how to support new physical therapy professionals

[Fiveoboy11]

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Hi everybody,

I would like to get some feedback from anyone who's interested in this topic. I'm on the Emerging Leaders Advisory Board of the AZ APTA, with the intent to make being an APTA member an easy choice specifically by increased representation of PT's with under 5 years of experience. Any ideas on programs or services that would be helpful to a newer PT?

My ideas so far (I'm aware many of these things are already in place to a point):

Stronger Mentorship program

Greater Access to Evidence

Online Journal Clubs through the APTA to discuss relevant articles

Educate PT's with more experience (specifically one's without a DPT) about vision 2020, and doctoral level education.

Collaborating with other professions/professional organizations and educating them about physical therapy

How to manage their debt

Becoming politically involved

 

[Akiramay]

Great ideas! I'm the APTA student assembly representative for my school so I definitely know the importance of trying to get new members! Can't think of any other ideas right now, but if I do I'll let you know. =)

 

[PTapp]

Great ideas! We also need to make a push for loan forgiveness programs for new grads.

 

[markelmarcel]

Great ideas! We also need to make a push for loan forgiveness programs for new grads.

Yes. So many other professions have this, I wish PT had more opportunities, especially with the bill we have to foot.

 

[Yohan]

Those seem like some good ideas so far. At the school that I will be attending it is required to have an ATPA membership (and I'm assuming that is for most schools), but the problem is keeping the new grads as members (I know that is a problem at the clinic I work at). That's why I think a loan forgiveness program should be put at the top of the list because more new grads would be more likely to keep their membership and get involved. I also think that a group devoted to coming up with ideas about how to add more "value" to the profession of physical therapy would be good. I don't really have any ideas right now on how to do that, as I have yet to start school, but the Jules Rothstein Debate brought up some interesting ideas. I think if new grads got involved with how to add "value" to the profession (I'm planning on it) it will result in bigger and better things for the profession in the future... just throwing around some ideas

 

[Litlwarrior08]

Thinking there needs to be more professional institutes that provide tuition assistance. AZ is lacking. I have noticed other states have programs where a current student is financially supported with the committment of service after graduation. assistance years match committment years.

Also hope everyone wrote their state reps regarding the bills in congress and senate related to tuition reimbursement for PTs----
May 2011--Sens Jon Tester (D-MT) and Roger Wicker (R-MS) introduced legislation that would authorize PTs to participate in the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Loan Repayment Program, which provides up to $30,000 in loan forgiveness per year for 2 years of service in an underserved area.
Companion legislation to the Physical Therapist Student Loan Repayment Eligibility Act (S 975) was introduced by the House (HR 1426) last month. Both bills have been referred to health committees for debate. APTA will update members via News Now on congressional action taken on S 975 and HR 1426.