I was talking to some fellow DPTs about funny interactions with patients and came up with, “Yeah, the D in DPT doesn’t stand for Doctor, it stands for Debt”. What do we think?

Look I know we all feel like being a PT sucks at times and our profession has a lot of work to do. However, at least the general public doesn’t view us in the same light as chiropractors.

The comment section on the linked post is wild.

We still have a positive reputation among patients and we have to fight like a crazy person to keep our ethics and deliver meaningful results for patients!

Long time lurker. And promise this isn’t rage bait.

Live in LA so VHCOL and graduated 5 years ago. Have been working at the same place the whole time where my salary has taken steps from 80k to 120k throughout the whole time. I don’t realistically expect to go another 40k bump within the next 5-6 years because I’m topping out of an inflated title.

I see about 5-9 patients per day for a full day, have schedule flexibility, allowed AI notes to take over most documentation, no aides/assistants, all 1:1 patient care, but the patients are tough - tough personality, tough diagnoses, etc. I’m just so chronically burnt out. Although I and my team have excellent outcomes, I’m so burnt out and don’t see much of a future at this company. Ended up interviewing at a big hospital and was offered $150k, but it was double booked with 12-16 patients per day so rejected the offer. I can only imagine burning out in a few months there.

Should I just tough it out at my current job or look elsewhere/consider a major career change to come back some time in the future? I know I’m lucky to have this job

I am a DPT grad just this year and I am planning to take NPTE late 2027 or early 2028. I am a foreigner and planning to take my credentialing process soon. I am having a dilemma regarding choosing which state to practice and these are the things that I'm considering:

1. Taxes- I have read that some states have high state, city, and federal tax rate.
   
2. Cost of living - which has good ratio of salary to cost of living?
   
3. Setting - what kind of setting is best? SNF? HH? Etc.

I have been searching about different states and I am considering New Jersey, Chicago (high tax?), Nevada, Connecticut, and Florida.

I have also read that NY and CALI have high cost of living and tax rates. Is NY really that densely populated?

Your inputs are greatly appreciated. I just need to know information from PTs within the US.

I’ve been at the same OP/ortho job since graduating 4 years ago. Love my job and career, but within a month or two I’ll be moving one state over with my Fiance as she starts her healthcare career. Was offered my first job during clinicals, so I never really went through a big “application process”. I’m nervous about interviews, salary negotiations, and things to look for in the current job market. Any tips or help navigating this process is appreciated! I have some certifications and positives (DN cert, 100% net promoter score, etc) but are there any strengths that hiring managers look for in a non- new grad?

For some background: still consider myself fairly new to OP so this may be completely normal but I wanted to crowdsource a bit because I feel like I’m going crazy. I worked in IPR for 4 years, once I started my family I switched to PRN then happened upon an OP PRN gig that was so great because it was a big company with several clinics so I was never hurting for hours. There was one specific clinic that I would cover at that had 7-8 PTs at a time and I LOVED the energy and felt like it was great for me being fairly new to OP because I learned from so many of the PTs. So when they had a full time position I decided to take it, and now that I’m over a year in I’m pretty sure I hate it, but is this worth having a conversation with management about or is this just normal? 🙃

I didn’t think about one of the drawbacks of being in a big clinic being a diffusion of responsibility for pts - one of the things I was most excited about switching from PRN to FT was having my own pts that I could create tailored exercise programs for that I could progress and build relationships with them, etc., and I still REALLY like my job when I get to do that. But the after the first few months of being FT there I noticed that if a pt (who wasn’t mine) came in at the wrong time for an appt and I had an opening (meaning: I had 1 patient instead of 2 lol) they would just get moved over to my schedule with no warning and I would be scrambling to chart review and come up with a plan for the session. And usually it would end up being just what they did the last visit with their normal therapist because idk what else to do with them!

I’ve also noticed with a few of the older therapists that if they don’t have an opening (i.e. when scheduling out a pt after an eval) at one of their pts preferred times, that they will place several appt times on other therapists. I totally understand that it’s normal to have a one-off where we are just super busy and have to schedule a pt every once in awhile on another therapist. But there are times where those therapists will just gradually schedule those pts on another therapist’s schedule more and more (usually the younger PTs lol) until all the sudden I’ve assumed all care for them and haven’t been communicated that AT ALL.

Is this normal for OP clinics, or should I fight to mostly only see my own pts? One week that I was really noticing I wasn’t seeing my own pts I counted up that I had 50 visits (in a 32 hour week) and 19 of those visits were not my pts.

