PT and/or OT..ADVICE PLEASE

[wannabeapharm]

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I am a college graduate who is interested in going into the Healthcare industry. I will have to take some pre reqs. I was a Business major and I didnt know if this was a + or a - considering I want a career change.

However, I am confused on what i sh ould persue...I have been torn between Pharmacy, Nursing, PhyTherapy/Occupational Therapy..


It seems that you cant go wrong with a career in health unlike some careers...

So waht do you suggest? My gpa was bad....2.71 when I grauated..I am HOPING I can take at least one pre req this summer and maybe a graduate class in Business.....The thing is Pharmacy is hard to get admitted to..and I have a low gpa..so I dunno ...So thats where Nursing and Therapy comes in...

Advice needed...What are your opinions on these careers?

 

[awdc]

I am a college graduate who is interested in going into the Healthcare industry. I will have to take some pre reqs. I was a Business major and I didnt know if this was a + or a - considering I want a career change.

However, I am confused on what i sh ould persue...I have been torn between Pharmacy, Nursing, PhyTherapy/Occupational Therapy..


It seems that you cant go wrong with a career in health unlike some careers...

So waht do you suggest? My gpa was bad....2.71 when I grauated..I am HOPING I can take at least one pre req this summer and maybe a graduate class in Business.....The thing is Pharmacy is hard to get admitted to..and I have a low gpa..so I dunno ...So thats where Nursing and Therapy comes in...

Advice needed...What are your opinions on these careers?

Wow... honestly, that gpa needs some working on even to get into physical therapy. Chiropractic schools will take you but I highly advise against it (see my post in your other thread about physical therapy). I don't really know too much about nursing schools or occupational therapy to give an opinion. But if pharmacy, physical therapy, physician assistant, optometry, dentistry, or medicine is your goal, that gpa really needs to go up. If you can, I would highly recommend doing a full year as a full-time student, retaking your sciences, and studying like your life depended on it. If you do well from now on (especially in the sciences), they will take that into consideration even if your gpa remains on the low end. On top of that, you need volunteer/work experience applicable to the field you want to go into.

I would advise this if you do go to nursing, to try and pursue a BSN since you already have a bachelor's.

 

[lawguil]

Wow... honestly, that gpa needs some working on even to get into physical therapy. Chiropractic schools will take you but I highly advise against it (see my post in your other thread about physical therapy). I don't really know too much about nursing schools or occupational therapy to give an opinion. But if pharmacy, physical therapy, physician assistant, optometry, dentistry, or medicine is your goal, that gpa really needs to go up. If you can, I would highly recommend doing a full year as a full-time student, retaking your sciences, and studying like your life depended on it. If you do well from now on (especially in the sciences), they will take that into consideration even if your gpa remains on the low end. On top of that, you need volunteer/work experience applicable to the field you want to go into.

I would advise this if you do go to nursing, to try and pursue a BSN since you already have a bachelor's.

Despite what others may say, I wouldn't worry about your GPA that much for PT school. It really depends on the program. At the college that i work we pretty much have open admissions now that we have moved to a DPT program. We can't recruit enought students to fill a class. Who in their right mind wants to spend 4 years post bacc. to become a PT, unless it's really what you want to do! Our average GPA for the first year DPT program was somewhere around a 3.0. Historically it was around a 3.3-3.4. knobody seems to understand the lack of interest, but from what I can see, it's about the extra time to do what used to require a bachelors degree. The student in our undergrad program who are/were interested in PT are now leaning PA. My point: You can be successful if you do well on the remaining pre-reqs. for PT school. In fact you could probably be succesful if you only do OK. PA school will probably require a little more work, but certainly isn't out of the picture. I had a student who succesfully got into his home states PA school with a 2.6 and three months EMT experience. Although, most students that I work with that are interested in graduate work are 2.9 and up.

