Hours with a "PT" that is not officially licensed in rehab setting?

[mrneverland9000]

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So I have been foolishly working as a "physical therapy aide" at an outpatient clinic for one year for a doctor's office that does NOT have a licensed physical therapist. One office is the doctor's side, and the other office which I work in is the "PT" side, but without a doctor or a licensed PT. The one in charge of the "PT" side is actually in school right now to try to apply for a PTA program as the doctors have said they need her to have something other than a massage license and EMT experience. She also does the evaluations and comes up with the exercise programs for patients. I do alot of the scheduling and insurance verifications, as well as supervising and taking notes of the progress of patients.

I know I really messed up as I should have known this earlier having worked there for a full year, but should I include this experience in my PT applications? I have had observation hours at other outpatient clinics and inpatient clinics, so I'll be fine. But should I include this clinic where there is no officially license PT? Should I just put that I was working under a doctor with insurance verifications and such?

 

[nd_dpt]

This would not apply as working under a PT, so it should not be included in your application. Furthermore, you weren't actually a PT aide because aides work under the supervision of licensed PTs. What you did sounds more like an office assistant and there are actually a ton of legal issues with the way this office is running.

 

[NJ DPT HOPEFUL]

First - you should report this office to the state (I'll stop this here because this rant could go on awhile)

Second - you think this experience should be a positive on your application? You know you did something stupid, but the fact that you held this job, helped someone defraud the PT profession, and now want to lie about it to help your application into said profession raises major concerns about your ethics. If you are going to be a PT in the future, then for your patients' sake I hope this improves.

Summary
-step 1 - report
-step 2 - that year was a waste, become better or please don't join this profession

 

[jonjesse]

So many red flags...GTFO of that place and report it to the state board. And no, there is no way this will count positively on your application. I hope you understand that physical therapy should be performed by actual physical therapists!

 

[nd_dpt]

So many red flags...GTFO of that place and report it to the state board. And no, there is no way this will count positively on your application. I hope you understand that physical therapy should be performed by actual physical therapists!

Definitely agree that they need to be reported.

 

[beyoutiful_sunshine]

How exactly did you find out the massage therapist was not a PT? As a student who completed observation hour, I usually ask pretty early where the person I'm observing went to school as a conversation starter. You worked there for a whole year, were you deceived by them or did you know that this person was not a PT the whole time? Also, is the facility trying to hide it, or is it out in the open and patients know that the person treating them is not a licensed PT?

Regarding your question, under "observation hours" on PTCAS, you should only put hours you spent observing or working under a licensed PT. Under extra-curricular, you can mention anything that doesn't qualify as "observation hours", but is still good experience. In your case, because what the facility is doing does not seem legal at all, I would not mention it on your application, it won't help your chances, and if anything it might actually hinder it. I also agree with the posts above that you should report them.