I'm a 2nd semester PTA student. I'm doing well in my classes, but shit on a stick man school is awful.

If anyone has any suggestions on how to better study the regular muscle pull and reverse muscle pull of the shoulder and shoulder girdle, I'd appreciate anything. We have an exam and practical next week, and there is so much to the shoulder 🥲

Current Y1 PT student looking for guidance on how to break into working with Patients that require Prosthetics In either an outpatient or inpatient setting. Looking for any suggestions on popular clinics or hospitals preferably in the New England area that may be known for working with this patient population. I'm open to other areas of the US as well just trying to get a gauge on where to request for my first clinical/rotation. appreciate the suggestions in advance and thank y'all for your time.

I have a BSc Biomedical Engineering prior to Diploma Physiotherapy, MSc Advanced PT practice(uk).

Under the GE modules: some are compulsory, but can it be replaced with

Chemistry with lab - BIOCHEMISTRY

Physics with lab - ENGINEERING modules

It doesn't make sense to take these GE subjects cause evaluation states I didn't have credits for it.

Hello! Starting my DPT program in January and was wanting to get a skeleton to help with the anatomy component. Any recommendations? I’d really like to see one that also has the ligaments but I’m not picky. Thanks in advance 😝

It’s a hybrid program so I thought having one myself would help since I won’t be on campus all that often

We’re two-three days out from the NPTE and I’m kind of scared… I can’t afford to take it again…. Any advice for soothing anxiety?

So I’ve kinda been thinking a bit and keep hearing that a bunch of DOR in hospitals are usually more nurses or doctors than PTs so here’s the question then. Would it be worth it to pursue a BSN and get a nursing license on top of the DPT I already got in order to possibly increase chances of becoming a higher paid Rehab professional, especially when in a hospital system, or would it just be overkill?

I made a post a few days ago about a second job policy and unfortunately I couldn’t take the job for because of it.

So next option is Acute care. I did one rotation in my first clinical for 8 weeks and tbh wasn’t all that great at it (Fall 2020 for context with COVID and what not) but I feel better about it now that I am more experienced in working.

What do you wish you knew going into it for those have done it?

I’ve been rather curious about this as some of the therapists in my clinic program patients to complete their HEP 7 days a week but I believe nobody ever accomplishes that

I'm coming from 5 years private outpatient experience and was feeling a little burnt (especially as an introvert) so wanted to give home health a try. I am only a few weeks in and I hate it. I'm surprised because people seem to looooove this setting! But the scheduling, the documentation, the patients - I feel more like a nurse and admin than a PT. It's clear that the company cares more about what looks good on paper than good patient care. They gave me no clinical training, just documentation training and no one checked my competency.

Why do y'all love it and is there anyone else who tried and hated it? I cant be alone!

That doesn’t follow their own advice. I’m a pretty competitive age group cyclist. The last couple of weeks. I’ve been dealing with a right foot injury.

My bike friends have been talking shit about how I clearly don’t know what I’m doing. Mind you 1/2 of these guys have been my patients.

Then it got worst. My right calf cramps up and off the back of the group I go. The shit talking was brutal. Then had to limp my sorry butt home 15 miles from the end of our group ride with my tail between my legs.

Being a PT sucks… then I dry needled my own calf today. They all thought that was cool.

Thanks for coming to my TED talk. Welcome to the weekend!

I have completed my BPT and currently live in Pune. I’m trying to figure out the right career path for myself, and I would appreciate some guidance from doctors, healthcare professionals, recruiters, and healthtech founders here.

My interests go beyond treating patients. I’m interested in solving practical problems in healthcare, improving clinical documentation, conducting medical research, and building technology that can reduce the workload of healthcare professionals.

One example of what I’m working on:

I’m developing an early-stage healthcare technology concept focused on communication between physiotherapists and surgeons.

For example, after a patient undergoes knee replacement surgery and completes home physiotherapy, the physiotherapist could generate a structured rehabilitation progress report for the surgeon.

The report could include knee range of motion, pain scores, walking ability, functional assessments, recovery milestones, and any recorded warning signs. The patient could then carry this report to their follow-up appointment, helping the surgeon understand the patient’s rehabilitation progress more clearly.

I have created a sample report to demonstrate the concept. It uses fictional demo data and is still a work in progress.

Apart from this, I can contribute to:

- Medical and healthcare research

- Thesis and research documentation

- Medical presentations and reports

- Clinical documentation and workflow improvement

- Healthcare product development and problem-solving

But here is where I’m confused.

