You sound insecure about being an OT. DPTs have a much bigger responsibility in the rehabilitation process than OTs. Most clinics have more PTs hired than OTs. Your first post stated the OTs are gonna beat PTs out, so you're the one trying to make this a competition.
The comment I made:
"PS - OT always beats you guys out
PPS J/K we are sister fields. Strongly support my PT bros and sisters
"
YOU REALLY think this is competitive? It's a
joke about OT ranking higher in the stupid CNN rating which is what this thread is about! Please take note of the use of smiley faces and my statement that we are sister fields, a
nd that I STRONGLY support my PT brothers and sisters. I find it difficult to believe that you actually think this is a put down of PT, if so you might wanna work on your English comprehension skills.
The OT i shadowed taught patients how to put on socks all day, and ADL toilet duties. Not really interested in that. Just saying i prefer PT over OT. Each career is what you make of it.
Don't bash our profession and expect us not to defend it, then say we're being rude when we explain our reasons for choosing PT.
No one bashed anyone. You stated that "PT plays a bigger role in the rehab process". That's a very wide brush you are painting with brother. A large claim coming from a student who has
NEVER worked in rehab. What setting are we talking about? Sports injuries in an outpatient setting? Sure PT is critical. Neuro setting? OT is critical. Hand injuries? OT. Inpatient settings, you're gonna see a lot of OTs. SNF? You're gonna see a TON of OT. See below. I don't think your claims are borne out by data, or experience.
I've questioned the utility and wisdom of the move towards clinical doctorates in rehab fields. You have interpreted this as a "bash". My PT colleagues and I work synergistically for patient care. I actually showed one your comments and she had a pretty good laugh, and said what I also think: only a student who has never worked in our field can speak so casually about things he really doesn't know.
I agree with you that our fields are what you make of them. Have you ever worked in neuro setting? I find it rewarding to educate my patients to eat and dress post CVA/stroke/traumatic injury using compensatory techniques, remediation of dysfunction, as well as adaptive equipment. As you can imagine, a patient who learns to feed, dress, or bathe himself or herself following a traumatic event is pretty happy to be able to do so.
For example: I'm at a globally renown hospital in an outpatient neuro setting. I had a patient who is a diabetic and was unable to inject himself with a needle of insulin. The patient was experiencing fatigue, and instability, and dizzy spells due to poorly managed blood glucose levels, and sleep patterns which had deteriorated as a result. The PT stopped her session and brought the patient over to me because she knew that working on gait with a patient with these problems makes little sense. We work together, and collaborate in this manner. I connected the patient with a support group for diabetics, and an OT cooking class to educate him on healthy eating habits. OTs successfully taught this patient to eat properly managing his blood glucose levels, sleep patterns, etc. We also addressed fine motor deficits so the patient could inject himself, and designed a system to help the patient to remember when he should inject the insulin. Once that happened it made SENSE to send him over to PT to focus on gait. What on earth are you going to do with gait when the guy has his blood sugar all over the map, and can't dress himself or feed himself?
I have countless examples where I have gone over to my PT colleagues and had them intervene when their area of expertise would be critical for patient care.
I have
immense respect for my PT colleagues, and not one would ever speak like you. I'm not sure what school you are at, but they are doing a terrible job of educating their students about respect for others in the field.
Note: I do not believe you have demonstrated the benefit of a move towards a pricey clinical doctorate. Anecdotally, nearly all my PT colleagues, some of whom have the DPT lament the move towards the clinical doctorate.
Note: I believe your claims regarding salary are based on wishful thinking. PTs and OTs make nearly the exact same salary (check BLS reports) it's off by a few hundred dollars. Any student who goes into PT assuming he will make the $200 you claim is easy to swing is buying snake oil. Pt degrees (and our OTD) often cost 6 figures.
Note: While I would never have a desire to do so, some OTs go down the route you are proscribing and open a physical therapy outpatient practice. In fact I did my level II in a chain of outpatient physical therapy rehab practice in SO CAL opened by a group of occupational therapists.
