Do you think PT will work for me?

[Aero SSX]

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Here's the thing. I've spent a lot of time researching and considering careers. After considering job security, pay, job satisfaction ratings, flexibility, work hours, etc. I decided physical therapy was right for me.

Having said that, let me explain what my gut says. I've really gotten into studying health over the past couple years. What I really want is a career that deals with holistic and natural, alternative medicine.

I would love to be a naturopathic doctor, but that would require even more schooling, and I would have to go through medical school...yuck. See I thought PT would be ok because I don't have to push drugs or perform surgeries, not that either are always bad, but I believe they are sometimes unnecessary.

I certainly want to help people heal, but I feel that PT doesn't treat the causes as much as the symptoms. I want to incorporate diet, general exercise and stretching beyond rehab, sleep, stress, etc.

I figure I could become a certified clinical nutritionist (CCN) later on, maybe even a certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) if that's required for more general training.

I thought of chiropractic, but heard that lots of chiros have SERIOUS student loan issues. I thought of being a vet, but don't want to push drugs, and surgery makes me a little squeamish. I have also heard that registered dieticians work mainly off the food pyramid. I'm not trying to insult them, but my belief is that that is a very poor eating plan...

You think PT could work, and I could add onto it and perhaps open up my own place or work something out, or should I pursue something like naturopathy, or become an MD/DO, or physiatrist, while focusing on holistic/natural healing?

 

[nicolej5]

I certainly want to help people heal, but I feel that PT doesn't treat the causes as much as the symptoms. I want to incorporate diet, general exercise and stretching beyond rehab, sleep, stress, etc.

I had to post on this because this part bugs me. You want to talk about treating symptoms and not causes? Go be a doctor and write scripts all day. Definitely not saying all doctors are terrible, but I've experienced more than my fair share of doctors who would rather write a script for some medication they are obligated to sell than treat the actual cause. PT's treat the cause. They examine biomechanical deficiencies, postural issues, etc. If you ever see a pt just treating with modalities, run as fast as you can. PT's are educators as well. Any good pt will educate their patient about what they could be doing better at home, including diet and exercise. The only we can't do is give advice about what medications to take/continue taking. We leave that to the script writers 😛

 

[Aero SSX]

I had to post on this because this part bugs me. You want to talk about treating symptoms and not causes? Go be a doctor and write scripts all day. Definitely not saying all doctors are terrible, but I've experienced more than my fair share of doctors who would rather write a script for some medication they are obligated to sell than treat the actual cause. PT's treat the cause. They examine biomechanical deficiencies, postural issues, etc. If you ever see a pt just treating with modalities, run as fast as you can. PT's are educators as well. Any good pt will educate their patient about what they could be doing better at home, including diet and exercise. The only we can't do is give advice about what medications to take/continue taking. We leave that to the script writers 😛

Hmm, I see. I see what you mean though. The PT I observed really didn't do any of that. She never talked about nutrition or other exercise. Obviously I can't use her as the body of physical therapists, that's just the experience I had.

And absolutely, most doctors are clueless/damaging to our society. There's no doubt about it. However, I have a good amount of background knowledge on the medical situation in this country, and how brainwashed the general public is. I know a lot more about health than your average Joe, because I DO question everything and look beyond face value. That's how I know big pharma/agr. are in on it with the government, and do what they can to brainwash us and keep their power, all while producing huge profits. Trust me, I know this very well.

I guess I'm trying to be a shining little light against the huge pit of darkness, if you will. I just want to help the patients in whatever way I can. Maybe I can just get certs after becoming a PT to expand my expertise and realm of practice?

EDIT: Read this- http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?p=14249517#post14249517

 

[Myosin]

There are a lot of red flags about your post that you need to address, some of which Nicole mentioned, but instead of preaching, I'll just answer your question directly.

No one here can objectively tell you if PT is right for you. Many of us are still not completely sure ourselves.

You mentioned that you don't like the idea of med school, but let me tell you that job pay is very poor compared to MDs in relation to the amount of education and debt required to reach the goal. Job satisfaction polls mean absolutely nothing and should be completely disregarded in any serious discussion. There are just too many subjective ways to measure it and too many variables that are never constant for these statistics to be used as a gauge for your own personal career choice.

PTs are currently in a silent crisis with the amount of debt they're having to take on. The APTA pretends it doesn't exist and you can barely have a serious discussion about it without some idiot bringing his straw man army into the forum

Those extra certs you get won't mean anything. It won't help you in an inpatient setting and Medicare won't pay for any of that in an outpatient setting. The only way you could use any of those additional degrees/certs is if you opened your own gym/PT hybrid facility. Starting and managing your own business is extremely difficult and definitely isn't something you can do right out of PT school with huge amounts of debt.

 

[Aero SSX]

There are a lot of red flags about your post that you need to address, some of which Nicole mentioned, but instead of preaching, I'll just answer your question directly.

No one here can objectively tell you if PT is right for you. Many of us are still not completely sure ourselves.

