- Joined
- Aug 6, 2009
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- 35
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i've been reading SDN for a long time, and lately, i've really seen a drop off in what seems to be, the pride of students and therapists in this field.
-Yes, you don't make over 100k as a regular practicing clinician.
-No, you aren't faced with many medical emergencies requiring hours of intense reflection and investigation... but this doesn't mean you "aren't using your brain" in this field unless you are a clinic manager or some other admin.
-Yes, you may be paying a disproportionate amount to go to school vs what your salary will look like. This is a serious issue.
But if we really feel that PT's deserve more money for the work they do, that school costs need to come down, and that PT is an important an honorable profession, how are we showing it?
We need to stop thinking of the DPT as a glorified bachelors degree and start getting the message. The APTA pushed for the DPT in an attempt to put PT on the "next level". To get PT out of this stigma that PTs are simply exercise coaches with just trivial knowledge of healthcare. To get out of the doctor's shadow and to be autonomous, highly educated health care providers.
if we talk on amongst each other that PT doesn't require us to use our brains, that its really easy to get into school, etc... we are only making the problem worse.
We need to stand up tall, be proud of our profession, and create a dialogue with the community, with the government, with our patients. To show with evidence based practice that PT is important, and those who administer care do much more work than our salary implies. But no one will ever see PT as worthy of a greater salary if we can't convince ourselves.
-Yes, you don't make over 100k as a regular practicing clinician.
-No, you aren't faced with many medical emergencies requiring hours of intense reflection and investigation... but this doesn't mean you "aren't using your brain" in this field unless you are a clinic manager or some other admin.
-Yes, you may be paying a disproportionate amount to go to school vs what your salary will look like. This is a serious issue.
But if we really feel that PT's deserve more money for the work they do, that school costs need to come down, and that PT is an important an honorable profession, how are we showing it?
We need to stop thinking of the DPT as a glorified bachelors degree and start getting the message. The APTA pushed for the DPT in an attempt to put PT on the "next level". To get PT out of this stigma that PTs are simply exercise coaches with just trivial knowledge of healthcare. To get out of the doctor's shadow and to be autonomous, highly educated health care providers.
if we talk on amongst each other that PT doesn't require us to use our brains, that its really easy to get into school, etc... we are only making the problem worse.
We need to stand up tall, be proud of our profession, and create a dialogue with the community, with the government, with our patients. To show with evidence based practice that PT is important, and those who administer care do much more work than our salary implies. But no one will ever see PT as worthy of a greater salary if we can't convince ourselves.
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totally agree..the field, salary, respect, etc. cannot move forward if we are not willing to do so either