Physical therapy and Medical school?

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M

myr11

I am a pre-health student debating where I am going to grad school. My goal right now is to go into sports medicine as a Doctor of osteopathy. I originally was going to go to physical therapy school. I am now considering going to pt school and than going to med school(I am an undergrad senior but need to improve my standings for med school) Would it be worth going through 2-3 years of physical therapy school and then another 4 years of medical school?
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i am actually in your situation. I graduated from a PT school with an MSPT and am now a DO student (3rd year). If I had known early on that I was definitely going to medical school then I would not have gone to PT school, however, having gone through PT school I can say that it prepared me tremendously for medical school (ESPECIALLY osteopathic medical school).

the current move towards DPT will make going to PT school extremely expensive and so I am not sure this would be worth it for you in the long run. if you're dead set on medicine then PT school probably isn't a good idea. in order to get your marks up I'd suggest a Masters program at a medical school.

if you have any further specific questions you'd like to discuss feel free to contact me by PM.

-J
 
Myr-

I am an OT, and am now in medical school (sorry to chime in on the PT question, but they took away the forum with OT things in it, so I hang out here now). I only got a bachelors (all that was needed back in the day) and it was free, so I wasn't at all worried about cost. It has helped me TREMENDOUSLY. I am only a second year, but I am frequently complimented on my maturity and ease with establishing rapport - with patients and faculty (as a student, I really cannot tell you which is more important at this point, since both can help make or break you).

In terms of ease and speed, just go to medical school. There is merit in that. But you might be well served to have a few years NOT in school and working as an adult, getting a little money and time to travel, vacation, etc. If you're looking for advice from me, I'd say go to PT school then work then do medical school. There is a VERY CLEAR line between those that have seen the real world and those that think they have.

Good luck in any path you take. Either (and both) would be a great choice.

dc
 
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I was a PT for 3 years prior to medical school, now I am an attending physician.

There are several ways to look at it...if you do not choose to practice PT then why pursue the degree? It causes high indebtedness with no return if you plan to go straight to medical school.
But...PT does provide for a great background for the manual medicine aspects of DO programs.

It depends on the outlook.
 
myr11 said:
I am a pre-health student debating where I am going to grad school. My goal right now is to go into sports medicine as a Doctor of osteopathy. I originally was going to go to physical therapy school. I am now considering going to pt school and than going to med school(I am an undergrad senior but need to improve my standings for med school) Would it be worth going through 2-3 years of physical therapy school and then another 4 years of medical school?
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If you need to do more school to be able increase your chances of getting into medical school .. PT is probably a good way to help you prepare for the NMSK aspects of medicine.. but the problem is that the DPT in the states is extremely expensive and it would put you in some debt... So it all depends on whether you can afford it or how much debt you are willing to accept.

good luck
 
the other plus for having the degree prior to med school is that you have an excellent way to make money on weekends. per diem therapists easily make in the $40/hour range. I've been doing this throughout med school and my PT buddy in my class has been doing the same.

I agree with what bigdan said also, you can definitely tell the different levels of maturity based on those straight out of undergrad and those who have had some life experience.

-J
 
Have any of your classes transfered in to medical schools from physical therapy school? also does anyone know students who transfer into med school from pt school?
 
No classes transfer. They may count as prerequisites...but you don't get any credit. The way that I saw it was a whole new level of competitiveness. There is no transferring of credit in any way. This goes for PA's, NP's, PharmD's, DVM's, DPM's, DC's, DDS's. It all starts new.
Joy.
 
Consider PT school as a warm up for medical school. PT school would be a good way to get your feet wet, and allow you to work in the medical field for a time, before making the decision to go to medical school. Medical school is not only a different ball game, it's a different sport.
TDM
 
DocWagner said:
No classes transfer. They may count as prerequisites...but you don't get any credit. The way that I saw it was a whole new level of competitiveness. There is no transferring of credit in any way. This goes for PA's, NP's, PharmD's, DVM's, DPM's, DC's, DDS's. It all starts new.
Joy.
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Our school does things a bit different; PharmD's can opt out of pharmacology, and we take a couple of DDS or DMD every year, and they join our class in the second year - so they don't have to re-take any of the first year classes.

