PT then MD?

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docmira

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Hi all,
I'm entertaining the idea of getting into Physiotherapy. I'm skimming through this board, and I'm seeing some mixed feelings on the future of PT. I'm keeping my options open. I was originally wanting to get into medicine but recently I have been having some doubts. It is one of my biggest desires, but it just seems so far off right now. My plan is to get into PT if I can.
My question is how many of you have or plan to do a masters in PT and then apply to med school? Is this a likely option, or is it just a longer route? Is it even possible?
My problem is that this past year was my final year of undergrad but things went wrong and now I will be returning for a fifth year. I have been doing really well for the past few years, my marks are up and i had all my requirements. But last year my family went through a lot of problems (ie my father had a near fatal heart attack and now we are all dealing with the after affects) and it ended up having an effect on my academics for the fall semester. A few of my course marks were uncharacteristically low and have thus lowered my GPA considerably. If I could go back, I would have pulled out for the semester, but it's all past now. Anyways my winter semester I managed to pull through and get an over 80 average again.
So that's my story. If anyone has any advice I'd really appreciate it because I really don't know where else to turn. I want to start the rest of my life, but it just seems like I have no where to go.
Thanks

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Initially I "thought" of Medicine prior to PT and did not realize or have the courage until I was a PT...some maturation was needed apparently. Don't lose hope, work hard, and pursue your dreams.
PT is a fantastic field, but you will never be happy unless it is your FIRST choice of fields (goes with anything in life).
Take care of your family and yourself. Study hard, take an MCAT prep class and get a "feel" of your scoring.
Remember, there are multiple considerations in acceptance.
 
I agree with DocWagner. I did PT first and while I don't regret it, I wouldn't recommend it. I enjoyed what I learned the first few years, but unless you really plan on using PT in your medical practice, I would advise to write a good essay, do well on the MCAT, and apply to appropriate schools for your scores. One bad semester isn't the end of the world and CERTAINLY not a reason to go into one field rather than the other. Bottom line: If you want medicine, do medicine. If you want PT, do PT. Nothing is holding you back from either.
 
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Excellent insight from both of the above posters. I agree wholeheartedly with both of them. I would add look into becoming a physician assistant as well but truthfully you seem to desire medicine above all based on your post. There are other ways to improve your academic record in the event you don't gain entrance to medical school right away. Stay the course and you will get where you want to be.

-J
 
To answer your question; yes, it is possible if you want to obtain your masters degree first in PT then continue on to study medicine. Is it necessary? Is it practical? Is it financially smart? Those are all questions only you can answer for yourself. I can definitely empathize with you on how you are feeling about your grades and potential to pursue medicine. I too, had one or two difficult semesters (though probably not as difficult as yours); nonetheless, I found myself scrambling to bring my GPA back from the depths and succeed where I thought I would not be able to. I completed my masters degree in PT and decided along the way that medicine was where I truly wanted to be. I did finish my degree; whether is was because I was already too far along or needed that fall-back option secondary to insecurities about getting accepted to medical school, I can't say. Whatever the case was, and whatever your case may be; as the other posters have stated here, you need to follow your heart and determine exactly what it is you want to do. Whatever that turns out to be, just remember, you can do it. If you too are unsure of your potential to get accepted to med school, than maybe a PT degree first is a good option. Do i recommend it....not exactly, but it's defintely not a bad option if the medical school thing doesn't pan out. Just remember, you need to love what you do and do what you love. If you can't do that, than you might as well just go into business :D.
 
OP-
I'm not a PT, but I work in a related field. I do understand and agree with the above posters, who are in medicine already. But I think that you can also go through doing both, and have it be a long-term plan. One of my concerns with doing the medicine route right away when I was young was that I didn't want to spend my all of my 20s in medical school/residency. It'll be worse in my 30s, I'm sure, but I feel I'm much more mature and I've "sowed my oats" with travel and whatnot. And I feel now that I'm better focused.

I do also want to offer that if a low GPA is your concern for med school applications, you're gonna find a similar long road in PT school applications...they are very competitive too.

Best of luck in either path - or both!

dc
 
First of all, I'm confused dan. Do you mean work as both a physical therapist and a doctor? Or just do PT first then go to med school? Because if it is the former, I believe that is not possible. You can only work under your highest degree; a nurse who becomes a doctor can not practice as an RN; an ATC who goes to PT school can not practice "athletic training". Or so I have been informed. Please correct me if i'm wrong.
Second of all, mira, there are definitely benefits from working in the health field before pursuing a career in medicine; the hands-on experiences, the patient-provider relationship exposure, the clinical knowledge that can only be obtained in the working world; nevertheless, maturity, focus, drive...whatever you want to call it, is gained by different individuals at all different times. The road to finding this also includes choosing what it is you want to do for the rest of your life (and even then some people have difficulty with this). Once again I have to place an emphasis on the importance of choosing what is right for you and not what everyone else tells you (I know that's a llittle ironic since I am writing this); however, perhaps you don't have the desire to travel, or the fortitude to work a decade before going into medical school, or even the patience to wait that long. If you want it...go for it!
Lastly, and as a side note, I just have to mention how a girl I knew in college was in school for physical therapy. After a year or so she decided it was too hard and went pre-med....yeah, that's what i was thinking too. So if all else fails to assist you on this path, remember...PT school is harder than med school :rolleyes:,hmmm, so choose which one you want based on desire, not difficulty . ;)
 
did i convey the sarcasm in the italics enough?.....i tried.
 
