Private Practice PT

[AP191]

Hello everyone!

I have been accepted into physical therapy school, and I cannot be more thrilled. Seeing how most of you on this forum are in physical therapy school or working in the field already, I am hoping you can answer my question. If you want to open your own clinic, how long do you think a PT must work in the field in order to make that happen? I have an uncle, who has worked in the field for over 30 years, told me to work for a hospital for 2 to 3 years after earning my DPT and then I can open own clinic. This surprised me because I figured the time frame would be much longer in order to gain connections and clientele. Any thoughts?

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[Sheldon]

Your uncle, in general, has given you good advice. Work for someone else only as long as you need to build your reputation and establish positive working relationships with potential referral sources. Realize too that you cannot solely rely on other providers for your clientele; your former patients are your best (or worst) marketers. If your goal is private practice, realize everything you do with your employer, your patients, and providers may help or hurt you. Be empathetic, positive, the best you can be, and lose no moral/ethical ground and you'll be successful.

When I was a new grad, I worked in a SNF. I used to travel with patients to their ortho appointments to discuss patient progress with the docs and get face-time. One particular doc would only send patients to my former employer if the adminstrator there gave him her word I would be the PT working with his patients. Other docs followed suit. I moved 3 hours away and every month it seems someone from my town comes to me on that MD's referral and/or advice.

Moral of story: establish positive working relationships and you will be ok.

 

[DesertPT]

I used to travel with patients to their ortho appointments to discuss patient progress with the docs and get face-time. One particular doc would only send patients to my former employer if the adminstrator there gave him her word I would be the PT working with his patients. Other docs followed suit. I moved 3 hours away and every month it seems someone from my town comes to me on that MD's referral and/or advice.

Moral of story: establish positive working relationships and you will be ok.

Not a PT yet, but I have seen this exact same thing work very well in some clinics that I have spent time in. Getting in good with the orthopods and other docs in the area seems to be worth your while.