And - to the above poster - GREAT point - med school IS a different sport all together.

dc
 
In medical school? Never heard of that...it certainly is not the standard, so I would not expect it.
 
Yup. In medical school. At Stony Brook.

Each of the last two years a pharmD has opted out of pharm, and the dentists enter the 2nd year as a part of their OMFS residency - they do second, third and fourth year with us, and get their MD, then go off to do the rest of the oral surgery thing. But they don't have to do first year again. Maybe they would have to if they were not part of a focused program, but I don't know that.

dc
 
I get it...advanced placement for OMF plastics...ok, that is a good idea. Good deal for them.
 
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VERY sweet deal for them. And they have had the first year courses before. At the Brook we end up getting pretty cool people in those spots, so it really works out.

Enough thread hijacking. Sorry.

dc
 
myr11 said:
I am a pre-health student debating where I am going to grad school. My goal right now is to go into sports medicine as a Doctor of osteopathy. I originally was going to go to physical therapy school. I am now considering going to pt school and than going to med school(I am an undergrad senior but need to improve my standings for med school) Would it be worth going through 2-3 years of physical therapy school and then another 4 years of medical school?
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Its funny....I am interviewing for a medical residency right now. The PD who interviewed me thought I wanted to go into PM&R...and was interviewing for a prelim position.

She assumed the above, since she saw that I had a PT degree prior to entering medical school. I was applying for categorical IM!

Like the poster above said...PT is good to get your feet wet...but medicine is a whole different ball game.
 
Yeah I am sure Medical school is a whole different ball game. My plan is definetley to become a sports medicine physician in PM&R. My thing is that I still need to do graduate work before med school. I was just thinking that I might be best off doing PT since this will probably help me out in the long run of things and also will make me look like a better candidate. If it wasn't so expensive, and maybe only took 2 years than I would definetley be doing this
 
myr11 said:
Yeah I am sure Medical school is a whole different ball game. My plan is definetley to become a sports medicine physician in PM&R. My thing is that I still need to do graduate work before med school. I was just thinking that I might be best off doing PT since this will probably help me out in the long run of things and also will make me look like a better candidate. If it wasn't so expensive, and maybe only took 2 years than I would definetley be doing this
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So, not that I'm doubting your motivation or drive to become a sports med/PM&R doc, but have you mapped out that pathway? Is there a reason PM&R vs. Family Med vs. Ortho vs. Peds vs. Emed for sports med? Athletic training school is also a graduate program that you can do to learn sports rehab, manual therapy, taping, etc, without the length (cost) of a PT program. You'll take Gross Anatomy, Neuroanatomy, learn lots of medicine and have plenty of experience with docs in sports med.

Also, the requirements of a PM&R residency include lots of inpatient experience with stroke, traumatic brain injured, and spinal cord patients. Just an FYI. Some people before med school don't understand residency requirements and have only worked with attendings in their chosen field.

As far as whether or not to go to PT school, there are far more advantageous things you can do before medical school. My experience in PT school vs. med school is that PT school was much harder. That was MY experience and I'm sure others vary, but I'm just saying... if I knew how hard comparatively PT school was going to be, I wouldn't have gone. There is a major burnout factor after this much competitive grad school... people usually feel it during residency, but going to PT school gives burnout a head start.

Cost also plays into the mix. Tuition costs rise every year... a lot! Med school will only be more expensive when you get out of PT school. And if you decide during med school that you want to do Peds, primary care, family practice you won't be able to because of the debt (assuming you didn't go to state schools).

Will PT school help you get into medical school? - absolutely. It will make a better clinician during medical school, too. After med school is another story. At that point, everyone is on an even playing field in your chosen profession. I haven't met any other MD/PT's who felt otherwise, but if I'm wrong, I'd love to hear examples.

