to make a long story short, im in my 3rd year of PT school, and currently completing my final clinical rotations. I have not enjoyed any of my rotations, and I am starting to think that being a practicing PT clinician may not be the right path for me. I have already invested so much time and money into PT school, but I am afraid that my degree is going to go to waste. My question is, are there any other career opportunities available to me besides being a practicing physical therapist? I know doing research is one option, but that does not really interest me. Are there any DPTs out there that are not using their degrees in the traditional sense? Where else could I get hired where my DPT degree could be put to good use? any input would be helpful, thanks alot.
other jobs besides being a practicing clinician
- Thread starter dpt201
- Start date
Would you be willing to elaborate on these clinical rotations and how they differed from your expectations going into PT school?
I'm just starting down this path, so it seems like your experiences are worth paying attention to. As far as I'm concerned, there is no need to make this long story short.
Thank you.
I'm just starting down this path, so it seems like your experiences are worth paying attention to. As far as I'm concerned, there is no need to make this long story short.
Thank you.
My first clinical was in acute care, then hospital-based outpatient, then private practice outpatient facility. Basically, I always enjoyed my musculoskeletal classes and envisioned myself working in the outpatient ortho setting. I guess all along my heart was never completely set on being a PT, but i managed to make my way through the first two academic years with very good grades, hoping that I would enjoy the clinical aspect more as they went on. Now that I am doing full time clinicals, I just don't enjoy it and can't see myself doing this every day for the rest of my life. Maybe it turns out I am not as much of a "people person" as i thought I was, I don't know, but working with patients has not been enjoyable for me in any of these settings.
If anybody knows of other jobs within the field such as working for an insurance company, doing consulting work, please let me know. I hope there is something else out there for me that will put my degree to good use besides being a clinician.
If anybody knows of other jobs within the field such as working for an insurance company, doing consulting work, please let me know. I hope there is something else out there for me that will put my degree to good use besides being a clinician.
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2008
- Messages
- 1,127
- Reaction score
- 412
It's been my experience that the bold above doesn't mean a damn thing to good PTs. It's whether or not their head is set on it. If your are intellectually engaged in the scientific underpinnings of the profession and enjoy clinical reasoning, you'll be an excellent clinician and will enjoy your time in the profession. If you are someone whose heart "has to be in it" your emphasis is misplaced and misguided.
You can't hook on in academia most likely, as you have no clinical experience, and most programs won't let someone who just has a DPT without significant experience, or specialist certification, teach. You might be able to hook on assisting with a course, or being a lab instructor.
Most insurance companies want you to have some clinical experience as well, if you are going to do case review, etc.
My guess is that if you enjoyed your musculoskeletal classes, you can find an outpatient clinic where you will enjoy your work. You don't need to be "a people person" to provide quality care that your patients will value.
I met a PT in a very similar situation. He spent 4 yrs right out school exploring different settings and just realized he didn't enjoy the profession. He now works for Bioness. I think there is some data collection involved in his job, but I'm not quite sure. Still very involved with PT, but in a different manner.
