As a follow up to my last post, I though it appropriate to share this excellent video produced by APTA called “You Can Be Me: A Career in Physical Therapy.” It is an inspiring look into the lives of several different PTs, in different work settings. Though just under 10 minutes, it really speaks volumes to the many ways in which our profession positively affects people’s lives everyday. Kudos to APTA and to Physical Therapists in general for their incredible work.
Happy New Year!!
It seems that recently I have had more and more inquiries from undergrad or even high school students interested in pursuing a career in physical therapy and looking for more information and opportunities to get to know the profession better. Excellent!
The APTA has a page on their website dedicated to resources for students interested in a career in PT. It not only gives some of the history of the profession and the Association, but includes a list of all credentailed PT and PTA programs in the country and provides answers to some frequently asked questions about the journey toward becoming a PT. Using this information and some of our own, Therapeutic Associates recently developed an Introduction to Physical Therapy handout for our therapists to take when speaking to school groups or individuals about the profession.
I always encourage students to get some hands-on experience in the field as well. Many PTs are introduced to the profession (and first develop a passion for it) as patients. Regardless of whether or not you have experience from this perspective, I think it’s a great idea to shadow a few clinicians and conduct some volunteer observation hours in a clinic. Consider visiting several different types of settings (hospitals, private practice outpatient clinics, skilled nursing facilities, etc.) to get a feel for their differences. Maybe even schedule an informational interview with a PT who you admire. Inquire about his/her own professional journey and gather any advice and/or inspirations you can 
I am always happy to talk to this ‘next generation’ of therapists and excited to know that more and more people are considering a career in our rewarding profession.
Thanks to alot of great education and promotion by APTA and many PT schools across the country, there seems to be a buzz right now about physical therapist residency and fellowship programs. As I described in a post last year on TAI’s credentialed Ortho Residency Program, this journey of post-graduate education and mentorship really follows the medical model and may eventually become the desired and common path for most PTs after completing their DPT programs.
I am often asked – especially by 1st and 2nd year PT students – about the difference between a Residency and a Fellowship Program. Generally speaking, Residencies are intensive postprofessional education programs that broadly strengthen a therapist’s skills in a specific area of practice. Fellowships are also structured educational programs for post-graduates, but they focus more specifically on a specialty or subspecialty and are intended for therapists who already demonstrate clinical expertise and may have completed a Residency Program or are specialist certified. APTA’s website has a lot of great information on these programs, including this FAQ page that explains in greater detail the differences between these two Programs.
APTA also lists all current credentialed Residency and Fellowship Programs on their website.
In case you need more proof, here is another article (this one from Business Week) stating that Physical Therapy is a growing and fruitful career. The arguments laid out here are not new – especially as Baby Boomers continue to age, and while concepts of “wellness”, and “preventative care” grow more and more popular in our nation, Physical Therapy will continue to be a sought-after approach for health and rehab of the musculoskeletal system. If you find other articles supporting this claim or otherwise, please pass them on.
On a related but different note, I attended the APTA National Student Conclave last week and was thrilled to meet so many enthusiatic and dynamic PT students. Thanks to everyone who stopped by our booth. It’s exciting to consider all of the wonderful people who are on their way toward a career in PT. Of course, as a health care profession we rely on people who are not only critical thinkers and ethical, but as a particularly ‘human services’ driven field within healthcare, we need therapists who have compassion, excellent listening skills, and a way of relating to their patients. I left the Conclave feeling inspired that so many of our future therapists absolutely seem to fit that mold.
Chances are, if you’re reading this, you already know that October is national PT month. Sponsored by APTA, it’s a way to observe and honor our profession, but it also provides us with a great platform for continued education about Physical Therapy to the general public. According to the APTA, this year’s theme, “Move Forward: Physical Therapy Brings Motion to Life” reflects the physical therapist brand, “Physical therapists help you restore and improve motion to achieve long-term quality of life.”