All I'm saying is that there are lots of factors to consider before committing yourself to a three year program. I'm almost inclined to say go to a PA program, learn medicine and then go to med school. However, PA school is very competitive to get into, as well. OR, you could do PT school, then PA school and then go straight to a PM&R sports med practice and start making a salary. Great experience, less burnout, and quicker path to a salary. Those are just some ideas. They might not fit into your goals.

Best of luck in deciding though. No matter what you choose, just make sure that you are meeting your other life goals (house, wife, kids, travel, whatever) and that academics doesn't consume you. Remember med school isn't 4 years... its 4 years plus residency (and PM&R = 5 years) - 9 years of medical training. The question is, will 3 years of PT training make THAT much of a difference?

Good luck!
 
Consider ATC (athletic training)...fantastic sports medicine experience (better than PT) and only a couple of years. It is not rigorous, but add a biochemistry class and that will help year one of medical school.

The biggest issue is getting into medical school. Prepare for the MCAT like a wildman.
 
Thanks again for the quick and informative advice. I actually probably have done too much research on PMR, post grad programs, med school etc, because I have been so neurotic about it. I have seen that inpatient PMR is extremely different than what I would do with sports medicine. but at the same time maybe not, since in both situations you are restoring function, if anything sports med will probably seem "easier" than dealing with stroke victims and what not. I do also have a strong desire to restore function to people in general not just athletes. I guess it is impossible for me now to think I am ready to deal with such ill and deformed patients, but I think id rise up to the occasion. Yeah Athletic training is an option as well. I am actually shadowing one once in a while. It is cool to be behind the scenes with the athlets, and the team doctors, but the trainers just do a lotta taping! My problem is that I focus a lot on long term goals and forget how to make good short term goals, I guess that is why I am here. I just have so many different options for grad school the next 1-3, years before med school. Also I think I happened to be attracted to a pretty controversial field. The whole field of rehab seems like it is still being formed. Who knows who will have the most authority in rehab in 10 years, with PTs aiming towards more autonomy and being a doctoring profession, PMR still a relatively young field, and research for rehab in general is going through some issues or so it seems to me. But no matter what I need to go to school somewhere(i will be graduating, and can not go to school where I am now anymore,) next year for me to achieve my other goal of playing one year of d-1 baseball. So this whole thing is pretty crazy with trying to find a school that will first of all accept me, than that has a program that will help me, that is somewhat reputable(a lot of these programs just seem disorganized), and finally a school that has a d-1 baseball team that I have a chance at! Yeah I know that I am putting a lot on my plate but I have a lot of drive and need to accomplish cause of some things that have been going on in my life, like recently losing my father. Anyway thanks again, at least I know that there will be people along the way to help. 15-20 years ago when they didn't have these forums, imagine trying to get the info you can get hear in like an hour or so!
 
M-

Sounds like you have a great head on your shoulders. Keep your head up, and I wish you the best of luck.

Keep us posted!

dc
 
OP: I'm an ATC at the moment and I am choosing to find an alternative career being there are some things as an ATC-in the athletic settings-that I don't care much for, i.e. setting up water for practices, taping, having to work around the coaches and players schedule. I am in the process of leaving a graduate program in sports medicine because a) it's more or less the same that I covered as an undergrad in athletic training and b) my career goal is to go to med school; I don't want work with a field I'm not particularly gung-ho about to take precedence over my academics and making those A's that is supposed to help me look more competitive. You have to be certified to do athletic training/sports medicine in grad school since you would be doing an assistantship. Therefore, you would had to have come from an accredited school to teach athletic training/exercise science/whatever else they decide to call it, since the internship route was phased out almost 3 yrs ago.

