sparednoexpense Posted November 29, 2017 Share Posted November 29, 2017 Alright, fair warning - this is a long one. And yes it's another "PT to PA" post. Hopefully you can give me some friendly advice. Let me just start off by saying - had I known about the PA profession before committing to a DPT program, I wouldn't be a PT student right now. Hands down. But, unfortunately, I think I've kinda backed myself into a corner. Also, I've read lots of articles and forum posts (shoutout to this sub and physicianassistantforum.com!) about switching, and have an idea of what the demands of the job and curriculum are, what the hours are like, etc - but I have not experienced it first hand. I plan on shadowing as much as possible soon. Also also, I don't hate PT. I enjoy it, but it leaves me wanting more and wondering "what if?" I have been having these serious thoughts for over a year now and am starting to think they mean something. Also also also, please don't grill me too hard if any of my perceptions are completely wrong - I'm just trying to get my thoughts out and get some feedback from people who know much better than me! So I'll try to be as brief as possible, and in order to limit myself from ranting, I'm going to use bullet points. So here goes: - Currently finishing 1st semester of 2nd year of DPT program (3 year program total, would graduate May 2019) - Approx. $175k in debt. I know. I was an uninformed idiot. - Have always wanted to work in a hospital, specifically the ED or acute care. Even before PT school. - Was very underwhelmed after my 1st PT clinical, which was acute care (to clarify here, my CI and the clinical was great - I just felt a PT's skills and education were very, very underutilized in this setting.) - Considered switching to PA after that clinical, but ultimately decided it was too much risk to drop PT and stuck with it. (this was summer 2016) - spoke with multiple instructors in my program about my thoughts about switching to PA, they were very supportive My "by no means accurate or all-inclusive" Pros/Cons: Things I DO like about PT: - great job satisfaction (according to ratings/surveys and what I've personally witnessed) - low(er) stress - great work-life balance Things I don't like about PT: - At the end of the day, no matter where I practice, it's all rehab. - No room for upward or even lateral growth. (see above point) - Mediocre pay compared to cost of education and knowledge/skills - Mediocre autonomy (we can't even read imaging [legally, anyway] or order DME) - I've never been very interested in fitness/exercise, which is practically THE cornerstone of PT. I am much more interested in the physiology and pathology of the human body. It's fascinating. I like the science and complexity of it all. This is why I think medicine might be better for me than rehab. Exercise, while important, is boring. - I feel like PT school is very challenging, while day-to-day practice is much less of a challenge. - If I get bored with PT, sure I can switch to a different setting (neuro, geriatrics, etc.), but at the end of the day, it's all still rehab (see first point again) - I feel like the profession is stalled, or perhaps is even sliding backwards. Skyrocketing cost of education with no compensatory raise in salary. No recent increased autonomy nationwide. Direct access is barely used. Can't order DME. Can't prescribe medications. Can't interpret imaging. Productivity quotas are becoming commonplace. Things I DO like about PA: - involved in more aspects of a patient's care. A more holistic approach, if you will. This is my main draw to being a PA. - money. - larger range of specialties/settings - higher variability in schedule (yes, this is a plus for me. I don't mind working 12's or 15's or whatever) - seemingly greater autonomy (chime in here, this is just a perception. I know PA's have SP's and PT's can practice independently.) - money. - can order imaging - can order DME - can prescribe - did I say money? No sense in lying - this is a big factor for me. My huge debt is the major reason. The other reason being that I want to be successful and compensated appropriately for my profession. I am by no means interested in PA for the money alone, but it's a nice perk. Things I DON'T like about PA: - I have some undergrad pre-reqs that I would need to take to be eligible to apply (micro and o-chem) - cost of tuition would be an additional $58k (+ additional expenses) added to my debt - money spend on PT tuition thus far is wasted (~20k) - spending another 3 years as a student - and waiting another 3 years to finally start working and paying down loans Additional Misc Points: - I live with my girlfriend who works full time, and have family members able to provide some minor financial support as well (if absolutely needed) - cost of living is cheap where I am (midwest) - my PT program's gross anatomy and neuroscience classes were med school classes - we got thrown in with all the MS1 students and were lectured, tested, and graded to the same level as them (minus the NBME and step exams, of course). Would this give me a slight advantage against other applicants? - my grades in PT school are good. Not great, but good. I am satisfactory status in every class and would be leaving the program under my own volition. So, if I go through with dropping PT, here's "The Plan:" - withdraw from physical therapy program, effective prior to start of Spring 2018 semester (mid-January) - take outstanding pre-reqs during Spring 2018 semester - begin working as an ER tech / medical assistant / etc. to gain experience and patient contact hours - begin shadowing PAs (I know a few myself, and have a family member that can hook me up with PAs in the Level 1 ER they work at) (might even try to finagle a job there) - apply May/Summer 2018 - hopefully accepted fall/winter 2018 - begin PA Summer 2019 (27-month program) - graduate 2021 Okay, if you've stuck with my brain emesis this long - I applaud you. And thank you. So what I'm really asking here is, am I crazy if I go through with it? I really feel a pull towards PA. It's what my gut is telling me. Being able to help that patient that was just rushed into the ED, or assisting in surgery, performing minor medical procedures like suturing, or putting in clinic hours at an ambulatory clinic - there's just so many great ways to help people as a PA. I can picture myself pulling 50 hour weeks as a PA or PT - I think I will do just fine as both. I have the personality and work ethic for either. But I think the difference is, I will come home with a smile on my face as a PA. Edit: Thank you everyone for the replies. After speaking with my faculty advisor, and reading these replies, I have decided finishing PT is the way to go. It is the clear and logical choice. I am still very much interested in PA, and I still plan on becoming a PA, but I will finish my DPT first and get some experience as a practicing independent clinician. I think I just needed to hear other opinions to give me different points of view to help me think through this and realize that PA should be put on hold for now. When you're neck deep in the thick of things, sometimes it's hard to step back and see the bigger picture, you know? Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedicinePower Posted November 29, 2017 Share Posted November 29, 2017 My gut says finish PT school, immediately enroll in the pre-reqs you don't have, and apply to PA school with the DPT on your resume. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajames Posted November 29, 2017 Share Posted November 29, 2017 People have already addressed you on this question. Has much changed over the course of an extra semester? You should honestly finish PT school because you will be done by the time you (hopefully) start PA school and there is no guarantee you even get accepted to PA school. You could share your stats and maybe people would ha e more of an idea of your abilities. PTs are very valuable in patient care. My patients rely on them heavily in the hospital setting. You can work in a variety of departments and yoi help patients recover and gain independence. If you quit now, gain experience as EMT/CNA, you will regret it. The experience you will gain as a PT is insurmountable and will sharpen your skills as a future clinician not to mention help you tackle your debt. It will pay off in time as well. The salaries are not much different than a PA. You shouldn't pursue PA or medicine for money anyway. Haven't you heard? PAs are overworked and underpaid. They don't often work 12s unless it's like 5 days a week unwillingly. You will find so much controversy on compensation on this forum and the true frustrations with salary pay and negotiations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newton9686 Posted November 29, 2017 Share Posted November 29, 2017 How much remaining tuition would you have to pay to complete the PT program? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DizzyJ Posted November 29, 2017 Share Posted November 29, 2017 I agree, finish PT school. Gaining acceptance into PA school is highly competitive. Completing your PT program could be reflective that you are able to handle making it through PA school. I don't think it matters that you took anatomy with medical students. Anatomy is all the same no matter who is in the class with you. You need to shadow PAs....multiple PAs....and get a real feel for the profession. Get the pros and cons from various PAs to help you make an informed decision. My curiosity is how you got into PT to begin with? You state you don't like exercise/fitness and that is the "cornerstone" of PT, but you pursued it anyway. So, have you really thought about what the "cornerstone" of medicine is (whatever that is in your opinion) and if you like that or not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparednoexpense Posted November 30, 2017 Author Share Posted November 30, 2017 On 11/28/2017 at 11:58 PM, ajames said: People have already addressed you on this question. Has much changed over the course of an extra semester? You should honestly finish PT school because you will be done by the time you (hopefully) start PA school and there is no guarantee you even get accepted to PA school. You could share your stats and maybe people would ha e more of an idea of your abilities. PTs are very valuable in patient care. My patients rely on them heavily in the hospital setting. You can work in a variety of departments and yoi help patients recover and gain independence. If you quit now, gain experience as EMT/CNA, you will regret it. The experience you will gain as a PT is insurmountable and will sharpen your skills as a future clinician not to mention help you tackle your debt. It will pay off in time as well. The salaries are not much different than a PA. You shouldn't pursue PA or medicine for money anyway. Haven't you heard? PAs are overworked and underpaid. They don't often work 12s unless it's like 5 days a week unwillingly. You will find so much controversy on compensation on this forum and the true frustrations with salary pay and negotiations. Thanks for the reply. Yes, I have made a previous post but unfortunately no, not much has changed. It is still a thought that creeps into my mind. But after these replies, and sharing my thoughts with my faculty advisor in my PT program, finishing PT is the logical route. Thank you for helping me think clearly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparednoexpense Posted November 30, 2017 Author Share Posted November 30, 2017 On 11/29/2017 at 6:22 AM, newton9686 said: How much remaining tuition would you have to pay to complete the PT program? $26,600 in tuition, plus other costs (books, housing, etc), so around $35,000 total. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparednoexpense Posted November 30, 2017 Author Share Posted November 30, 2017 On 11/29/2017 at 6:35 AM, dizzyjon said: I agree, finish PT school. Gaining acceptance into PA school is highly competitive. Completing your PT program could be reflective that you are able to handle making it through PA school. I don't think it matters that you took anatomy with medical students. Anatomy is all the same no matter who is in the class with you. You need to shadow PAs....multiple PAs....and get a real feel for the profession. Get the pros and cons from various PAs to help you make an informed decision. My curiosity is how you got into PT to begin with? You state you don't like exercise/fitness and that is the "cornerstone" of PT, but you pursued it anyway. So, have you really thought about what the "cornerstone" of medicine is (whatever that is in your opinion) and if you like that or not? All good points, thanks. I will need to think on those. After speaking with my faculty advisor, and reading these replies, I have decided finishing PT is the way to go. I am still very much interested in PA, and I still plan on becoming a PA, but I will get my DPT first. I think I just needed to hear other opinions to give me different points of view to help me think through this and realize that PA should be put on hold, for now. When you're neck deep in the thick of things, sometimes it's hard to step back and see the bigger picture. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparednoexpense Posted November 30, 2017 Author Share Posted November 30, 2017 On 11/28/2017 at 11:04 PM, MedicinePower said: My gut says finish PT school, immediately enroll in the pre-reqs you don't have, and apply to PA school with the DPT on your resume. Your gut has changed my gut. Haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastalPalm Posted November 30, 2017 Share Posted November 30, 2017 You should check out the physical therapy forum over at SDN. Looks like similar questions have been asked a couple times, maybe they'll be helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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