Not happy with current job (new grad)

[frijolesPT]

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Hi all. I am about 8 months into my first job after getting my license, and I am really starting to dislike it. It's a mix outpatient/acute care job in a very small area that I commute to. I don't feel like I have much mentorship from my peers (who don't always use EBP treatments to begin with), and am starting to get annoyed by the politics from the physician/therapist dynamics going on in this small community. I never really had a passion for outpatient therapy, and still have no idea where exactly my niche is in this profession. My skill set still feels pretty basic, and I am not being the therapist I want to be right now. I don't want to look back in 5 years and say, "I should have done this instead of being complacent".

I know that the best way to learn is to make your own opportunities. I am planning on signing up for more CEUs, but does that really compare to having a supportive group of peers that share their clinical skills and experiences with you? Or am I being too idealistic?

Any advice or experiences? I feel a little lost, confused, and kind of hope I am not the only one feeling (or has felt) this way.

 

[PTMattI]

Pretty much no one sticks with their first job....so I am sure you are not alone. At the clinic I am at, 2/4 of the therapists switched clinics within a year of starting.

 

[Fiveoboy11]

Hi all. I am about 8 months into my first job after getting my license, and I am really starting to dislike it. It's a mix outpatient/acute care job in a very small area that I commute to. I don't feel like I have much mentorship from my peers (who don't always use EBP treatments to begin with), and am starting to get annoyed by the politics from the physician/therapist dynamics going on in this small community. I never really had a passion for outpatient therapy, and still have no idea where exactly my niche is in this profession. My skill set still feels pretty basic, and I am not being the therapist I want to be right now. I don't want to look back in 5 years and say, "I should have done this instead of being complacent".

I know that the best way to learn is to make your own opportunities. I am planning on signing up for more CEUs, but does that really compare to having a supportive group of peers that share their clinical skills and experiences with you? Or am I being too idealistic?

Any advice or experiences? I feel a little lost, confused, and kind of hope I am not the only one feeling (or has felt) this way.

Mentor yourself, learn from the patients
Being basic is ok, far better than doing "cool stuff" or copying a bonehead guru
Think of yourself more so as independent and take ownership and control of what you do vs as a "team" with the physician "at the helm" and employee and protocol follower. Be a rebel. Make relationships with the patients. You're wasting your time thinking ceu's are going to do anything or being mentored by brainwashed clowns or being a team with a dilettante physician(s) will do anything. It never has and never will.

 

[jesspt]

and am starting to get annoyed by the politics from the physician/therapist dynamics going on in this small community.

Describe the dynamics please.

 

[Julie S]

Sounds like you need to get out of that environment and stat, I found myself in a somewhat similar situation and feel like I needed to play a bit of catch up 1 year later. CEUs are not the answer, getting a solid mentor and a positive working environment where you look forward to helping patients in a huge way is which sounds like needs to be a new job. Now that you have some experience under your belt you have a one up on new grads which you should use to your advantage.

 

[truthseeker]

I moved from an OP sports med clinic that was PT owned to a hospital based clinic. the guy that was there and had been there for 30 years had not kept up with anything. evals were a joke, patients didn't get better unless they were going to anyway. everyone got a hot pack, ultrasound, and massage. ceus were the "latest" in ultrasound, hot packs, and massage. I have been able to demonstrate to the physicians and NPs who are the primary referral sources the value of a good PT who keeps up with current evidence. If the people you are working with are technicians and not professionals, you have the opportunity to elevate them or at least make yourself stand out in a good way. (i.e. they might even elevate their games when they see how you practice0. If you don't see that happening, or if the physicians will try to chop you down if you stand too tall, then bail and go somewhere that understands what good PT is supposed to be like.