I am in a career crisis of sorts myself, because I always want to know and do more. PT would definitely give me a lot of opportunities to work with a variety of patients with a reasonable schedule and good pay, but med school has always been an interest to me, especially having the chance to spend a number of years in a cardiology clinic. So, talking about years of school, PT=3, Med school=4 + 3-5 yrs of residency, it's a tough decision to make. I am 26, 27 next summer, and I do want to have a family and be there for them, so that decision comes into play, since I would be in my late 30's if not almost 40 by the time I got to practice on my own.... I know of a cardiologist with whom I worked with during school. He has something like 4 kids that are all barely teenager younger. His work is important to him, but his family much more. He could be doing caths, stents, research, etc. if he wanted to, and make all that extra money, but he doesnt deal with all of that. Seeing that someone can be a good physician and a good family man is comforting especially when worried about whether or not you can be good at both.

Kind of rambling, I know, but just some feedback. Good luck with your decision.
 
OP: I'm an ATC at the moment and I am choosing to find an alternative career being there are some things as an ATC-in the athletic settings-that I don't care much for, i.e. setting up water for practices, taping, having to work around the coaches and players schedule. I am in the process of leaving a graduate program in sports medicine because a) it's more or less the same that I covered as an undergrad in athletic training and b) my career goal is to go to med school; I don't want work with a field I'm not particularly gung-ho about to take precedence over my academics where I'm to be making A's that is supposed to help me look more competitive. You have to be certified to do athletic training/sports medicine in grad school since you would be doing an assistantship. Therefore, you would had to have come from an accredited school to teach athletic training/exercise science/whatever else they decide to call it, since the internship route was phased out almost 3 yrs ago.

I am in a career crisis of sorts myself, because I always want to know and do more. PT would definitely give me a lot of opportunities to work with a variety of patients with a reasonable schedule and good pay, but med school has always been an interest to me, especially having the chance to spend a number of years in a cardiology clinic. So, talking about years of school, PT=3, Med school=4 + 3-5 yrs of residency, it's a tough decision to make. I am 26, 27 next summer, and I do want to have a family and be there for them, so that decision comes into play, since I would be in my late 30's if not almost 40 by the time I got to practice on my own.... I know of a cardiologist with whom I worked with during school. He has something like 4 kids that are all barely teenager younger. His work is important to him, but his family much more. He could be doing caths, stents, research, etc. if he wanted to, and make all that extra money, but he doesnt deal with all of that. Seeing that someone can be a good physician and a good family man is comforting especially when worried about whether or not you can be good at both.

Kind of rambling, I know, but just some feedback. Good luck with your decision.
 
southpawcannon, What kind of medicine are you thinking of going into, some type of sports med, or cardiology? For some reason I think that PT school is the right way to go for me. It seems like these guys here who have done PT school have a huge benefit. I haven't heard of any negative things besides money and time spent. But if those are the two concerns I have then A, eventually the money will come back, and B the time spent won't matter in the long run. I am only 21 right now. I would be going into medical school at around 24, graduating at around 28, finishing residency around 32. By time I am 32 I don't think I will look back and say damn, I really wish I didn't do that 3 year DPT, instead of doing some other 2 year type of program. Also from what I am getting, PT school can be a good experience. Meet good people, develop a great medical background, and also be able to pursue other goals. Plus who knows where PT will be in 3 years from now. It might offer me more than PM&R. I doubt it but in case that does happen I won't regret not doing it. I just finished my fall semester of my senior year in college. I went through a lot this semester and now during break, I finally have a chance to do applications for wherever the heck I do decide to go. Either way I need to make my mind up and start doing those applications.
 
Either way you guys go, you are making the right decision to enter medical school. School can be fatiguing, so concentrating on the goal is of primary importance.
 
OP: I was not saying you shouldn't do PT school. I was just saying that if you were interested in rehab at all, be it athletic training or PT, you might as well go for PT. You'll get a lot more out of being a PT, IMO. My former roommate got his undergrad in athletic training and decided to go on to grad school as a grad assistant ATC, left the program and soon got his PT degree. PT is gonna give you a broader scope of experience with a variety of patients and many more positions are available as a PT. As an ATC, I would have to say 90% of the positions are at the college or pro setting, and it isn't easy getting one. Good thing about if you were a PT, you would have just a few classes at most that you would need to take for med school and MCAT, all that can probably be done in a year or so while working as a PT either F/T or P/T.