The APTA has been celebrating all month, with educational campaigns, media opportunities (apparently some PT students from NYU were on the Today Show this morning, introduced by Al Roker…still looking for a video clip of this!) and, of course, political action (APTA has been actively “at the table” during all phases of the current health care reform bill’s development). Next week, APTA will host its annual National Student Conclave where hundreds of physical therapy employers (like Therapeutic Associates!) have a chance to meet PT students from all over the country. I look forward to this event every year and consider it an awesome way to wrap up this exciting month
While our clinics are promoting National PT Month in different ways, one of the biggest things that our company has done this month is launch a brand new website! Same address – www.therapeuticassociates.com – but an updated design and many new features, including several new patient education elements that fit right into some of the goals of National PT Month. Check it out…and please share your feedback and comments!
I’m always on the look-out for helpful resources for physical therapists (present and future ). I recently stumbled across a few great links that I want to share:
1.) This “elevator pitch” promo video was apparently the winner of last year’s First Annual Elevator Pitch Competition held by Evidence in Motion. It successfully summarizes the vision and sentiment of our profession right now and I admire its simple and yet powerful, effective message.
2.) ADVANCE produces a number of products and services (perhaps most notably, print and web publications) that focus on healthcare professions. Through their website I found three great blogs:
If you come across interesting physical therapy resources, I’d love to hear about them – please share!
TAI Marketing Director Scott Wick recently passed along an APTA press release from June that announces that the President’s Council projects growth for the Physical Therapy profession in the years ahead. It makes sense, given that the need for PTs already outweighs the number of licensed professionals out there. If/When health care expands to meet the needs of a national plan, that will mean that many more people will presumably be seeking medical care, including physical therapy services. Good news for the profession and those of you considering a career inPT!
This topic already is, and will continue to be, discussed thoroughly within and outside of the PT profession (e.g. here is a recent article from TodayinPT.com). In fact, Scott has already been asked by some media sources to comment on it from our company’s perspective. Here’s an excerpt from one of his recent discussions:
Scott: According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 173,000 Physical Therapists employed in the US in 2006. That number is expected to increase to 220,000 by 2016, or increase by 27%. For our company alone, we have seen PT employment increase over the last five years by about 56%.
Scott: I believe there is a much greater demand for PT services for a number of reasons:
Scott: Over the past five years, our company has certainly grown. Our growth rate of New Clinics is about 16%. We have seen an increase in New Patient volumes of about 18%. Visits have gone up by 21%. We expect these trends to continue in the years ahead.
If you’re considering a career in PT but don’t know where to start your investigation, APTA has some excellent resources. If you are a PT (or on that path) and would like more information on career options with TAI, visit our website.
I recently read an article on the APTA blog about how their Clinical Instructor Education and Credentialing Program (CIECP) reached a new milestone – more than 25,500 PTs and PTAs (and an additional 1,000 non-physical therapy health professionals) have now completed the course. Amazing. What a wonderful indication of passion for, and dedication to, advancing the profession. Whether or not a Clinical Instructor (CI) completes this course, it is commendable that so many therapists devote time to mentoring the next generation of clinicians. And after querying a few of our own CIs, it sounds like the learning aspects of this relationship go both ways.
As with many medical professions, physical therapist students must do hands-on work in the field prior to graduation. These clinical rotations not only help students identify which settings and specialty programs might be a good fit for them, but they give students exposure to a variety of diagnoses and situations and a chance to work with real patients, under the direct guidance of an experienced mentor.
The vast majority of TAI’s clinics work with students at various stages in their schooling and, as a company, we value and encourage this practice. We have dozens and dozens of CIs in the company (many of whom have completed the CIECP) and typically host more than 50 students in a given year (some who spend a few weeks in a clinic and others who spend 6 months or even a year in a clinic!). David Deppeler, PT, OCS, FAAOMPT, Clinical Education Director, has said: “The educational environment created by working with students helps keep us thoughtful and dynamic in our practice.”
This sentiment was reiterated by every TAI clinician who I talked to about why he/she is a CI. Matt Booth, DPT, OCS, Director of TAI-Boise Parkcenter stated:
I regard the CI position as highly valuable for many reasons: 1.) Students bring new ideas into the clinic and keep me on my toes so I don’t get stuck in a treatment rut; 2.) Taking students for years has allowed me to have a “pipeline” of PT’s interested in working for my clinic, 3.) I am giving back to my profession by sharing my knowledge, and I promote this with my patients and referral sources; and 4.) When a good 3rd year student is in their last affiliation, they can be a valuable asset in the clinic through their final projects, as well as helping with a caseload.