 

[DPTATC]

Despite what others may say, I wouldn't worry about your GPA that much for PT school. It really depends on the program. At the college that i work we pretty much have open admissions now that we have moved to a DPT program. We can't recruit enought students to fill a class. Who in their right mind wants to spend 4 years post bacc. to become a PT, unless it's really what you want to do! Our average GPA for the first year DPT program was somewhere around a 3.0. Historically it was around a 3.3-3.4. knobody seems to understand the lack of interest, but from what I can see, it's about the extra time to do what used to require a bachelors degree. The student in our undergrad program who are/were interested in PT are now leaning PA. My point: You can be successful if you do well on the remaining pre-reqs. for PT school. In fact you could probably be succesful if you only do OK. PA school will probably require a little more work, but certainly isn't out of the picture. I had a student who succesfully got into his home states PA school with a 2.6 and three months EMT experience. Although, most students that I work with that are interested in graduate work are 2.9 and up.

When I applied to PT school in 1989, the average GPA was about 3.7. It may have gone down in recent years with the proliferation of schools (i.e. more programs) but historically, PT school has had a higher average GPA than entry into medical school. That was based upon small class sizes. I don't believe that a 3.0 is a typical average even now. I don't have data to support that but I know the people who have shadowed me have had much higher GPA's than that.

That said, the GPA does need to go up for most of the programs mentioned above. I do know that non-traditional students (those that have worked elsewhere and are looking for a career change) seem to get a little leeway but probably not that much. Taking the prerequisites and doing well will show the admissions committee that you are now a serious student and can succeed in their program.

I went to Des Moines University for physical therapy, I have spoken with the faculty there and they told me that class sizes were smaller because of less demand around 200-2001 but they did not lower their standards just to fill the classes. I got the same information from the Mayo PT school faculty.

 

[wannabeapharm]

So with that said, with decreased interest etc..aer you saying that PT is not a promising career? I was just wondering b/c yeah I know that some are moving to DPT but the pay is still the same ...but I guess pharmacy is doing the same with PharmD that is entry level....
Hiowevber, besides PT would you suggest Nursing or Pharmacy?

I am gonna take a pre req this summer and hopefully start hard core on them in the fall....

Advice needed

When I applied to PT school in 1989, the average GPA was about 3.7. It may have gone down in recent years with the proliferation of schools (i.e. more programs) but historically, PT school has had a higher average GPA than entry into medical school. That was based upon small class sizes. I don't believe that a 3.0 is a typical average even now. I don't have data to support that but I know the people who have shadowed me have had much higher GPA's than that.

That said, the GPA does need to go up for most of the programs mentioned above. I do know that non-traditional students (those that have worked elsewhere and are looking for a career change) seem to get a little leeway but probably not that much. Taking the prerequisites and doing well will show the admissions committee that you are now a serious student and can succeed in their program.

I went to Des Moines University for physical therapy, I have spoken with the faculty there and they told me that class sizes were smaller because of less demand around 200-2001 but they did not lower their standards just to fill the classes. I got the same information from the Mayo PT school faculty.

 

[truthseeker]

So with that said, with decreased interest etc..aer you saying that PT is not a promising career? I was just wondering b/c yeah I know that some are moving to DPT but the pay is still the same ...but I guess pharmacy is doing the same with PharmD that is entry level....
Hiowevber, besides PT would you suggest Nursing or Pharmacy?

I am gonna take a pre req this summer and hopefully start hard core on them in the fall....

Advice needed

I don't think the demand is really down, there was a dip for 1-2 years while long-term rehab providers rearranged their staffing. Now there are jobs galore. If it is easier to get into PT school now, it is because the number of programs has increased.

Before, hundreds of qualified candidates were not accepted because of the limited number of schools and the small class sizes. Now, the class sizes are still usually small because of the hands-on nature of the education, but there are more programs so there are more people accepted.

