Need advice. I got accepted to PT school but I'm not sure if I should go.

[jterry7]

Hi all,

So, I managed to get over one big hurdle and I got accepted to PT school however I have two fairly big issues (depression/insomnia and my age) that have me wondering whether I should go or not and I'd like your input if you don't mind sharing.

Depression/Insomnia:

I've been dealing with depression and insomnia for close to 20 years and I'm not sure if I would have the mental energy to deal with patients all day long. The depression has gotten better in recent years but I haven't managed to make too much progress in the sleep department.

My Age:

I'm 40 years old and I already have a couple of different relatively minor joint pain problems (hips, shoulders and neck) and I'm worried they're going to get worse as I get older.


So my questions are:

1) Do you feel a PT job might be too physically/emotionally exhausting for someone with my history of depression/insomnia? I'm not sure I could handle working at one of the high volume clinics that make you see one patient after another without any sort of breaks between. Are there PT jobs out there that are a little less demanding as far as the number of patients you see? Pay isn't really that big of an issue since I made decent money in my previous job in IT. I'd be willing to trade less pay for lower stress/exhaustion. I'm just wondering of these types of jobs exist.

2) Does working as a PT cause a lot of wear and tear on your body? Given the current joint problems I'm having now at age 40, should I be worried about having major joint problems in the future from all the movement I have to do on a daily basis as a PT? In other words, are the relatively minor joint problems I'm having now going to be 10 times worse when I'm say 50 years old?


Thank you for any feedback you can give me.

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[NewTestament]

So my questions are:

1) Do you feel a PT job might be too physically/emotionally exhausting for someone with my history of depression/insomnia?

You can always do home health, or work in an outpatient clinic with a more relaxed pace (1 patient every 45 min to one hour). Home health is not very demanding at all. You spend more time driving than treating patients. My concern is that it will be difficult to get through PT school with depression and insomnia.

2) Does working as a PT cause a lot of wear and tear on your body? Given the current joint problems I'm having now at age 40, should I be worried about having major joint problems in the future from all the movement I have to do on a daily basis as a PT?

The short answer is no. Unless you're doing manual therapy on every patient, then no, your joints won't suffer. If you do home health, or if you treat your patients primarily through education and exercise, then no, your joints won't deteriorate faster than other jobs.

 

[Fiveoboy11]

For some reason I'd be worried a lot more about you in terms of the schooling, not as much the job once you have graduated. Especially since it sounds like you're relatively financially secure. The opposite is true for me. I did well in school and it wasn't really too hard but I put a lot of time and effort into it. The difficulties for me started once I actually starting working as a PT but not because of wear and tear or caseload. There's lots of flexible jobs out there. Working as a PT can create a lot of wear and tear but it depends to an extent on how you practice and the setting.

Maybe decline the offer, take a year to think it thru. If you decide yes, reapply. If no then at least you didn't waste a bunch of money. It's not fair to yourself, the school or other applicants if you're unsure if you want to do it.

 

[nd_dpt]

I too struggle with insomnia. It had a big impact on me throughout my undergraduate career. I finally got it under control after I started to see a neurologist that specializes in sleep disorders. With a mix of medication and good habits, it has become very well managed now that I am in PT school. Talk to your doctor and see if they can help you or refer you to someone who can. Assuming your program starts in August you have some time to work on it, so I wouldn't decline your offer yet. See if the school offers counseling to students and if they do, utilize that for your depression.

 

[yodelingyorkies]

From what I've seen, I agree with NewTestament's statement. (Take all my info with a grain of salt, as I'm only an aide/PT hopeful!) PT is one of those rare jobs that actually has a combination of sitting, standing, and movement throughout the day typically. There's also a lot of flexibility and job availability that I think you'd be able to find a good fit for your health and age. From an outsider's perspective, and from someone who also struggles with mental health issues, the school part sounds more worrisome (I know it's worrisome for me at least). The profession can be pretty low stress, but the school process doesn't seem to be as much. One big question is how are you doing now with your current career? I'm assuming you are unhappy to some degree and that maybe your job is stressful? If this is the case, then staying where you are isn't the greatest bet either. Especially if you think it is contributing to any of your issues. Honestly, you've made it this far, I think giving it a go is a definite option (without knowing you or your life details of course). Another possible option would be to see if your school would let you defer until next year, to give you some extra time to (hopefully) get the insomnia more under control.

 

[DesertPT]

If anything, working as a PT will be better for your joints than being an IT guy would, as most PTs move throughout the day. Being sat at a desk for 8 hours is worse for your joints than what the majority of PTs do. Some situations may be a bummer with aging joint, but everyone in their 40s and 50s starts to have a bit of joint pain regardless of profession. Not really a PT-specific concern is what I'm saying, just a part of the circle of life.

We have 2 people in my class in their 40s and several in their 30s and all are doing great and are going to be great PTs. Whether or not to make a big career change in your 40s is a totally personal decision that we can't really comment on without knowing you, but clearly it is something you're already planning on! All we can really say is that there are certainly many PTs who have come into the profession from many prior professions at many ages.

As for the insomnia and mental health challenges, this will certainly not make PT school any easier but it is also something that is common and something that can be managed. I think it will affect you more in school than as a working therapist, although who am I to say. It's something that I think you'll want to really nip in the bud and keep on top of as school starts and throughout your DPT. Really these issues could range from a minor annoyance throughout school to a crippling problem, depending on how your specific symptoms respond to being in PT school and how they are managed. The reality for you will probably land somewhere in between these two extremes.

All in all, it is a personal decision and we can only give you advice. PT school is kind of a slog for everyone, but if PT is what you really want to do you'll find a way to make it happen.