Good luck with your decision. Believe me, I'm in a position now of deciding which way to go so I understand. I realized at least AT was not for me, so I could "X" something off.

"The greatest risk is not taking one"
 
I def see where your coming from. Watching the athletic trainer I have been, it seems as if he has fun with the student athletes, team doctors and what not, but from what he says, it doesn't seem like he loves what he does. I am also considering doing a 2 year biomechanics, nutrition or exercise physiology program. Academically my 2 main goals are to show what med school my ability, and at the same time develop knowledge in the MSK system. Anyone here have anything to say about a program such as that? It would save me that year and probably a considerable amount of money. One last question. If I were both a physical therapist and a PMR doctor...If I had my own practice, wouldn't I be able to supervise the PTs on my own pts, and do procedures, evaluations, Diagnosing, pain meds, when necessary?
 
I belive there have been many good points about whether to pursue a PT degree or other graduate program before entering med school. I graduated in 2004 with an MPT and have just been accepted into a D.O. program for next fall. I will be 29 when I start school. I did not have a great g.p.a. from undergrad or have any hospital or volunteer experience. I happened to fall into PT after spraining my ankle when teaching a private tennis lesson after I graduated from undergrad with a degree in sociology (I know). While it would be an extremely long road, if you are in any kind of situation like I was in prior to graduating undergrad, going PT is a great decision in my opinion. I don't think I would have had a shot of getting into med school if not for the experience. Not only did it bring my g.p.a up to a competitive level, it gave me invaluable experience in so many different aspects. While I am in no way an old pro in my field, I can definitely say that by being a therapist you will probably have a much better insider's perspective, possibly more than the physician's, of what the patient has to endure on their long road to recovery, which will make you that much better of a doctor someday. Also, like someone else mentioned, being able to work a little bit, will allow you not only to have some money in your pocket, but you can also try to apply what you're learning in med school to better help your patients as a therapist.

I personally have a substantial debt from grad school, but the reward of giving me a second shot of doing what I wanted to do from a young age outweighs the investment. I also feel much more confident pursuing a medical degree now that I've gotten significant exposure to pt. care and the field. Who knows, you may fall completely in love with therapy and want to be a therapist for the rest of your career. Either way getting your PT degree gives you many options. Good luck with your decision, and remember to take it one step at a time. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
 
Do you think that it would be a better idea to do an MPT over a DPT if im going to medical school anyway?
 
myr11 said:
Do you think that it would be a better idea to do an MPT over a DPT if im going to medical school anyway?
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If you can find an MPT program left, I would definitely do that instead of the DPT. You can always do a transitional DPT later. You will save yourself a couple quarters or a semester of work and several thousand dollars. I in no way feel I got less of an education than the DPT students who are graduating now. However, if you plan to stay in therapy for your career, which you said you weren't, I would go ahead with the DPT because you may feel a little out of place with all the DPT students who will be graduating when you do and in the next 10-20 years. The profession definitely needs to find a way to lessen the debt of a 7 year program (undergrad and PT) or increase the income of entry-level practitioners to compensate. The DPT from what I hear from others is just longer clinical rotations, which you want to get through as fast as possible so you can graduate, and some more case studies or radiology training. Bottom line, I would do the MPT. You will probably get burnt out of being in class after the first year anyways. That's part of why I chose independent study in med school. Good luck.:)
 
I live in NY, and right now Im looking for a masters program. It seems like all of the programs are switching over. If anything there are maybe 1 or 2 programs in NY giving an MPT. Any recomendations on MPT programs on the east coast.
 