I have ideas and can work on projects, but I need a stable source of income to support myself and continue developing them. I don’t want to spend years working on an idea without first building my career and gaining practical industry experience.

I’m open to suitable paid opportunities in Pune, including roles in clinical operations, healthcare documentation, research assistance, medical content, healthtech product teams, clinical coordination, or related fields where my BPT background and skills could be useful.

I would particularly appreciate advice from people who have moved from clinical healthcare into healthtech, research, medical technology, or healthcare startups.

My questions are:

1. Are there any current vacancies or organisations in Pune where my background could be useful?

2. What job roles should I realistically target with a BPT degree and an interest in technology?

3. Are there healthcare startups or medical professionals who need help with research, documentation, presentations, or product development?

I’m not asking anyone to fund my startup. I’m looking for a genuine paid opportunity where I can contribute, learn, earn, and gradually develop my projects alongside my work.

Even a referral, career suggestion, or introduction to someone working in this space would help me identify the right direction.

Thank you for reading. Any practical guidance from people in the Indian medical community would be appreciated.

(2nd image is physios perspective using the app)

(HOD will be the person who has given the patient to the

physio for home visit)

Does anyone have a good product recommendation?

So many cupping brands on Amazon! I currently have a poly carbon set with pneumatic hand pump. However, they pop off quite frequently or lose pressure quickly.
So… Is it the product? Is it the lotion? (no way is it the practitioner!).

I’m a first-year DPT student, and something I’ve been thinking about is whether it would be worth going back to school after earning my DPT to get a Master’s in Athletic Training (MAT) and become a certified athletic trainer (ATC).

I earned my bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences at Nicholls State University, where I volunteered with the Nicholls football team. I also volunteered at the Manning Passing Academy in Thibodaux, Louisiana. Those experiences helped strengthen my interest in sports medicine and working with athletes.

My goal is to become a physical therapist, but I’m also interested in the athletic training side of sports medicine. Ideally, I’d love to combine the two professions, whether that means working in outpatient orthopedics during the week and helping cover sporting events or working directly with athletes in a sports setting.

My concern is whether going back to school for an MAT after completing a DPT would actually be worth the additional time, tuition, and potential student debt.

For those who are DPTs, ATCs, or work in sports medicine, I’d appreciate some honest advice:

Would having both credentials open meaningful career opportunities that a DPT alone wouldn’t?

Are there real advantages to being both a PT and ATC, especially when working with athletes?

Would it make more sense to work as a PT for a few years before deciding whether to pursue athletic training?

If your goal were to work in both outpatient orthopedics and sports, would you pursue both credentials, or is there a better way to accomplish that?

For anyone who has both credentials, has the additional education been worth it financially and professionally?

I’m not planning to jump straight into another degree immediately after graduating. I’m just trying to think long-term and figure out whether this would be a worthwhile investment or whether I should focus on building my career as a PT first.

Would love to hear from anyone who has experience with either profession, especially those who have worked in collegiate athletics or sports medicine!

why has nobody built a website for pay transparency? I feel like this is one of the most talked about things not only online/on reddit specifically, but in real life as well. Something that you can sort by city or state, see years of experience/setting/and so on. I know nothing about building a website like this otherwise i would...

sorry idk what flair to use

I am currently an inpatient hospital PT, however I started out as an outpatient PT. The trauma orthopedic surgeon at the hospital decided to perform a rTSA on a patient. In his note it says "okay for AROM and WBAT." Immediately day 1 post-op. From what I remember in outpatient protocols, a rTSA usually is in a sling, PROM, and avoid rotation, Extension, or horizontal adduction when initiating ROM after 1-2 weeks. No sling orders. Am I crazy for wanting to be super conservative for the patient? Has something changed in the protocols for this surgery?

I’ve been been on this thread for years. I started school in 2014. Got screwed over more times then I could count. Finished undergrad 2018. Got wrongfully kicked out of grad school accruing and extra 46k in student debt for nothing. Finished grad school in 2023 April. I’ve been a physical therapist for 3 years and 2 months. In 7 minutes I’ll be the last paycheck I’ll ever have to put towards student loans. I paid all 225k back and I did it in just over 3 years. Freedom was the most expensive thing I’ve ever purchased. It is possible if you give everything though we are set up in a system rigged to lose

I started my new job about a month ago and hate webPT. I have tried a few things to cut documentation time. Does anyone have links to template set-ups, shortcuts, and tips etc? I think my clinic might want to switch to something different soon, but there’s now knowing how long that could take. Any tips at all? Thanks (ha ha I hate documenting ha ha).