-
CycleTrack and SDN are teaming up to make medical school admissions more transparent and accessible! Read the announcement to learn how we’re supporting the future of CycleTrack’s free application-tracking tools .
PA vs PT?
Started by jacfield
Get help with your application
Use all the free resources available to you from SDN: articles, guides, expert advising, forums discussions, and school research.
As a PA you'll probably work more along the lines of what a physician does, as a PT you'll be away from the docs and doing a lot of hands on work. From my experience it seems PAs get paid a little more depending on the setting, but PTs get a lot more true patient contact. Either field will allow you to practice in a wide variety of settings. You just need to determine which level of care you are more interested in.
If you love the musculoskeletal system I'd say go PT, but then again you could also go PA in orthopedics. It really depends on what your preference is in terms of treating patients: (PT) hands on, exercises, modalities, manipulation versus a more medical approach in terms of diagnosing and treating with medicine, surgery, and writing orders for ancillary care.
Hope this helps, I'd suggest you shadow both fields.
-J
If you love the musculoskeletal system I'd say go PT, but then again you could also go PA in orthopedics. It really depends on what your preference is in terms of treating patients: (PT) hands on, exercises, modalities, manipulation versus a more medical approach in terms of diagnosing and treating with medicine, surgery, and writing orders for ancillary care.
Hope this helps, I'd suggest you shadow both fields.
-J
I have worked with both professions and have a great deal of respect for both fields. I think the average PT would find PA work stimulating and to a lesser extent, a PA would find PT provisions stimulating. My understanding is that the average PA makes more $ than the PT's, however a self employed PT can do very well. As mentioned in a previous post, PA's can work in ortho if that is what motivates you. PT work tends to be more physically demanding and seems to be more repetitive work. I personally would find the autonomy and options of the PA profession more rewarding.
Also consider that PA school is typically 2 years post undergrad and PT school is at least 3+ years post undergrad. Further, you might find your first years of PT doing inpatient which is often times uninspiring (gait training, basic therex programs, and transfers) on and on and on and on and on and on again. I'm sure the same can be said for some of the work that PA's do as well.
Also consider that PA school is typically 2 years post undergrad and PT school is at least 3+ years post undergrad. Further, you might find your first years of PT doing inpatient which is often times uninspiring (gait training, basic therex programs, and transfers) on and on and on and on and on and on again. I'm sure the same can be said for some of the work that PA's do as well.
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Really, these two professions are not comparable, as they do very different things. I have the utmost respect for PT's and I am a PA. I have worked directly with PT's, and frankly, could do little of what they do. I believe they could do little of what I do. I see them both as excellent professions, but not really that similar. Even if you are an ortho or hand PA, you still won't be doing hands on therapy, would you?
Pat
Pat
I agree - the professions could not be more different.
lawguil said:
I think your first few years as a PT can be in any area you want to. There is no rule that says you have to work as an inpatient therapist. I worked in an outpatient sports medicine clinic immediately after graduation. It was a very exciting experience and very challenging. It was anything but repetitive. It required me to solve problems. Our area of expertise is evaluating musculoskeletal dysfunction. so if you work with all backs and necks it can get a little monotonous (although there are many causes of back pain and you should find the cause of the pain before you treat it). But if you work in a general orthopedic clinic there is big variety.
truthseeker said:
True! Some may find working in an outpatient physical therapy clinic very stimulating. I think its the best setting for a PT. At times it is interesting, but you will see a lot of RC's, THR, TKR, ACL, Adhesive capsulitis, tendonitis, CVA's, OA, back/neck and the most stimulating of all - workers comp cases. None of them were much of a mind-teaser for me. However, you do spend a lot more time with your patients and get to know them better (good and bad). Further, PT's are great at evaluating musculoskelital dysfunction once everything pathological is ruled out.
I suspect that an Ortho PA would also be an expert at identifying musculoskelital dysfunction and they don't have to go through the repetitive process of measuring and treating it . They would simply refer to a PT for treatment. A PA would also have the skill's and knowledge to identify/treat pathology related to medicine/surgery.
Have fun. L.
Thank you all for the insightful replies. I know it's 2 very different professions, however, I find myself interested in both, and frankly, have a hard time choosing between them. In fact, I thought about working both as PT and PA, and wondered if that's even possible.
Keep these helpful replies coming, they really help a lot and thanks to you all.
Keep these helpful replies coming, they really help a lot and thanks to you all.
jacfield said:
If you were going to do that you might as well go to medical school. The programs are too long to consider doing both. I say get in some offices and see as much as you can. But don't limit yourself to say outpatient ortho for PT, checkout inpatient rehab (this is where you can really do some good - ok I'm biased), and see some acute care stuff. If you do go into PT you'll have to at least rotate through acute care which turns many people off. I personally found it much more interesting to deal with medically complex patients than outpatient ortho stuff but everyone is different. Both fields offer extreme variety so get a good feel before deciding on one.
Good luck!
J
PA's and NP's definitely get paid more than PT's.
delicatefade said:
a PT who starts his/her own practice can make substantially more than a PA. i think the sky is the limit with for a successful PT practice, especially those that expand beyond just the PT and have the total health club element.
reasonable salary range for pa= 65-125k
a little lower for a new grad with minimal prior experience and more in some specialties( ortho/peds/em).most I have ever heard of a pa with 1 full time job making= 250k( surgical pa with residency after 25 years in practice in which he is a partner getting profit sharing).
a little lower for a new grad with minimal prior experience and more in some specialties( ortho/peds/em).most I have ever heard of a pa with 1 full time job making= 250k( surgical pa with residency after 25 years in practice in which he is a partner getting profit sharing).
