Physical Therapist Learning Emergency Medicine

[Tatum N.]

I love all aspects of the medical field, but I feel like I would enjoy physical therapy the most because it allows me to have a family and get to spend time with them more than say emergency medicine or surgery. The only thing I think I wouldn't like is the fact that I wouldn't have the emergency care aspect of the medical field. Do PTs learn emergency medicine type stuff in PT school or is that something they have to get further training in post-graduate? I want to be able to help someone and know what to do to save someone's life if I pull up on a car accident or something happens and I am there to help. Do you have any suggestions on how to get post-graduate training in emergency medicine or is emergency care something that even PTs learn in medical school?

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[ptbusiness]

PTs are required to have CPR and first aide certificates that are renewed every 2 years (but anyone can take those courses, even a teenager). In PT school you will just learn general idea of what to do/not to do in emergency situations. You will learn some tests to perform in the clinic to rule in/out conditions that are life-threatening and will require you to send patients to ER. For example, you may find a lump during palpations, see a suspicious mole, recognize an early onset of stroke or heart attack, Guillain-Barre symptoms, cervical instability, VB insufficiency, DVT, etc.

 

[noyceguy]

I love all aspects of the medical field, but I feel like I would enjoy physical therapy the most because it allows me to have a family and get to spend time with them more than say emergency medicine or surgery. The only thing I think I wouldn't like is the fact that I wouldn't have the emergency care aspect of the medical field. Do PTs learn emergency medicine type stuff in PT school or is that something they have to get further training in post-graduate? I want to be able to help someone and know what to do to save someone's life if I pull up on a car accident or something happens and I am there to help. Do you have any suggestions on how to get post-graduate training in emergency medicine or is emergency care something that even PTs learn in medical school?

We do not practice medicine, much less emergency medicine.

 

[deleted797640]

I was an EMT and ER-scribe prior to PT school. I would recommend EMT-B license if you are interested in being a PT and having emergency medicine experience.

 

[Azimuthal]

The SCS board requires either EMT-B or Red Cross first responder cert., I believe. Double check.

 

[bojacksmorshman]

Hope this doesn't get me tons of flack, but consider looking into a dual Athletic Trainer/PT program or just an Athletic Trainer program, as that profession tends to be more involved in emergency scenarios. However, you may need to be on call/more available than you would as a PT. One of my professors is an AT and she said her current company is looking to hire more PTs who will likely need to undergo emergency training because it is not part of the standard PT curriculum.