I don't know about any of the programs other than Ohio State's where I went, and very little about the other schools in Ohio. Ohio State's just switched to the DPT. Sorry. Go Bucks!!!!! (had to get that in there)
 
Im a DPT student, and I wouldnt reccomend using PT school as a gateway to medicine. Theres a ton of other options, like getting a master of medicine which basically lets you take all the classes, and its only a year long program at some schools. Someone else said it, but PT is a completely different game, and it will only prepare you to study, it wont necessarily give you that much more of an edge in medical school. Im in a program in which we take first year med along side all the med students, and its like trying to study two relatively different styles of practice.
 
surf pt said:
Im a DPT student, and I wouldnt reccomend using PT school as a gateway to medicine. Theres a ton of other options, like getting a master of medicine which basically lets you take all the classes, and its only a year long program at some schools. Someone else said it, but PT is a completely different game, and it will only prepare you to study, it wont necessarily give you that much more of an edge in medical school. Im in a program in which we take first year med along side all the med students, and its like trying to study two relatively different styles of practice.
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It's funny you say this.....but just today....an associate program director, during my interview told me...

"wow you have a PT degree before your MD....that's very nice....I am sure that will help you and give you a better understanding during your Medicine residency training."
 
Lets say your goal is to eventually open a sports medicine/rehab center. If I had both licenses in physical therapy and medicine in lets say physiatry, could I perscribe physical therapy to my patients and also provide it? Give injections when necessary in combination with physical therapy? My guess is that this wouldn't be a benefit to me since PT's can spend all of their time doing that? But what if I wanted to be more marketable to lets say a professional sports team, where I could work to improve the performance of athletes but with the knowledge of a doctor, where I could do the things a physical therapist can't like perscribe the meds, do procedures etc. I mean if you are already a physical therapist, why couldn't you do both? Or is it more of a question of why would you want to do both? I am just curious because it seems to me that physical therapists would know a lot in the actual physiology of exercise, and rehab. As a physician the goal would be to practice medicine which directly enhances the rehab of the patient/client, and as a physical therapist, actually deliver the rehab. I mean an orthopaedic surgeon takes x-rays and then decides on their surgery, which they will perform right? So why not have a physician evaluate the pt/client, give the treatment(including exercise, and manual techniques), and also follow up on that patient? I guess one reason people don't do this is because you would have like 15 years of school not including under grad, and another is I am guessing their isn't much if any of a difference in pay. If anything the doctor might lose money because he/she will have less time to see more patients? But if your goal as a physician is to improve the rehabilitation and performance of a pt/client using all methods possible then it makes sense to practice both, no? I personally think that I want to go straight to medical school after accepted instead of using physical therapy as a bridge(thats a long bridge). Anyway Im just curious to know how doctors, or future doctors who also have their PT degree will incorporate Physical therapy into their practice.
 
myr11 said:
Lets say your goal is to eventually open a sports medicine/rehab center. If I had both licenses in physical therapy and medicine in lets say physiatry, could I perscribe physical therapy to my patients and also provide it? Give injections when necessary in combination with physical therapy? My guess is that this wouldn't be a benefit to me since PT's can spend all of their time doing that? But what if I wanted to be more marketable to lets say a professional sports team, where I could work to improve the performance of athletes but with the knowledge of a doctor, where I could do the things a physical therapist can't like perscribe the meds, do procedures etc. I mean if you are already a physical therapist, why couldn't you do both? Or is it more of a question of why would you want to do both? I am just curious because it seems to me that physical therapists would know a lot in the actual physiology of exercise, and rehab. As a physician the goal would be to practice medicine which directly enhances the rehab of the patient/client, and as a physical therapist, actually deliver the rehab. I mean an orthopaedic surgeon takes x-rays and then decides on their surgery, which they will perform right? So why not have a physician evaluate the pt/client, give the treatment(including exercise, and manual techniques), and also follow up on that patient? I guess one reason people don't do this is because you would have like 15 years of school not including under grad, and another is I am guessing their isn't much if any of a difference in pay. If anything the doctor might lose money because he/she will have less time to see more patients? But if your goal as a physician is to improve the rehabilitation and performance of a pt/client using all methods possible then it makes sense to practice both, no? I personally think that I want to go straight to medical school after accepted instead of using physical therapy as a bridge(thats a long bridge). Anyway Im just curious to know how doctors, or future doctors who also have their PT degree will incorporate Physical therapy into their practice.
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I personally plan on opening a cardiac rehab clinic....in addition to be a practicing cardiologist.
 
