I've been wondering how promising a Career in PT will be in the future?
Since PT has become a 6-7 year degree, I was wondering if most currently practicing PTs would pick Physical Therapy again.
I'm a first-year student in college and I've been considering PT for a couple years now, much more in-depth since I've arrived at college. To me, the aspect of analyzing the body on a biomechanical level has always seemed more appealing then focusing on a biomolecular level. I'm much more interested in Physical therapy then money, and have heard time and time again that it is a very rewarding career.
However, I have also heard time and time again that the future of physical therapy will most likely be changing in the following years and becoming progressively more difficult to get into.
I've heard from first hand accounts, and from blogs online, that the aging baby boomer population promises job security, but will be straining medicare and the social security system. This will result in decreased reimbursement to healthcare professions as Medicare makes pay cuts and other private insurances follow in suite. I have been wondering how legitimate and severe these claims are?
I've also been wondering how most of you think Obamacare will affect the future of cash-based practices? I have heard more and more good things about cash-based pay, but I was also wondering how willingly someone with insurance would be to pay out of pocket.
At the beginning of this semester I have been considering a B.S. in athletic training and pursing a DPT. I thought the aspect of being able to be at sports games as an athletic training during the night, and in a client based setting during the day as a physical therapist, would not only generate some side income but also the potential to build a client base if I were ever to open my own practice seemed promising.
However, I've also been reading that DPT school does not teach you enough about business, marketing, or negotiation skills for that type of career in this field. I understand any major is viable for PT school, given that they meet the prerequisites, and that Exercise Science, Kinesiology, or Athletic Training would essentially make me more familiar with the material; but, would it be more beneficial to me to pursue a degree that would compliment PT? I have not looked much into this possibility, other than the fact that Athletic training would provide me with a credential. Would an alternative major, e.g. Business or Economics, be more beneficial to what I am considering?
I apologize if this has been thoroughly hashed out beforehand, but a brief search on this forum was unable to turn up any recent results. I understand the "student debt/PT salary" has been discussed extensively, and those that were involved in the conversations have grown tired of them.
I'm willing to follow any input I could get from here, and I understand there is much, much more for me to figure out.
Since PT has become a 6-7 year degree, I was wondering if most currently practicing PTs would pick Physical Therapy again.
I'm a first-year student in college and I've been considering PT for a couple years now, much more in-depth since I've arrived at college. To me, the aspect of analyzing the body on a biomechanical level has always seemed more appealing then focusing on a biomolecular level. I'm much more interested in Physical therapy then money, and have heard time and time again that it is a very rewarding career.
However, I have also heard time and time again that the future of physical therapy will most likely be changing in the following years and becoming progressively more difficult to get into.
I've heard from first hand accounts, and from blogs online, that the aging baby boomer population promises job security, but will be straining medicare and the social security system. This will result in decreased reimbursement to healthcare professions as Medicare makes pay cuts and other private insurances follow in suite. I have been wondering how legitimate and severe these claims are?
I've also been wondering how most of you think Obamacare will affect the future of cash-based practices? I have heard more and more good things about cash-based pay, but I was also wondering how willingly someone with insurance would be to pay out of pocket.
At the beginning of this semester I have been considering a B.S. in athletic training and pursing a DPT. I thought the aspect of being able to be at sports games as an athletic training during the night, and in a client based setting during the day as a physical therapist, would not only generate some side income but also the potential to build a client base if I were ever to open my own practice seemed promising.
However, I've also been reading that DPT school does not teach you enough about business, marketing, or negotiation skills for that type of career in this field. I understand any major is viable for PT school, given that they meet the prerequisites, and that Exercise Science, Kinesiology, or Athletic Training would essentially make me more familiar with the material; but, would it be more beneficial to me to pursue a degree that would compliment PT? I have not looked much into this possibility, other than the fact that Athletic training would provide me with a credential. Would an alternative major, e.g. Business or Economics, be more beneficial to what I am considering?
I apologize if this has been thoroughly hashed out beforehand, but a brief search on this forum was unable to turn up any recent results. I understand the "student debt/PT salary" has been discussed extensively, and those that were involved in the conversations have grown tired of them.
I'm willing to follow any input I could get from here, and I understand there is much, much more for me to figure out.
