First Week Shadowing/Interning.

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

PREMEDWOAHS

dare to dream
10+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
Joined
Dec 25, 2006
Messages
207
Reaction score
2
I just finished up my first week at an Orthopedic Outpatient Hospital PT center near my University. I loved it. I've shadowed physicians before and, as remarkable as modern medicine is, there is just something about Physical Therapy that seems so active and hearing the stories about the patients is a lot of fun. What is even more rewarding is hearing about patients who lost almost all of their muscle mass and seeing their result of 3 months and what they are able to do. Although the salary is a huge issue with this profession, the satisfaction is high. I worked with a lady who had a MS in PT, and a student who was finishing his clinical for DPT, both of which really enjoyed their position.

Members don't see this ad.
 
I am a physical therapist that is now in medical school. PT is a fantastic career. It is very rewarding and satisfying most of the time if you choose to make it so. You get to very directly change peoples lives, and they will remember you. You will get to know them better than anyone else in their healthcare experience due to the amount of one-on-one time.

Money is not a problem. Considering the level of responsibility, the quality of the work, and the hours, it is one of the better combinations out there. You can take a salaried job or you can trend towards opening a practice. With your own practice you will have longer hours and more headache with higher income if you want it. I was also always able to grab work on the side that paid really well--wheelchair evaluations, evaluations for a small clinic that had a PTA but no full-time PT, home health visits, etc. to have extra money for an extra 5-10 hours of work a week. You will make more than enough to live comfortably and do most of what you want to do without thinking about the money.

Good luck.
 
It definitely sounds like you should be a PT.
 
THere is reasonable job satisfaction in PT, I have had some very satisfied friends...some get frustrated with the glass ceiling and have chosen only part time work or new careers (myself included).

It is a fantastic job for part time working moms! The majority of the women I went to school with are now part time in PT and also raising their family. It works for them.
 
Top