You mentioned that you don't like the idea of med school, but let me tell you that job pay is very poor compared to MDs in relation to the amount of education and debt required to reach the goal. Job satisfaction polls mean absolutely nothing and should be completely disregarded in any serious discussion. There are just too many subjective ways to measure it and too many variables that are never constant for these statistics to be used as a gauge for your own personal career choice.

PTs are currently in a silent crisis with the amount of debt they're having to take on. The APTA pretends it doesn't exist and you can barely have a serious discussion about it without some idiot bringing his straw man army into the forum

Those extra certs you get won't mean anything. It won't help you in an inpatient setting and Medicare won't pay for any of that in an outpatient setting. The only way you could use any of those additional degrees/certs is if you opened your own gym/PT hybrid facility. Starting and managing your own business is extremely difficult and definitely isn't something you can do right out of PT school with huge amounts of debt.

Other than doctors, who ISN'T in a debt crisis? I have limited options, like the rest of us. Go to school or work in sales or at Burger King. I want to help people. You know, the thing most of the country doesn't give a damn about.

I care about what happens to me and other people. I realize the government doesn't give two craps about me. They don't want us healthy, they don't want to promote health, because it isn't profitable.

If a cert. isn't helpful, then I won't do it. If I can at least openly discuss other life issues with my patients, that could be enough. But the truth is that diet is just as, or maybe even more important than exercise, considering the amount of toxins in food today. I don't want to deal with half the issue.

 

[Myosin]

Other than doctors, who ISN'T in a debt crisis? I have limited options, like the rest of us. Go to school or work in sales or at Burger King. I want to help people. You know, the thing most of the country doesn't give a damn about.

I care about what happens to me and other people. I realize the government doesn't give two craps about me. They don't want us healthy, they don't want to promote health, because it isn't profitable.

If a cert. isn't helpful, then I won't do it. If I can at least openly discuss other life issues with my patients, that could be enough. But the truth is that diet is just as, or maybe even more important than exercise, considering the amount of toxins in food today. I don't want to deal with half the issue.

How are your options limited? You seem to be the only one limiting them by not wanting to go to school because it's too hard and long.

Helping people is an honorable goal, but you have to have laser sharp and clear cut objective goals, you're not going to help anyone and only hurt yourself.

If your goal is to "promote health" then you will be disappointed with PT. Your goal as a PT is limited to increasing medical stability in an inpatient setting and short term rehab to an injury in an outpatient setting. Even in an outpatient setting, you only have so many visits with a single person in which you can help them.

The only thing that seems to fully fit with what you're hoping to accomplish is to become a registered dietician and certified personal trainer.

 

[Aero SSX]

Helping people is an honorable goal, but you have to have laser sharp and clear cut objective goals or you're not going to help anyone and only hurt yourself.

If your goal is to "promote health" then you will be disappointed with PT. Your goal as a PT is limited to increasing medical stability in an inpatient setting and short term rehab to an injury in an outpatient setting. Even in an outpatient setting, you only have so many visits with a single person in which you can help them.

The only thing that seems to fully fit with what you're hoping to accomplish is to become a registered dietician and certified personal trainer.

Yeah, I know...I just don't know if it'll work. Personal training seems so disposable. And I thought it was mainly about getting clients, being a salesman? RD....perhaps. But I have heard that RDs are told to focus on the food pyramid.

I mean can I get a say in anything I do? I don't want to follow a cookie-cutter formula. RD...that I could perhaps do. I don't know...maybe RD as the main job and personal training on the side...

 

[Myosin]

Yeah, I know...I just don't know if it'll work. Personal training seems so disposable. And I thought it was mainly about getting clients, being a salesman? RD....perhaps. But I have heard that RDs are told to focus on the food pyramid.

I mean can I get a say in anything I do? I don't want to follow a cookie-cutter formula. RD...that I could perhaps do. I don't know...maybe RD as the main job and personal training on the side...

Personal training is a glorified fast food job. Unless you get a job at a top quality spa or gym, you'll also get paid like fast food workers do too.

I was a personal trainer in college and I hated it. You are correct, it is more about being a salesman than it is about health. The vast majority of people don't live correctly outside of the gym to make what you do with them have any actual impact. Half the people didn't even want to train, they just needed someone to talk to about their day and all of their problems in life. You're much cheaper per hour than a psychiatrist and have to listen.

I can't comment on the current situation of RDs, but I don't think you will have follow any kind of strict protocol unless you're at a hospital or nursing home. From what I understand, that career has a lot of flexibility with independent work.

I get the big picture of what you are saying though. You can look at my post history and see that just recently I was contemplating not applying to PT school this year and switching to the MD/DO route. I am still not sure if I should.

Remember that what you do as your day job doesn't have to stop you from pursuing other things. Whether you do MD, PT, RD, etc, you are never locked into a profession for the rest of your life. You can still accomplish your job of promoting health and still just work a day job as a PT or whatever else you do for money.

Your job is not your life and your job is not your limiting factor.

I don't know how old you are or where you are at in your education, but you do have a lot of soul searching to do.

 

[NewTestament]

Based on what you have told us, Alex, I feel you should pursue medicine. You want to prescribe holistic, natural medicine, and I commend that. There's large potential in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Go to medical school, and then look for ways to incorporate natural medicine into your practice.