Nicole Smyth, DPT, OCS, therapist at TAI-Fairwood PT said:
I take interns for 2 reasons: 1.) I feel that being a “more recent” graduate I still remember the struggles of being an intern. I can sympathize with their struggles but also have the experience and extra education to help them attain all their goals; 2.) I feel that if we want to continue to see advancements in our profession we need to support the schools that are producing the new physical therapists. As a company Therapeutic Associates offers more highly skilled manual therapists, which is an area that all new grads seem to struggle with. We have the education to help grads with these very important skills.
Kudos to APTA for leading the way with important edification for experienced therapists who want to mentor students and BRAVO to all of the therapists out there who make time for supporting PT students as Clinical Instructors.
Spring is in the air! For alot of you 3rd year PT students, that means graduation is just around the corner and you’re likely in the midst of interviews for your first PT job out of school. For some, this is your first formal job interview ever. Don’t fret – school has, no doubt, prepared you well for this moment. Some solid preparation, a dose of diligence, and a little confidence will go along way in ensuring that you feel good about your interview.
Doing some research on the company is always a good thing. You will want to be able to articulate why you think they are a good match for you and what you are looking for in a future employer. You should ask questions that specifically pertain to what they do and what they offer. For example, when a candidate not only expresses interest in outpatient orthopaedics and manual therapy, but also an Ortho Residency Program, I know that they have done their research on TAI and are really motivated by what we can offer with regard to their professional development.
Make sure to arrange a day, time, and place that will work in your schedule. You want to ensure that you can be there on time (or a little early) and not arriving with the stress of traffic or a tight timeline hanging over your head. Also, even though our company is relatively casual, I always prefer when candidates dress appropriately – business casual attire shows your professionalism and respect…for yourself and your future employer.
Be ready to talk about yourself and what drives you. More than anything, I like to use the interview as an opportunity to get to know someone better. It’s impossible to do this in one visit, or even a few visits, but the more I can learn about how a candidate thinks and works, the better I know if that person might be a potential fit for our company.
Interviews will vary from place to place. Doing your research on the company may help you better determine what to expect. And feel free to ask the person with whom you will be interviewing as well – while he/she will not provide you with all of the questions in advance , more often than not, they will be happy to share interview format or structure at the least.
The trend in a lot of industries is to ask behavioral-based questions (sometimes referred to as the “STAR format”: Situation, Task, Actions Taken, Results). The goal here is to dig into your behavioral trends – how do you make decisions, work with others, develop processes, etc? Regardless of the format, all interviewers are going to ask questions to ascertain a level of clinical competence and personality-match. The best thing you can do is be yourself and have a conversation. Truly listen to the questions being asked and answer them as authentically as possible. This sounds obvious, but it’s not uncommon to interview someone who relays “canned” answers or never really answers the questions at all.
Again, this is going to depend on the company and the setting of the employer, but I think that Physical Therapy is unique is that we work with and around people on a daily basis. In many industries nowadays, you can work full-time without ever engaging with another human being face-to-face or even by phone. Our field not only requires it, but the success of what we do relies on our ability to listen to and meet the needs of people and their bodies.
I appreciate getting a sense of a person’s individuality. I am always looking for real people, who can relate to other real people in a meaningful, caring, competent, and fun way. I often put my patient “hat” on during interviews. As a patient, when my therapist is genuine and kind and motivating and smart, it makes me want to work harder…and continue coming back. Think about this while you’re interviewing. Why did you go into PT? Who was that role model who inspired you to endeavor upon this journey? Now don’t attempt to replicate him or her, but take what you loved about them and make it your own.
Good luck…I hope to be interviewing with you soon 
If you are going to be at APTA’s Combined Sections Meeting this week, please stop by the Therapeutic Associates booth! We will be located in the Career Center section of the exhibit hall. I’d love to chat with you and share more about TAI, answer any questions, and get any feedback on the blog. The conference is set to break records for attendance…
See you in Vegas!!
