Aging physical therapists

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DPTErudition

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I haven't commonly seen any physical therapists that are over the age of 50. I'm sure the job is hard on joints over the years and it's a very real possibility that one day I won't be able to do manual treatment on my feet all day working with a high patient load. Do aging physical therapists typically enter some type of administrative position? Is it possible to teach at a physical therapy program with only a dpt? I've considered further schooling, but working now towards paying for pt school/undergrad makes this much less appealing.

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I work in outpatient ortho and can't imagine not being able to work into my late 60's in this setting (if I'm not able to or want to retire by then). Are you referring to the physical demands of another setting?
 
I work in outpatient ortho as well, I guess it depends on a particular facility. If I was treating patients one on one, with some alterations to my manual techniques that would be more feasible. But sometimes if there are 3 or 4 patients scheduled, I think running back and forth and doing manual all day could be a little difficult.
 
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I would think it would be potentially harder on someone in an acute or rehab setting where patients are more often more dependent with transfers/ambulation than out-patient... That being said, I know lots of PTs still practicing in their 50s and some that have switched over to academia. I, too, would love to do that someday, but like you said, the thoughts of getting a PhD and adding more debt is enough to make me sick!
 
Positions available in academia that are available without a research degree (ie you only have a DPT) are going to pay significantly less that a practicing PT w/ 20 years experience can make in the clinic. Even many faculty positions in academia are going to pay less than private clinical work, depending on the school and the position. Just something to keep in mind.
 
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I keep myself in pretty good shape and I'm sure I'll be able to practice even when I'm much older. Should be even more incentive for me to take care of myself.
 
I keep myself in pretty good shape and I'm sure I'll be able to practice even when I'm much older. Should be even more incentive for me to take care of myself.

Should be even more incentive to use good body mechanics too. We as PTs have to be an example to all our kyphotic patients.
 
the thoughts of getting a PhD and adding more debt is enough to make me sick!

If you think you need to pay for a PhD, you are doing it wrong! I know no one who has paid for a PhD; most are on fellowships (with a stipend on top of tuition, fees, books paid for), or have a research assistantship or TA, which pay tuition and a salary. You may need a bit of loans to cover some living expenses, but not the bulk of PhD costs. As a matter of fact, with my NIH Fellowship for my PhD, I could not take any federal loans since both federal programs.
 
If you think you need to pay for a PhD, you are doing it wrong! I know no one who has paid for a PhD; most are on fellowships (with a stipend on top of tuition, fees, books paid for), or have a research assistantship or TA, which pay tuition and a salary. You may need a bit of loans to cover some living expenses, but not the bulk of PhD costs. As a matter of fact, with my NIH Fellowship for my PhD, I could not take any federal loans since both federal programs.
It would still be debt dependent on if I was able to continue working full-time while doing it. Yes, I am well aware of fellowships and assistantships, I used to work in higher education.
 
Positions available in academia that are available without a research degree (ie you only have a DPT) are going to pay significantly less that a practicing PT w/ 20 years experience can make in the clinic. Even many faculty positions in academia are going to pay less than private clinical work, depending on the school and the position. Just something to keep in mind.

That's why it's nice to do it part-time!
 
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