Doctors are always necessary in any society. They have a large scope of practice, much larger than a PT's scope of practice. I highly respect them, despite the negative reputation they have as "pill pushers." Most physicians are honest and want to treat their patients. It doesn't seem that way because of increasing regulation, time restraints, and reimbursement issues.

They make more money, but they also require more schooling. If your desire and interest is really in CAM, then I think you would enjoy medical school. Yes you would have to go to medical school for four years, and then do a three-year residency. You have to work to get what you want. You have to be persistent. How badly do you want your dream? If you want to study natural medicine, then you have to accept the cost, which is seven years of your life. Look for schools that emphasize CAM, and have a more holistic approach.

DO NOT become a RN or a personal trainer. PT school is filled with former personal trainers (like me) who realized how awful personal training is. Most personal trainers do not renew their certification, whether it's with ACSM or NASM. It's a terrible job. If you want to study diet and nutrition, get a master's degree in nutrition.

Obviously I disagree with your statement that PTs only treat symptoms, and not causes. Good PTs treat impairments and try to correct the cause of the symptoms. I'm sorry you have that impression.

Kevin

 

[WarriorPT]

I'm a PT, and I treat sources of pain/dysfunction. I track changes in symptoms and objectively measure how my intervention has influenced them.

It appears you do not yet have enough info about the field to form a complete opinion. I highly recommend you observe other PTs across multiple settings. You will find what works best for you. Good luck.

 

[paulrc]

I believe in many states, Physical Therapists are not allowed to give nutritional recommendations, although many do. Similar to nurses, a Registered nurse cannot legally give nutritional advice, but a Nurse Practitioner can and can also prescribe medicine.

Reading your post - it sounds like you want your cake, but you want to eat it also. I'm in the same boat. Just realize that there is not one medical profession out there that does it all.

There are serious implications if you practice outside your realm, just something to think about.

 

[schnell8]

Here's the thing. I've spent a lot of time researching and considering careers. After considering job security, pay, job satisfaction ratings, flexibility, work hours, etc. I decided physical therapy was right for me.

Having said that, let me explain what my gut says. I've really gotten into studying health over the past couple years. What I really want is a career that deals with holistic and natural, alternative medicine.

I would love to be a naturopathic doctor, but that would require even more schooling, and I would have to go through medical school...yuck. See I thought PT would be ok because I don't have to push drugs or perform surgeries, not that either are always bad, but I believe they are sometimes unnecessary.

I certainly want to help people heal, but I feel that PT doesn't treat the causes as much as the symptoms. I want to incorporate diet, general exercise and stretching beyond rehab, sleep, stress, etc.

I figure I could become a certified clinical nutritionist (CCN) later on, maybe even a certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) if that's required for more general training.

I thought of chiropractic, but heard that lots of chiros have SERIOUS student loan issues. I thought of being a vet, but don't want to push drugs, and surgery makes me a little squeamish. I have also heard that registered dieticians work mainly off the food pyramid. I'm not trying to insult them, but my belief is that that is a very poor eating plan...

You think PT could work, and I could add onto it and perhaps open up my own place or work something out, or should I pursue something like naturopathy, or become an MD/DO, or physiatrist, while focusing on holistic/natural healing?

***Keep this thread handy for when you do apply for PT school! Granted it could change in a few years, but the big essay question for the application has been "describe your decision making process that led you to choose PT over other health careers" and this thread in a nutshell is pretty much your essay. lol Just thought I'd throw that out there for you! Just keep this thread bookmarked so you can refer to it down the road just in case! :-D haha

 

[DesertPT]

And absolutely, most doctors are clueless/damaging to our society. There's no doubt about it. However, I have a good amount of background knowledge on the medical situation in this country, and how brainwashed the general public is. I know a lot more about health than your average Joe, because I DO question everything and look beyond face value. That's how I know big pharma/agr. are in on it with the government, and do what they can to brainwash us and keep their power, all while producing huge profits. Trust me, I know this very well.

You sound like a perfect fit for chiropractic to me.

 

[Azimuthal]

I would love to be a naturopathic doctor, but that would require even more schooling, and I would have to go through medical school...yuck. See I thought PT would be ok because I don't have to push drugs or perform surgeries, not that either are always bad, but I believe they are sometimes unnecessary.

I certainly want to help people heal, but I feel that PT doesn't treat the causes as much as the symptoms. I want to incorporate diet, general exercise and stretching beyond rehab, sleep, stress, etc.

There seems to be a lot of confusion in your post. A naturopath is NOT a medical doctor, although a MD/DO may use naturopathic approaches. Those professions are not synonymous.

You also seem to be uninformed about PT. PTs treat the source, not just the symptoms, or what would be the point? We are evidence-based clinicians who are integral in the healthcare team.

What you speak of seems to be more in line with lifestyle coaching. Ask yourself, are you really interested in healthcare or lifestyle? Both? You need to shadow more professions and see where you want to be.

 

[easb]

Aero SSX, you may be interested in osteopathy. Check it out if you have not yet!