DPT vs DO? I want BOTH!!! help!!

[PTdo90]

So here is my background.

BS in Athletic Training
MS in Neuromechanics (in progess)
and
Personal Trainer
Licensed Massage Therapist
Advance Neuromuscular Therapist
Medical Massage Pracitioner

I have wanted to be a DPT for so long, but damn I hate the restriction states put on us. I also want to look at the patient as an entire physician. I want to diagnosis and do the treatment. I want to open up a huge facility meant for athletes and dancers and education (I know there are so many already, but I'm confident in myself) and I want to change medicine. I want to do alot of research and teach.

A lot of MDs, DOs, and DCs say why do both that so much debt. But like everyone know PTs dont make a huge amount of money but I feel even with a PMR as a DO that its not the say as a PT.

I dont like limitations. I really dont. Am i crazy to want to do both? I would really want some feedback from anyone who has done this? Do you advise or not?

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[GTT4DPT]

...I feel even with a PMR as a DO that its not the say as a PT

I have no advice, but your post just really left me wondering: What can a PT do that a physiatrist can't? I mean, I expect that they often take on different roles in the whole health care team, but is a DO restricted in a way that a PT isn't?

 

[Kechara]

Hi! I happened on your post by chance and thought I would give you some stuff to consider about being a dual registrant healthcare professional:

1. The cost of obtaining and keeping up a license to practice can get very pricey very quickly. You pay for multiple national licensing exams, licensing applications, malpractice insurance, continuing education credits, professional memberships...it all adds up. You will also find that your earning potential will be much less than the sum of its parts, making it very hard to afford to keep up both titles.

2. Depending on where you live, you may only be able to hold an active license for one health profession only. That is to say, you might not be able to be a practicing DO and a practicing DPT; one of them would have to be an inactive license. So even if you thought to have a second license for billing purposes (something one must be very careful about so as to not commit insurance fraud), that would be trumped.

3. Each profession is its own unique entity, that requires significant time and dedication to perfect in skill and ability. There is a reason it is called a 'practice.' doing the two together splits you up and keeps you from developing either to its full potential.

IMO, having those two licenses in combination on purpose, serves no purpose other than to keep you in perpetual debt. If I were you, I would go for the DO; you get a wider scope of practice and with a few extra training courses, you could probably do what a DPT does as well. You would not be able to call yourself a DPT, but for the vision that you have, that would not matter much; building a name has very little to do with credentials, and you already show yourself to be well-learned with what you already have.

HTH

 

[atstudent]

So here is my background.

BS in Athletic Training
MS in Neuromechanics (in progess)
and
Personal Trainer
Licensed Massage Therapist
Advance Neuromuscular Therapist
Medical Massage Pracitioner

I have wanted to be a DPT for so long, but damn I hate the restriction states put on us. I also want to look at the patient as an entire physician. I want to diagnosis and do the treatment. I want to open up a huge facility meant for athletes and dancers and education (I know there are so many already, but I'm confident in myself) and I want to change medicine. I want to do alot of research and teach.

A lot of MDs, DOs, and DCs say why do both that so much debt. But like everyone know PTs dont make a huge amount of money but I feel even with a PMR as a DO that its not the say as a PT.

I dont like limitations. I really dont. Am i crazy to want to do both? I would really want some feedback from anyone who has done this? Do you advise or not?

Your name must be "Jack."


And there's a reason that each profession has its own practice acts. You shouldn't expect to be the only medical professional your patients see. Using the brains and experience of more than one professional is best for the patient.

 

[kptnau]

If your goal is to open a business, you don't need either one.
That said, it sounds like your real career is raking in the pieces of paper with titles on them. My advice: choose one and stick with it. At least that way you're good at one of them.

 

[VIllaHJF]

Honestly, it sounds like you would not be happy as a PT.

 

[PTdo90]

Thanks everyone for the advice. So I guess I should be a little morespecific on why I wanted to do both. I love training. LOVE IT ALL DAY, which iswhy I felt PT was the path for me.

I thought about doing just DO and making PMR my specialty, but honestly Idon't feel like it would be the same as being a DPT, meaning I feel theeducation is different. DPT is so focused where PMR is but it isn’t at the sametime.

I get that all the time about how many certifications and licenses I have,but they are all relevant to what I do. And I feel it would be the same asdoing DO and DPT. I would make my practice a sports training facility andrehab. I don’t want to be the only doctor my patient sees. My desire to do bothis purely on the education. I want to give my patient/ athlete the besttreatment. I love knowledge!

I won’t lie the money is a killer for me. I want to give my family a goodlife. So DO is very appealing, but the debt scares me.



Ultimately, I don’t see myself doing general practice. I see myself workingwith elite athletes training them and rehabbing them. Sports medicine is mylove it’s my passion.

 

[PTdo90]

Whats your plan if you dont mind me asking?
Im curious because your another ATC. Are you stoping there or going for something else?

 

[PTdo90]

Your name must be "Jack."


And there's a reason that each profession has its own practice acts. You shouldn't expect to be the only medical professional your patients see. Using the brains and experience of more than one professional is best for the patient.

Whats your plan if you dont mind me asking?
Im curious because your another ATC. Are you stoping there or going for something else?

 

[PTdo90]

I have no advice, but your post just really left me wondering: What can a PT do that a physiatrist can't? I mean, I expect that they often take on different roles in the whole health care team, but is a DO restricted in a way that a PT isn't?

A physiatrist can do everything a PT can, but they don't because of the amount of training a PT has in the matter. and thats my struggle. I want to do the treatment but don't want to be restricted like a PT.

 

[GTT4DPT]

So then I guess I'm still confused given that the motivation is to get the educational benefits of going through each degree process. What training would a PT get that a physician with a specialty in PM&R wouldn't get?

Is it not the sort of thing you could pick up far more cheaply via some independent study and making friends with some experienced PTs along the way?

Alternatively, are there any people that you know of who are operating the kind of facility you want to operate? How did they get there? I kinda doubt it was the DO + DPT route.

I applaud your ambition, but what's driving you to want to take the hard way? The easy way is hard enough.

 

[freddydpt]

I did both MD and DPT... I don't recommend it. Do some intense shadowing and make a decision. It'll save you a couple hundred grand.

 

[PTdo90]

I did both MD and DPT... I don't recommend it. Do some intense shadowing and make a decision. It'll save you a couple hundred grand.

Wow thank you fred for the advice. Can I ask what did you end up doing?
What was your motivation to do both?