just taking someone else's spot for a degree you don't really need to get you where you want to go. That's not only silly, its selfish.

 

[myzougrad]

Let's not overlook that you are not doing well and do not have a support system. Are you not doing well because you dislike the field or do you dislike the field because you're not doing well? If you truly dislike the field, then go do what your heart tells you is the right thing. Really take time to think about if you're just overwhelmed and looking for reassurance. A struggling student could convince themselves that returning home to a program where you'll have lots of help (Moms a nurse) makes all the sense in the world. It's hard to do the difficult program when you have the easier program to fall back on. I'm a first year and I"m struggling too. I think it's just going to take time to get used to the courseload and to force myself to push through til I succeed. In the long run, it will be worth it to me. You have to decide if that is true for you.

 

[PSYCHNP]

I think you're right. That's why I'm thinking NP school or DO school after the RN. I just need to get my foot in the door with healthcare. My ultimate goal is over sea's medical missions.

Let me not discourage you. You seem like a very conscientious student. The RN education can and will open a lot of doors for you. I know students who do it just to get their anesthetist credentials later. It can also help you in terms of business endeavors and in many other ways. All the best.

 

[FLsurferDPT]

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[Chevy Chase Fan]

alrighty then. alllllllrrrrrriiiiigggggggggghhhhhhhhttttttttty theeeeennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

 

[johncronejr]

Let's not overlook that you are not doing well and do not have a support system. Are you not doing well because you dislike the field or do you dislike the field because you're not doing well? If you truly dislike the field, then go do what your heart tells you is the right thing. Really take time to think about if you're just overwhelmed and looking for reassurance. A struggling student could convince themselves that returning home to a program where you'll have lots of help (Moms a nurse) makes all the sense in the world. It's hard to do the difficult program when you have the easier program to fall back on. I'm a first year and I"m struggling too. I think it's just going to take time to get used to the courseload and to force myself to push through til I succeed. In the long run, it will be worth it to me. You have to decide if that is true for you.

I have to agree with the above quote. It does sound like the OP is ditching PT due to it being s struggle in the class and a struggle emotionally due to being away from any familial support system. Going home and into a shorter, and perhaps easier, program would certainly be enticing.

In the end, it is your life to do with as you please. Good luck!

 

[jbizzle]

FLsurfer dont take this the wrong way, but what really happened?

I was reading through your old post, and I had quoted you on some even if you did delete what you had on the other threads, and saw that you were really enthusiastic about the field of PT. Seeriously though, what's up?

It's ironic. Now that I finally get accepted into PT after all those months of trying to figure out what the hell im going to do with my life, I'm here thinking about the economy, medicare and now from a person (meaning you) that was very into the field before you entered a program is backing out. I am here reading everything you write and something had to happen.

I remember even posting something about how one specific thread was a downer and made me think If I still wanted to pursue PT, and you told me to check the allopathic forums and see what the med school students have to go through and how much they complain about not getting enough sleep and being on-call all the time.

 

[Chevy Chase Fan]

I can recall similar posts ^

To be honest op always sounded like he was trying to psyche himself up for PT as much as anyone else. This is why I only pay attention to comments from PTs rather than pre-PT students.

 

[DPT8387]

FLSurfer- I commend you for being able to admit that PT isn't for you, and I think that it's a great decision to go into nursing. It can open lots of doors for you! This forum isn't about picking apart why someone has chosen not to go into PT- we are all different and some things don't work the way we may have thought. This is a place to get advice and support--not a place to be ridiculed! So good luck

 

[myzougrad]

FLSurferDPT In no way did I intend to ridicule you. It just sounded to me like you were a little homesick and may need some encouragement. If nursing is what you want, go for it with all you have. Any of the professions you mentioned are great careers. I just didn't want you to give up on something for the wrong reason.

 

[FLsurferDPT]

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[BestDoctorEver]

I have to agree with the above quote. It does sound like the OP is ditching PT due to it being s struggle in the class and a struggle emotionally due to being away from any familial support system. Going home and into a shorter, and perhaps easier, program would certainly be enticing.

In the end, it is your life to do with as you please. Good luck!

I dont know a lot about PT school but trust me RN school is not easy (at least at the state schools).