Shah_Patel_PT said:
It's funny you say this.....but just today....an associate program director, during my interview told me...

"wow you have a PT degree before your MD....that's very nice....I am sure that will help you and give you a better understanding during your Medicine residency training."
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Its definately advantage over someone coming in with no experience other than undergrad. When we started our clinical skills, we started the same time as the med students but just from the nature of our pt classes, we were already ahead of the game. But in terms of the science side of medicine, its a totally different game.

My point was.... if you know your going into medicine, I just think theres better options than PT school. Physical therapy is great, but unless you know your going into ortho, its just my opinion that your time would be better spent exploring different options.
 
myr11 said:
Lets say your goal is to eventually open a sports medicine/rehab center. If I had both licenses in physical therapy and medicine in lets say physiatry, could I perscribe physical therapy to my patients and also provide it? Give injections when necessary in combination with physical therapy? My guess is that this wouldn't be a benefit to me since PT's can spend all of their time doing that? But what if I wanted to be more marketable to lets say a professional sports team, where I could work to improve the performance of athletes but with the knowledge of a doctor, where I could do the things a physical therapist can't like perscribe the meds, do procedures etc. I mean if you are already a physical therapist, why couldn't you do both? Or is it more of a question of why would you want to do both? I am just curious because it seems to me that physical therapists would know a lot in the actual physiology of exercise, and rehab. As a physician the goal would be to practice medicine which directly enhances the rehab of the patient/client, and as a physical therapist, actually deliver the rehab. I mean an orthopaedic surgeon takes x-rays and then decides on their surgery, which they will perform right? So why not have a physician evaluate the pt/client, give the treatment(including exercise, and manual techniques), and also follow up on that patient? I guess one reason people don't do this is because you would have like 15 years of school not including under grad, and another is I am guessing their isn't much if any of a difference in pay. If anything the doctor might lose money because he/she will have less time to see more patients? But if your goal as a physician is to improve the rehabilitation and performance of a pt/client using all methods possible then it makes sense to practice both, no? I personally think that I want to go straight to medical school after accepted instead of using physical therapy as a bridge(thats a long bridge). Anyway Im just curious to know how doctors, or future doctors who also have their PT degree will incorporate Physical therapy into their practice.
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Thats an interesting point. Im not sure though if you have a practice in medicine if your allowed to refer to you a physical therapy practice that you own. Theres a fine line of incentive. While you may be trying to ultimately make it eaiser for the pt, some people may say you just trying to create more practice for your clinic. But I dont know for sure, I just know a similar topic came up in one of our ethics classes.
 
I thought at least, that you can refer to your own practice but can you do the therapy?
 
From my understanding, in many states doctors cannot own PT clinics. it is considered a conflict of interest. Doctors may refer the patient to whom ever they choose but they are obligated to provide the patient with options.
btw, I'm a practicing PT and hopefully a soon to be MS I.

to the OP: PT school is a longer and rigorous pathway to medicine. No doubt it'll be helpful to you while you are in med school (with anatomy, pt. care, healthcare delivery, practical hospital knowledge), but if your end goal is to become a physiatrist with a sports medicine specialty, i don't think the PT degree will add much once you're establishing your practice as an attending. It may help you reach that goal, but there are other paths that may be more efficient with your time, energy and finances (..as stated before by some other posts --masters program, biomed, etc) That's my analysis. however, if you still feel inclined to pursue a PT degree, it's definitely a great profession. good luck with your decision.
 
myr...

Likely "no" this probably falls under a "stark law" violation.