As far as nursing or pharmacy, those really aren't my cup of tea. I suggest you shadow each to determine what you want to be when you grow up. Having a good paying job that you don't like is not where you want to be. Each profession has its pros and cons. For me, PT had the right mix of things. I love my job and will not get burnt out because everyday I look forward to going to work (I know, I know, nobody believes me but its at least mostly true, days off are good too).

Shadow.

Shadow.

Shadow.

 

[lawguil]

When I applied to PT school in 1989, the average GPA was about 3.7. It may have gone down in recent years with the proliferation of schools (i.e. more programs) but historically, PT school has had a higher average GPA than entry into medical school. That was based upon small class sizes. I don't believe that a 3.0 is a typical average even now. I don't have data to support that but I know the people who have shadowed me have had much higher GPA's than that.

That said, the GPA does need to go up for most of the programs mentioned above. I do know that non-traditional students (those that have worked elsewhere and are looking for a career change) seem to get a little leeway but probably not that much. Taking the prerequisites and doing well will show the admissions committee that you are now a serious student and can succeed in their program.

I went to Des Moines University for physical therapy, I have spoken with the faculty there and they told me that class sizes were smaller because of less demand around 200-2001 but they did not lower their standards just to fill the classes. I got the same information from the Mayo PT school faculty.

There was a time when GPA's were very high (years ago), but it was long before the DPT came into the picture. The high GPA's were those of a freshman or sophomore in undergrad who were accepted into the PT track completing a bachelor’s degree in Physical Therapy. It was very competitive! Things have changed now that a Bachelors Degree must be in place with pre-reqs similar to medical school. You can't compare the current situation of PT to that of the past. With a 3.0, I can guarantee you will get in somewhere. Go see your advisor if you have one. They should be able to help you!

 

[Speechie]

PT and OT are great, Nurses are wonderful, Pharmacists totally rock. But... if you like 1:1 time with patients, enjoy talking to people and taking the time to really listen to them... maybe a Masters in Speech Language Pathology would be your thing! There are also lots of options in practice, so if you get tired of the medical bureaucracy, you can try the educational bureaucracy!
🙂 Speechie

 

[truthseeker]

PT and OT are great, Nurses are wonderful, Pharmacists totally rock. But... if you like 1:1 time with patients, enjoy talking to people and taking the time to really listen to them... maybe a Masters in Speech Language Pathology would be your thing! There are also lots of options in practice, so if you get tired of the medical bureaucracy, you can try the educatio!
🙂 Speechie

For the most part I agree with you Speechie, my wife is an SLP in a hospital setting and she totally loves her job. However, with a lot of her patients, they don't communicate well or they have dementia so the interaction is sometimes one sided. That said, she still loves her job. Most of her outpatients communicate well. She does work with memory books with families of dementia patients, does voice therapy, etc . . . I don't know why nobody brought that up before.

 

[truthseeker]

There was a time when GPA's were very high (years ago), but it was long before the DPT came into the picture. The high GPA's were those of a freshman or sophomore in undergrad who were accepted into the PT track completing a bachelor’s degree in Physical Therapy. It was very competitive! Things have changed now that a Bachelors Degree must be in place with pre-reqs similar to medical school. You can't compare the current situation of PT to that of the past. With a 3.0, I can guarantee you will get in somewhere. Go see your advisor if you have one. They should be able to help you!

I looked on the APTA website (http://apta.org/Education/ed_news/pt_edu_faq) and it says that 75% of programs have a minimum 3.0 GPA to apply. I know that Lawguil is of the opinion (probably a correct one) that the APTA is a political organ and that one of its purposes is to increase the status of PTs but I think it is still true that the GPAs are higher than Lawguil implies. I will do some more research and post it later regarding some of the regional PT schools that I affiliate with.

 

[wannabeapharm]

Thanks..I am gonna see if I can shadow a PT or something..I need some pre reqs so that could help my gpa..I have a BBA so i dunno if that would be a plus for me or not.
The thing I would hate about nursing would be possibly of working grave yard shift and also may have to clean up bodily fluids etc.