Wow, thanks for all the advice guys, i really wasn't expecting such a great response.
I will definetly look into all my options and hopefully I'll make a wise decision.
Both PT and medicine are extremely competitive fields to get into. However I am pretty certain that these are the two fields I have most interest in. I have drive, I have maturity. It's just the GPA that I don't have. I"ve had terrible luck in that department. I am taking another semester of courses at my university, however I am very limited with choice. Hopefully I'll find some good courses to keep me going in my pursuit to raise my GPA.
Thanks again, I really appreciate it!
 
good luck again...and if you have any other questions, feel free to ask.
 
Just FYI, an ATC that goes to PT school can practice both as an ATC AND a PT. Actually thousands are dual credentialled and actively practice both as they are very complimentary. Actually, numerous PT's have gone back and become ATC's. I am sure that this applies to other professions as long as you maintain your license, continuing ed etc in that field. They question just becomes why then?
 
I guess I'm just a little confused on how someone can practice with two degrees. That individual could definitely treat with similar principals and methods of the former degree; but, as I understand it, as healthcare professionals we are held to practice at our highest degree of education. Not to say that a PT couldn't "train athletes", he or she would just have to call it "physical therapy" instead of "athletic training". I believe this is important in relieving some confusion people have when they are looking for help or treatment. It may also assist in preventing, say...personal trainers from performing "PT" as well. But, hey...there will probably be debates about the semantics and identities of various healthcare workers from now to eternity, so I guess it's merely a moot point. :)
 
No offense, but that is completely wrong. It is possible to practice as both an ATC and a PT. Where does it say that rehab for athletes is not "athletic training". That is actually a huge part of the profession, even much more than it is for PT's. Now a ATC cannot practice PT without a PT degree, but that is why you don't see them working on neuro floors in the hospitals. While much of this has to do with a state's practice act etc., but as far as training in ortho sports med topics, they are very equivalent. And who says that a PT degree is higher than an ATC? What if an individual has a bachelors in both? Which is the higher degree? What if one has a BS in Athletic training, a MS in PT, but a PhD in Athletic training? What would they be? I kind of speak about this from experience as I am an ATC and a PT. At my undergrad, 8 of our 11 athletic training staff were dual credentialled and they ALL consider themselves athletic trainers first, PT's second. Athletic training is NOT just a lesser version of PT. Actually, it would be illegal for a PT to practice athletic training in many states? Even if they called it PT. The requirements for licensure and practice, at least in Indiana, do not allow PT's to work in those settings. PT's do not have the training to adequately handle many athletic training situation such spine boarding an individual on the field with a neck trauma or dealing with trauma etc. I'll get off my soap box now.....but this is kind of a big deal to me, just as DO vs. MD probably is to you. It would be like me telling you that you couldn't practice medicine because you are a going to be a DO. You won't have a "Doctor of Medicine", you'll have a "doctor of osteopathic (medicine)". So would you have to call it osteopathic medicine all the time when treating patient's instead of just medicine? Is it different? Would it be considered a lesser degree when compared to other physicians? To me it doesn't mean that, but neither does having an ATC versus a PT. Sorry for my ranting and I know that in many ways it is just semantics, but getting the record straight is important across all fields.
 
DocLandry said:
Do you mean work as both a physical therapist and a doctor? Or just do PT first then go to med school? Because if it is the former, I believe that is not possible. You can only work under your highest degree; a nurse who becomes a doctor can not practice as an RN...

DocLandry said:
That individual could definitely treat with similar principals and methods of the former degree; but, as I understand it, as healthcare professionals we are held to practice at our highest degree of education.

You practice whatever you want and are qualified to practice. If you got a Harvard AB, went to Oxford as a Rhodes scholar, got a MPhil, returned and did a Hopkins MD-PhD, then 7 years neurosurgery residency, and the day you become BC in neurosurg you decide you want to practice, for whatever reason, as a nurse, you can go right ahead.

After getting a nursing degree of course. Lol.
 
The confusion here is that you CANNOT refer to yourself, therefore practicing PT while in turn being the Physician means you REFERRED to yourself for treatment (illegal). An ATC does not need PT referral, rather being an ATC or PT offers certain privileges the other does not have (some teams only allow on field ATC's not PT, therfore a PT/ATC can be on field).
I am both a DO and a PT, but I don't practice PT...a DO can essentially charge anything a PT does as a form of OMT and bill under that. It doesn't happen frequently because it is not necessarily profitable.
Generally you just dont see dual degrees actually practiced...rather it enhances a degree (MD, RD may be a fantastic endocrinologist after fellowship).
Make sense?
 
yeah, that'll work for me
 
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