Is the DPT worth it? - Ben Fung

[xx6xx12]

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Hey guys, Sooooo... there's a thread in another social media group that seems to come up as a cycle, topic-wise. The subject tends to surround this quandary of was the DPT worth it? It's too expensive. Older clinicians w/ BSPTs treat better. Hospitals are killing us. We need to support private practice. It's a worthwhile conversation so long as it doesn't go in CIRCLES.

I felt it was worth sharing my response to this community. <<↓See Below↓>>

Schooling, credentialing, student debt, and industry marketplace economics are all related. However, I think it's dangerous and ultimately destructive to place the blame on any singular element as a root cause.

Sure: other countries skip you straight from high school to an MD; that's because in their culture, they don't view "general education" as a necessity nor being "well rounded" as desirable. In the Western cultures, we do.

Sure: the evolution of an RPT > BSPT > MSPT > DPT didn't seem to follow the perceived economics.

Sure: we didn't take charge of our own profession at critical times in the past, leading to many of the financial issues of the present.

Sure: school is expensive... it's tough all around.

And, sure: Those who are clinically focused will be better clinicians. Those who care to apply themselves, will eventually reach excellence. But, let's not attribute that to what degree they have or what country they are in... rather, that people have APPLIED THEMSELVES in the pursuit of excellence. The same discussions regarding the non-necessity of an MSPT has now been transferred to the DPT. It's already happened.

I think we need to take a major hint from the nursing profession.

They saw the writing on the wall, they saw what was over the horizon... they got into administrative and management positions in powerful corporates, healthcare systems, and in legislation as well as politics. It didn't mean they abandoned their clinical roots. They are fighting for their profession which ultimately means fighting for your patients. They understood that our clinical excellence is bound by the laws that govern our practice.

If we remain one-dimensional, we will always feel marginalized, get terrible reimbursement rates, and never have the congruence of licensure to training. If we BECOME MORE... THEN, we will be able to feel like we're starting to get an equal footing and an equitable return on the work we put in, the care we deliver, the value we bring... even the status we feel we have earned & should be recognized for.

So, what are some areas of opportunity?
1) PT + MBA into hospital/health system administration
2) PT as insurance adjuster or case manager
3) Private Practice PTs, uniting rather than dividing over regional competition
4) Empowering the next generation via the trail-blazing we've done and that has been done for us
5) Getting into advocacy beyond donating dollars or being "a member."
6) Support educational programs who are already pioneering cost effective DPT didactics
7) Start preaching to the people, rather than the choir. We're so good at convincing ourselves and our colleagues. Even when you look at PT clinic websites, most are designed to impress fellow PTs... not actual consumers & patients. The conversation needs to be PTs reaching out to the community. If they aren't part of the solution, then the problem will forever remain our own... and, that is a terrible and lonely place to be as a profession.

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Take directly from his facebook, check this guy out if you already haven't, he's amazing

 

[NewTestament]

Hey guys, Sooooo... there's a thread in another social media group that seems to come up as a cycle, topic-wise. The subject tends to surround this quandary of was the DPT worth it? It's too expensive. Older clinicians w/ BSPTs treat better. Hospitals are killing us. We need to support private practice. It's a worthwhile conversation so long as it doesn't go in CIRCLES...

Yes I'm familiar with Ben Fung. He's a smart guy and he's doing a lot to advance our profession. He's one of the few PT's who's taking advantage of social media. I think the crux of his argument is that we need to start thinking of other ways to be physical therapists. The problem starts in PT school, which teaches you how to treat patients, but teaches you very little about business. Unfortunately, patient care pays the least, and patient care alone won't advance this profession. Fung successfully leveraged his DPT in other ways, and other PT's need to do the same.

We also need to take PT directly to the market, and stop relying so much on referrals and insurance. I think this is Jerry Durham's point. Go to the market, build the value of PT, and sell it. We would be much better off if we knew how to effectively sell PT for $100-$150 per hour.

 

[jadedphysiotherapist]

Yes I'm familiar with Ben Fung. He's a smart guy and he's doing a lot to advance our profession. He's one of the few PT's who's taking advantage of social media. I think the crux of his argument is that we need to start thinking of other ways to be physical therapists. The problem starts in PT school, which teaches you how to treat patients, but teaches you very little about business. Unfortunately, patient care pays the least, and patient care alone won't advance this profession. Fung successfully leveraged his DPT in other ways, and other PT's need to do the same.

We also need to take PT directly to the market, and stop relying so much on referrals and insurance. I think this is Jerry Durham's point. Go to the market, build the value of PT, and sell it. We would be much better off if we knew how to effectively sell PT for $100-$150 per hour.

Surgeons will continue to block that as much as possible though.
Instead of just walking in to the therapist directly who can use a sensitive/specific pain provocation test, a MOI hx with correct screening to just differentially diagnosis supraspinatus tendinitis themself.

I think the occupational medicine residencies have died down so ergonomics consulting may be a nice therapy niche for preventative work related injuries.

He's definitely right about nursing getting into leverage points

 

[OldnewDPT]

I am a "seasoned" PT, in process of upgrading to DPT, and I think it is worth it. We practice at a level that is comparable to PharmD's, PA's, NP's, chiropractors, etc, and I think we PT's are in a better position to advocate for advanced practice with a DPT. The t-DPT curriculum is focused on knowledge needed for effective direct access, and I believe we are in a position to be the provider of choice for non-operative musculoskeletal care. We do need to learn to listen to what consumers want and adjust what we offer so that our "PT product" is still evidence based, but in a way that makes consumers feel well taken care of so they will return to PT whether or not their insurance pays for it. Traditionally, PT's have focused on convincing insurers of our worth rather than on consumers. In today's world of consumer driven healthcare, we need to consider what consumers want AND be well educated and effective providers, and then I think they will choose us over other options. Just my .02.

 

[ptisfun2]

Is this a worth while topic for discussion any longer? The last BS program shut down in 2002 and the last Masters (CAPTE) shut down last year. We aren't going back. I recently was at an interview at a very established PT program. One of the faculty members was still talking about his opinion that the DPT was not needed. I think the train has left the station. Our profession is DPT.
I have written it before on this site and still believe it as 100% true.... as long as there are 1,000+ students applying for 100 spots in a PT program the university administration will continue to raise costs. We hear it all of the time when the Admin staff refers to PT (and other programs with high number of applicants).

 

[jadedphysiotherapist]

Is this a worth while topic for discussion any longer? The last BS program shut down in 2002 and the last Masters (CAPTE) shut down last year. We aren't going back. I recently was at an interview at a very established PT program. One of the faculty members was still talking about his opinion that the DPT was not needed. I think the train has left the station. Our profession is DPT.
I have written it before on this site and still believe it as 100% true.... as long as there are 1,000+ students applying for 100 spots in a PT program the university administration will continue to raise costs. We hear it all of the time when the Admin staff refers to PT (and other programs with high number of applicants).

I think this topic was much more of an expansion of how marketing, potlitical footholds, teamwork among licensed clinicians, and education changes are necessary rather than just if the degree is worth it or not.