I think Pharmacy and PT are good..DO you agree? Pharmacy seems to be hard to get admitted into..

My gpa is 2.71 now when I graduated...I am gonna start some pre reqs ..I was wondering if a MBA or MS in Mgmt would be good as well?

DO layoffs or high turnover ocur in PT?

I looked on the APTA website (http://apta.org/Education/ed_news/pt_edu_faq) and it says that 75% of programs have a minimum 3.0 GPA to apply. I know that Lawguil is of the opinion (probably a correct one) that the APTA is a political organ and that one of its purposes is to increase the status of PTs but I think it is still true that the GPAs are higher than Lawguil implies. I will do some more research and post it later regarding some of the regional PT schools that I affiliate with.

 

[DPTATC]

There was a time when GPA's were very high (years ago), but it was long before the DPT came into the picture. The high GPA's were those of a freshman or sophomore in undergrad who were accepted into the PT track completing a bachelor’s degree in Physical Therapy. It was very competitive! Things have changed now that a Bachelors Degree must be in place with pre-reqs similar to medical school. You can't compare the current situation of PT to that of the past. With a 3.0, I can guarantee you will get in somewhere. Go see your advisor if you have one. They should be able to help you!

I did some research. see below

school avg GPA at entry avg GRE (three parts)

Elon 3.5 1620
UT Southwesten 3.6
UW Lacrosse 3.5-3.6
AZ school of health sciences 3.3 1509
Ohio U 3.4-3.5
Duke 3.4-3.6 1720-1805
Marymount 3.4-3.5
U of Minnesota 3.48
Northwestern (Evanston) 3.64 1810

So, you see, the average scores are not as low as Lawguil suggests. Where GRE averages are not listed, in some cases, it is not clear whether the test is required or not.

 

[chicoborja]

I believe pharmacy programs would likely be the hardest to get into, followed by BSN nursing programs, DPT programs, then MOT programs. One factor you havent mentioned is the amount of time you wanted to commit to each of these programs. I believe PharmD programs are 4 years, DPT programs usually 3 years, MOT programs 3 years (but the BS is combined), and BSN 2 years. That does not take into account pre-reqs. PharmD would have the highest pay with the other 3 being about 20-30 k below that of a PharmD but fairly equivalent to one another. My guess is that MOT (OT) would be the least stressful of the lot and also possibly the least competitive.

just my 2 cents

 

[wannabeapharm]

THANKS ALOT FOR ALL YOUR REPLIES AND INFO!!

Thanks also for that research done I totally appreciate it alot

PT and OT seems to be very lucrative at this point. I see alot of openings in the newspaper with sign on bonuses.. I know of the time commitment to these program and I will be in my late 20s once I finish up these programs b/c I have a Bachelors and I have about 1 yr or 1 /2 yrs o take pre reqs which I thik are going to be the hardest part since I feel my gpa is in in the pits.

So do you work as a PT or in PT school?

Again, thanks to all for the info

I did some research. see below

school avg GPA at entry avg GRE (three parts)

Elon 3.5 1620
UT Southwesten 3.6
UW Lacrosse 3.5-3.6
AZ school of health sciences 3.3 1509
Ohio U 3.4-3.5
Duke 3.4-3.6 1720-1805
Marymount 3.4-3.5
U of Minnesota 3.48
Northwestern (Evanston) 3.64 1810

So, you see, the average scores are not as low as Lawguil suggests. Where GRE averages are not listed, in some cases, it is not clear whether the test is required or not.

 

[lawguil]

I did some research. see below

school avg GPA at entry avg GRE (three parts)

Elon 3.5 1620
UT Southwesten 3.6
UW Lacrosse 3.5-3.6
AZ school of health sciences 3.3 1509
Ohio U 3.4-3.5
Duke 3.4-3.6 1720-1805
Marymount 3.4-3.5
U of Minnesota 3.48
Northwestern (Evanston) 3.64 1810

So, you see, the average scores are not as low as Lawguil suggests. Where GRE averages are not listed, in some cases, it is not clear whether the test is required or not.