Furthermore, you simply may make MORE money by seeing another patient as a MD rather than scheduling that time as a PT...or seeing 2 medical patients in the same time it takes to manage a single PT patient...etc.
You will be able to charge some rehab charges/manipulation etc etc. But it would be somewhat unethical to "refer" to yourself and charge for PHYSICAL THERAPY...but once again, many charges do not require a physical therapist.
 
OkazakiFragment, appreciate the knowledge, what is your main reason for going to medical school if you don't mind me asking?

DocWagner, is there a good website where I can read about the legalities and scopes of practice for this?
 
DocWagner said:
myr...

Likely "no" this probably falls under a "stark law" violation.

Furthermore, you simply may make MORE money by seeing another patient as a MD rather than scheduling that time as a PT...or seeing 2 medical patients in the same time it takes to manage a single PT patient...etc.
You will be able to charge some rehab charges/manipulation etc etc. But it would be somewhat unethical to "refer" to yourself and charge for PHYSICAL THERAPY...but once again, many charges do not require a physical therapist.
Click to expand...

You can always hire other PTs or PTAs and still as owner of the PT clinic you make the money. Yes it is unethical to refer to yourself...but if you refer to the clinic it does not matter. I know a few MDs (former PTs) already planning to do that in the future.
 
I am a little confused. I just read the stark laws and criteria for physicians billing physical therapy. It states that if the physical therapy is performed in the same building and a physician is present in the same building then you can refer to your own clinic. So isn't that usually the case? I am guessing that this law prevents a physician or group of physicians to profit off of any clinic they refer to. If this was the case then it would be unfair competition to physical therapist owned practices? So if a physician has a clinic "downstairs" and there is always a physician present it is ok to send your patient there?
 
you are correct............the 'incident to provisions' pretty much negated any good the starke laws would have done for independent PTs.
 
So before those laws physicians actually owned practices outisde of their practice?
 
"
DOctorJay said:
i am actually in your situation. I graduated from a PT school with an MSPT and am now a DO student (3rd year). If I had known early on that I was definitely going to medical school then I would not have gone to PT school, however, having gone through PT school I can say that it prepared me tremendously for medical school (ESPECIALLY osteopathic medical school)."


Hi mate,

I'm a newly arrived Physiotherapist from Melbourne, Australia. I have recently finished my national licensing exam and am registered in NY state. I need to work and save up before I think of any further studies or academic coursewrk.

Just curious, but what are the specific requirements for a Physical Therapist like me ( who is interested in Osteopathy) to enrol into a DO program ?:confused:

Cheers mate,:)

Paxian.
Click to expand...
 
your requirements would be the same as any other person who wanted to apply to medical school. so get all your pre-reqs done and take the MCAT and apply! also, it would be helpful to do some shadowing with a DO and get a letter of recommendation from them to include in your application, most schools want to see that you've experienced osteopathic medicine first hand prior to admission.

best of luck to you,

J
 
Thanks For The Reply Once Again ! :)
 
Oi thanks for the reply friend.:D

Juz have a few more queries :

1. Is it very difficult getting a letter of recomm. from an Osteopath as such :confused: ?

2. Do Osteopathics, Chiros and Physios have some sort of rivalry in practice like they do in Australia or even in parts of Europe and the UK ?:oops:

3. Does having a PT credential in anyway help in entering DO school ?

Best regards mate,

Paxian.
 
osteopaths here in the US as you may already know are equal to MDs in all ways except that DOs here can also practice OMM.

getting a letter of recommendation from most osteopaths here simply requires spending a day or 2 with one and showing a genuine interest, most know a letter is required for admission

not much rivalry here as far as I can tell although most DOs practice more like an MD than a PT or DC. those who are out there practicing strictly OMM may have more of a "rivalry" with these other fields.

the PT credential will only help in that you have prior experience which can be a plus on your application. you'll still have to take all the same classes as everyone else but it should help explain your interest in OMM and the DO degree as opposed to the MD.

-J
 
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