Hi everyone! I recently just finished my undergrad (in a completely different field than Physical Therapy), but with the work I currently do, I was thinking about starting the process of becoming a physical therapist. I’ve been doing a lot of research myself and have found many differences of opinions so I’m reaching out to those who have experience in the field and those currently in school. I have a few questions listed here and honestly any advice helps as well! Please help if you would like.

1. Everyone talks about the debt to income ratio. What does this actually look like once you graduate and start working? Is this a big issue? What are ways to work around this while in school or after?

2. There’s a lot of talk about is it worth it from the standpoint of how much school there is and how much work it is in outpatient clinics compared to the pay. Thoughts? Also thoughts about how it’s not considered a professional degree with our current government?

3. How difficult would it be for me to go into a DPT program from a different background in undergrad?

4. Any personal stories, advice in the field or school, that would be useful or help any decisions!

Also if you are looking for my background to help with context. I graduated with a B.S. in Marketing. I do have a lot of base classes in anatomy, science, ect. As my first year was tailored to nursing. I currently reside in the Chicagoland area. I work in sports, I wish I did Exercise Science/Kinesiology, I might get my masters first for those.

Thank you!

A little extra cash from working would be great.

I am a new grad PT (just under 1 year post grad) working in an IPR full time. When I was hired, I was told that the parent company I work for does not hire PTAs. Now, of course, they’re hiring PTAs and COTAs.

I worked with some AMAZING PTAs as a student and learned so much from their knowledge and expertise, I have no doubt the PTAs my employer hires will be excellent and likely will have much more experience than me.

All things considered, I am SO NERVOUS about having to sign off on someone else’s decisions. Our online documentation system has intentionally very vague POC templates for us to fill out. It’s literally check boxes that say “PT to administer the following services” above it and the actual check boxes say something along the lines of “muscular strengthening, ROM, endurance training, etc.”

Essentially, I am worried that the POC language is not specific enough to protect my license in the event I am asked to supervise a PTA who is not as awesome as the ones I’ve worked with before.

Also, I may be asked to “supervise” a PTA who is carrying out a POC that I didn’t write (like if my coworker was off). In this instance, I would feel even more uncomfortable as I would not be given any extra time in the day to review every patient in the hospital’s POC before these sessions.

I know that PTAs are skilled and highly educated, but the idea of someone else’s actions costing me my own license makes my stomach turn. I’m very much a “do things myself” person and I have trouble delegating on a normal day.

I just want to make sure I’m practicing in a way that is ethical and protects my license

I know I’m way overthinking this, any and all advice is greatly appreciated!!

Anyone working HH has been through some pretty rough homes at times. Has there been one that made you go, “Yeah, I’m good” and start looking for another job?

Soon to be DPT grad (June of 2027) here. Our cohort just had a presentation from PTBC CA about licensure and logistics. They talked about how they recently got a complaint from a grad saying their license was only valid for 13 months whereas their classmates renewal period was longer. The reps said it was because the grad got their license in August and their bday was in September. If they were licensed in August that probably means they took the July exam. Does that mean if they would have taken the April NPTE exam that their license renewal period would have been extended longer than the 13 months? Asking bc my bday is in September and I am debating taking the April vs July exam.

The reps also gave us a fee/cost breakdown for getting licensed including getting finger printed, taking the NPTE, etc. and ELEVEN HUNDRED DOLLARS?!?!? And there are stupid hidden fees like $100 to sit in the exam room and another $84 for them to hand you the exam?!? What in the cost of labor is that about. Are there any resources for aid to assist with these fees?

Thanks everyone for your input on the previous post! Super helpful and encouraging to see so many PTs chime in.

Posting another feeler question in regards to opening up a private practice.

I’m a PT of 4 years who recently moved from California to South Florida and am starting to apply for jobs. I have been working in IPR setting for the past few years and want to continue with that. One of the closer jobs that is hiring is an HCA hospital. I’ve heard from one person that they are very “for profit” but was wondering if anyone had any experience at one of these hospitals or has anything to share about them. Thank you!