Interesting data, however, I'm curious where you retrieved the data. If it is from the school website, it may not be accurate. Our school website says that our average GPA is in the 3.3-3.4 range. It has said this for about the last 4 years and at the time it was somewhat accurate. If you think that a school is going to post a 2.9 or 3.0 average GPA on a website of even tell the truth if you asked them, you would also believe that college and universities were entirely about education and cared nothing about the business end of things. Further, it might be true that some schools in various regions of the country are able to maintain the higher admission standards, but here in the Northeast, where education is at a premium, the 3.5's from the ivy's aren't knocking on our door anymore. Nonetheless, your information may very well be accurate, but I would consider the marketing strategy behind it. Just a thought knowing how things are done here! L.

 

[lawguil]

I did some research. see below

school avg GPA at entry avg GRE (three parts)

Elon 3.5 1620
UT Southwesten 3.6
UW Lacrosse 3.5-3.6
AZ school of health sciences 3.3 1509
Ohio U 3.4-3.5
Duke 3.4-3.6 1720-1805
Marymount 3.4-3.5
U of Minnesota 3.48
Northwestern (Evanston) 3.64 1810

So, you see, the average scores are not as low as Lawguil suggests. Where GRE averages are not listed, in some cases, it is not clear whether the test is required or not.

I didn't notice this in my first post, but it's funny you mention Duke. I use to have a relationship with Duke. At the time the average GPA for the PT program was nearly a 4.0. Looks like things are even changing there. L.

 

[wannabeapharm]

I am curious, I would like ot hear from someone who has been a PT or OT or who is currently one of the two...

What does your day to day routine schedule consist of and would you say it is stressful? I wonder why I see so many openings and job sign on bonuses for these careers?
So if I persue this I can make around 50k yearly?

Thanks...

 

[DPTATC]

Interesting data, however, I'm curious where you retrieved the data. If it is from the school website, it may not be accurate. Our school website says that our average GPA is in the 3.3-3.4 range. It has said this for about the last 4 years and at the time it was somewhat accurate. If you think that a school is going to post a 2.9 or 3.0 average GPA on a website of even tell the truth if you asked them, you would also believe that college and universities were entirely about education and cared nothing about the business end of things. Further, it might be true that some schools in various regions of the country are able to maintain the higher admission standards, but here in the Northeast, where education is at a premium, the 3.5's from the ivy's aren't knocking on our door anymore. Nonetheless, your information may very well be accurate, but I would consider the marketing strategy behind it. Just a thought knowing how things are done here! L.

I did a Google search that said "average GPA and physical therapy school" and most of what I found were the official websites of the schools. The Duke one was the best and had actual numbers in a chart form. The rest mentioned it in their FAQs. You may be right that they are lower than they used to be but I don't think that a 3.0 automatically gets you in somewhere. If you have a 3.0 you most certainly will be in the lower half of the applicants and will need either experience, a great GRE, or outstanding interviews to get in.

this is just my opinion, so take it for what its worth. I may be biased to the way it was in the late 80s when I applied.

FYI, I work as a PT but also I am a clinical instructor for about 4 schools currently. When I was in Kansas City, I was a clinical instructor for about 7 schools. I must say that the best student I've ever had was in the last two years, but overall, the better crop was in the 90s.

 

[bigdan]

Hey Pharm-

I'm an OT in Upstate NY. I graduated with a BS in OT in 1998 from Utica College (near Syracuse, NY) and now live and work in Binghamton. Love my job (that being said - I'm off to medical school in the fall).

Lots of good info thus far, so I'll just add my 2 cents for you to do what you please with. I can add only ancedotal evidence. I do not have stats or references, and for that I apologize.

For me, personally, in an area with notoriously poor compensation compared to a national average, you WILL make over 50K within a few years of work, and in several practice arenas within our area, you'll start out near or over 50K. You will likely "top out" at 70+K. Physical Therapists (PT) often make a bit more than OT in our area, and for some strange reason, SLP make less. My job in a 200 bed not-for-profit hospital is NOT stressful for me at all. I have extraordinary support from a great boss - before I applied one of my collegues said "On the days you don't wanna work, you'll still come because Eileen (the boss) is so great" - that's easily the highest praise I've ever heard about a supervisor, and let me tell you, the supervisor makes more of a difference than words can convey. Any PT at my job would NOT give the same vibe that I am. Anyways, career-wise, right now, things look great. Jobs are a dime a dozen, and OT/PT are back to writing their own tickets. Some jobs (as advertised in a very popular trade magazine) are looking at 10K signing bonuses, partial to full tuition reimbursement, moving stipends/compensation, etc. Some higher paying arenas and geographic areas are looking at starting folks at 65+K, but some of those are at "suspect" areas. Traveling therapy jobs are just nuts now - my best friend - an OT - is making 1900 bucks a week, with all these bizarre loops to avoid taxes, etc. Like all schools/jobs, it will suck at times, and be boring at times - hips and knees are the pits for me, but just getting it done to bag and drag at the ICU makes it worth it. You know the deal - that's just life.

Sub 3.0 GPA - from what I know about the admissions at my alma mater - will make you a subpar candidate. OT is, in my opinion, not very competitive. But my organic chemistry prof told me that in the SUNY schools in NY, the order of competitiveness, as judged by number of applicants vs. seats available, was as follows, most to least, Vet.Med, PT, OT, then Medicine. So if that's true, you've gotta bring the right numbers to the situation. Utica College, when I graduated, had an unwritten reject for sub 3.7's, and turned down a brainiac kiddo with a 1550 SAT and GPA to match. But money and subsequently competitiveness will wax and wane as it does with anything else...in 1999, the Medicare folks changed life, and salaries and jobs went AWOL. I graduated in Aug of 1998 with headhunters offering me 80K at SNF; in 1999 the jobs were at 45K in the state and arena of care.

Also, I have done tons of neat things with OT...I was CEO of a rehab company, I worked as an OT in Portugal for a year, I was a consultant with the state of NY, I have published, worked in peds (which I hated) but have subspecialized in neurorehab over the last 5 years, etc. And it's all - well, mostly all, 40-45 hrs per week. The most I ever made was ~60K.

So...do shadow. Talk about the job, but also the career. And apply to what you want. DO NOT let people on this board ever convince you that you won't get in. That's what they pay the admissions committees for.

Finally, good luck.

dc

 

[wannabeapharm]

I thank you alot for your response...
I think I seeing alot of PT jobs online all of a sudden and it is weird why so..I wonder why..Is this just a sudden boom like the IT industry was once was..I work in the IT industry and graduated with a degree but the prospects for the industry aren't so good

Regarding pre reqs should I become a post bacc or just take some courses? Is an MBA good to go with this? My job wont pay for any health degree but will pay for MBA and I was wondering if i would be wise to go for an MBA or just take out a loan for the pre reqs?


So with that said, do PTs and OTs work normal day shifts or are they required sometimes to work over nite like nurses or 12 hr shifts?





QUOTE=bigdan]Hey Pharm-

I'm an OT in Upstate NY. I graduated with a BS in OT in 1998 from Utica College (near Syracuse, NY) and now live and work in Binghamton. Love my job (that being said - I'm off to medical school in the fall).

Lots of good info thus far, so I'll just add my 2 cents for you to do what you please with. I can add only ancedotal evidence. I do not have stats or references, and for that I apologize.