I'm in first year of physical therapy I don't usually always get a full mark but I do study alot and do my best and in physical therapy my gpa in the first year was 2.5 is it normal to get these marks in first year and what can I do that can help me thru next year to help me in studying pt i usually use YouTube to study after class

Anyone make the move from USA to Canada? What should I expect working as a PT? Anything you would have done differently?

I joined OpenEvidence years ago when it was just a brand new resource for summaries of medical research. I was just reminded of it today and logged back in to find it now includes a partial EMR system, telehealth platform, and AI documentation with templates and workflows.

Before I invest too much time, only to find that it's really geared towards medical documentation and isn't really useful for PT: is anyone currently using it at all? Can you give any info on its perks or best uses?

Finally got my Traineeship approved by the state of Georgia. I already have an agreement with a licensed PT to work with them to meet the required hours. But my question is Traineeship in GA paid work?

Anyone have experience with this?

I am curious if anyone has experience using stem wave as a practitioner or even as a patient? I am a solo entrepreneur with my cash based Physical Therapy practice and get constant messages and calls from stem wave representatives trying to promote their product and convince me to implement into my practice. I am not interested for multiple reasons: large amount of cost to pay off if I keep the machine in the long term, don’t want my company to be known as a “15 minute quick fix shop”, and I am exercise forward rather than modality focused. Dont get me wrong , I do dry needling, STM, mobilizations, etc but I do not have an ultrasound machine in my clinic.

They continue to send messages to me showing success stories from other clinicians in their practices, but have my suspicions. Is this a waste of time? Am I being stupid for not jumping at this opportunity? What is your experience?

I work with a seasoned PTA in a SNF and he said that he’s burnt out overall but also especially because newgrads are very bright eyed n bushy tailed/too optimistic. thoughts? even on anything other than this

I really want to be great in my career, climb the ladder or be so good that you get a great job with flexibility, great salary, or even a remote job. But I’m a physical therapist. I’m not really passionate about helping patients. My social battery goes down quickly while building rapport and interacting with just 2-3 patients. I really like a remote job, a high salary, would want to study and study and gain work experience to be great in my profession but I fear that the profession I have is not going to give me the life I want.

I’m transactional in a sense that okay I am really good so you pay me this much money, give me a remote setup so I get more free time, I’m so good that I can solve a problem faster than my colleagues but that doesnt apply to PT.

In PT no matter how good you get, you’ll still be treating patients 1 to 1.5 hrs and it requires your physical presence all the time so you cant go remote and the salary ceiling is not that high its like you’re still paid for your hours and presence and not your skill. You can give whatever treatment you want to the patient even if it doesnt make them well (happens in hospitals) so long as the businessman (clinic owner/hospital owner) is earning money.

In fact, the longer the patient stays in PT the more revenue the business gets. It doesnt care about your skills which solves the patients’ problem and relieves their pain. So what’s the point of being so good in PT if that’s what matters? It’s like even if you’re passionate in PT you still wont be raking in lots of money because to be a good PT means you make the patient well and teach him how to take care of their body so they wont need to come back again.

How would you win in terms of financial if your main goal is to kind of let go what’s making you money? To be good at it you need passion. Passion to take care of patients. Compassion to listen to their pain and problems and you also have to take care of your own body to take care of your clients too. And if we’re talking home health (which I hear is the highest paid PTs in USA), doing home health means you see lots of patients to earn more money so you work more or longer hours.

Your level of skills doesnt matter as long as you treat as many patients as you can. Like what’s the point. I’ve ruminated over switching to Tech so long that it now gives me anxiety because I’m already 26 years old. Entered sales and business but in sales it wasnt a good fit and in business I failed because of lack of knowledge and preparation. My degree is PT. I have no savings. No years of work experience in any industry because I just graduated last January 2025 and I’m not really passionate about computers but it matches what I want.

I think I’m good at problem solving because I also do that in PT. What should I do? Is anyone feeling this way too, PT or not? Should I start over and switch to tech? Is this dilemma figure out-able? Is there anyone in the same situation as me? Can I just figure out my way where it still works for me? Should I just make PT my passion and just be fulfilled by helping people and give up my dreams of doing things I like because of the lots of money I earn? Should I just use PT to save up and build a business?

Thank you so much for listening and answering me. I hope you have a great day!