For me, personally, in an area with notoriously poor compensation compared to a national average, you WILL make over 50K within a few years of work, and in several practice arenas within our area, you'll start out near or over 50K. You will likely "top out" at 70+K. Physical Therapists (PT) often make a bit more than OT in our area, and for some strange reason, SLP make less. My job in a 200 bed not-for-profit hospital is NOT stressful for me at all. I have extraordinary support from a great boss - before I applied one of my collegues said "On the days you don't wanna work, you'll still come because Eileen (the boss) is so great" - that's easily the highest praise I've ever heard about a supervisor, and let me tell you, the supervisor makes more of a difference than words can convey. Any PT at my job would NOT give the same vibe that I am. Anyways, career-wise, right now, things look great. Jobs are a dime a dozen, and OT/PT are back to writing their own tickets. Some jobs (as advertised in a very popular trade magazine) are looking at 10K signing bonuses, partial to full tuition reimbursement, moving stipends/compensation, etc. Some higher paying arenas and geographic areas are looking at starting folks at 65+K, but some of those are at "suspect" areas. Traveling therapy jobs are just nuts now - my best friend - an OT - is making 1900 bucks a week, with all these bizarre loops to avoid taxes, etc. Like all schools/jobs, it will suck at times, and be boring at times - hips and knees are the pits for me, but just getting it done to bag and drag at the ICU makes it worth it. You know the deal - that's just life.

Sub 3.0 GPA - from what I know about the admissions at my alma mater - will make you a subpar candidate. OT is, in my opinion, not very competitive. But my organic chemistry prof told me that in the SUNY schools in NY, the order of competitiveness, as judged by number of applicants vs. seats available, was as follows, most to least, Vet.Med, PT, OT, then Medicine. So if that's true, you've gotta bring the right numbers to the situation. Utica College, when I graduated, had an unwritten reject for sub 3.7's, and turned down a brainiac kiddo with a 1550 SAT and GPA to match. But money and subsequently competitiveness will wax and wane as it does with anything else...in 1999, the Medicare folks changed life, and salaries and jobs went AWOL. I graduated in Aug of 1998 with headhunters offering me 80K at SNF; in 1999 the jobs were at 45K in the state and arena of care.

Also, I have done tons of neat things with OT...I was CEO of a rehab company, I worked as an OT in Portugal for a year, I was a consultant with the state of NY, I have published, worked in peds (which I hated) but have subspecialized in neurorehab over the last 5 years, etc. And it's all - well, mostly all, 40-45 hrs per week. The most I ever made was ~60K.

So...do shadow. Talk about the job, but also the career. And apply to what you want. DO NOT let people on this board ever convince you that you won't get in. That's what they pay the admissions committees for.

Finally, good luck.

dc[/QUOTE]

 

[bigdan]

Healthcare is a business - if you went in with an MBA, you would have an advantange unmeasureable. You would align yourself beautifully for management positions, if that's your gig. I would go ahead and do the MBA if I were you, especially if you are getting it paid for...think about it - you have some degree of expressed concern regarding layoffs/employee surplus (more on that later) - if you have this MBA as a fall back, you'll have an additional degree above and beyond what 98% of your collegues have - that's protection. And if worst comes to worst, you use the MBA for work until OT/PT work shows up. Bottom line - I have yet to see a rehab set up that will allow unprofitable business practices from the idealistic, "peace core bleeding hearts I just wanna help people" therapists that we are. You just cannot stay open to treat patients if you don't have your finger on the pulse of legislation, reimbursement, cost/benefit, overhead, and the other terms that you know. I would be a better employee with the bachelor's degree you have; I would have been great as a manager with the MBA that I hope you get!

Regarding the ebb and flow, as I said before, is part of life. Good therapists will always have a job. It may not be the 730-330 get the kids off the bus, no Saturdays that you'd have in utopia, but ALWAYS a job. Those that are less flexible, with less to bring to the table (hint hint, MBA), and that cannot change will be left with more trouble IF the other shoe drops. Right now, upright with a degree in OT and a radial pulse seems to be enough to get a job. The reason for sway would be related to Medicare reimbursement if anything. They cracked down (hard) on nursing home and part B reimbursement in the late 90s, and things kinda got tight. But - the science and literature that shows the benefit of rehab is not ever gonna reverse itself. From a strictly numerical standpoint, you couldn't be getting into rehab at a better time - everyone is old and sore and stroking and obese (okay, a bit terse, but right in the crudest sense)...they aren't getting any younger. You know business. Layoffs happen for tons of reasons. You also know that anything can happen....wish I could give you the worry free vacuum that we all want, but that'd be a lie. You'll be just fine in OT or PT or NSG or Pharm or SLP for years to come. Supply and demand is the baseline summary for you question as to why you see the PT demand you see.

Schedule-wise, in 7 years, I have never HAD to work past 430 EVER! Now, I have a profession, not a job (get it?) so I do what I have to. My OCD/perfectionism tends to hold me there longer, and I think patients matter more than me blazing out the door "on time" - and I LOVE being in the hospital, so I typically do more near 50 hours, but each place varies. I've heard of lots of places doing 4 ten hour days, but on therapist request. Never heard of overnight OT or PT, but again, I'm giving you what I know. I find graveyard shift OT irresponsible and unlikely, but hey, I don't know it all. You should have NO worries about the extended nursing/MD like work in rehab. If you were in a clinic, you would likely be closed by 630 or 7, and no holidays, weekends, and bad weather days (it snows lots 'round these parts!)...at least from the free standing outpatient clinic that I ran. Lots - maybe most? - hospitals are doing 7 day a week therapies, which does include holidays, but you have days off during the week and have q10 weekend rotations or whatever. Much as I love my boss, her boss (rehab director) still tells us OTs to our faces that we are a Monday through Friday profession, so I work weekends whenever I want (LOVE the hospital) but I roll out whenever I want 'cause I don't have to be there - ever on the weekends. I think that weakens our profession - name another health service that you CANNOT get every day of the year(!), but it makes for a great schedule, I have to admit.

You gotta choose for yourself, but I'd do the MBA, then take the prereqs. Work a year or two and you'll likely have enough to do the prereqs without much damage to the wallet. Rehab isn't going anywhere - unless the pols go batty again (jk).

Best,

dc

 

[wannabeapharm]

So you guys think that me persuing a MBA would be good if I want to be a PT or OT? I do have a desire for a health related degree...

I can complete the MBA by March or June of next year so that is not a long time.

I have to take some pre reqs for PT if I want to do that..But my udergrad gpa sucks so I was wodnering if that MB woudl help me..

Anyone has any ideas why there is a sudden boom for PTs and OTs? I am seeing sign on bonuses of upwards $4000...Is this just a fad like the IT field was a few years ago?

I have realized now that Health care is one profession that is promised

 

[bigdan]

With all due respect...do you read any of my posts?

Getting an MBA will help you. Getting a high GPA in MBA will help you. OT/PT is getting big because they need more people than they have (that's that supply and demand concept I mentioned).

I hope someone else can offer answers to the very same questions you keep asking.

dc

 

[wannabeapharm]

With all due respect...do you read any of my posts?

Getting an MBA will help you. Getting a high GPA in MBA will help you. OT/PT is getting big because they need more people than they have (that's that supply and demand concept I mentioned).

I hope someone else can offer answers to the very same questions you keep asking.

dc

Thank you alot for your great, detailed repsonse about PT that you posted a few weeks go. I appreciate.
I am gonna go for the MBA and then do my pre reqs. Out of curiousity, what state are you a practicing PT?

I see some schools offer the DPT which I guess has to do with wanting to get higher reimbusrment from my understanding of the posts I've read on here...
But I am constantly seeing PT jobs on careerbuilder.com. Health care seems to be the way to go which I wish I would have realized when I was an undergrad student.