Is PT everything you wanted it to be?  For many new grads, it doesn't live up to expectations. You're not alone. You're not doomed to dislike your career.

You wish you had a better situation at work.

You want to see more of a certain patient.

You wish you could have flexibility in your schedule for things that are important.

And you want to make more money than you are now.

But you aren't sure how to take action or what to do next.

In this video, Jenna and Phil discuss why change can be so hard in our career.

Dear PT Students (or should I say new PTs),

Those four letters have been thrown around for the last three years of your life.

“You’ll need to know this for the NPTE”
“This will definitely be on the NPTE”
“Make sure you review this for the NPTE”

For a while the NPTE was so far in the future that it didn’t seem real. Something you would think about, but quickly forget. But for many of you, right now the NPTE is all you can think about.

I’ve heard from a lot of students about the stress, uncertainty and worry that they’ve been feeling as the test quickly approaches. Many who have been studying and preparing daily for weeks and months.

I’ve heard things like ‘I’m not a good test taker’ and other narratives that are all different shades of being afraid of failing. And that fear is understandable. That fear is real, but….

Here’s what I know and what you should know

1. No matter how ‘bad of a test...

Did your PT school tell you an average salary to expect after graduation? Was it accurate?

Sometimes that salary projection may have been spot on, but for others it may have been very different. It isn't your PT school's fault. Salaries are not always accurate when you find them online.

Sure, you can look up the average salary for a PT, but that number varies depending on where you are, your experience, and in what setting you work.

This is exactly why we created the salary calculator, to take real data and make it available to PTs. So you're paid what you're worth... and also, not surprised by a co-workers salary like I was.

Find out what a physical therapist salary is by years of experience, setting, and region with the PT Salary Calculator

Stepping Out

While there aren’t many things more terrifying to people than public speaking, what is worse is public speaking in front of your peer group. This weekend we had a communication course for all of the University of Evansville Residency Programs (Sports, Ortho, Neuro, and Acute Care). 

In our course, you stand in front of everyone and give a persuasive talk while you are recorded. The recording is played back as you sit there. You then get to critique yourself, then your colleagues give feedback, then finally the course instructors give their two cents. Then you have an hour and a half to redo your presentation and implement all the feedback and give it again after lunch.

It is beyond exhausting. It is beyond terrifying. 

But I couldn’t be more proud of the people who came and engaged in the process. Here is why I think these people are so awesome:

1) They put themselves in an uncomfortable situation in order to be...

Dear PT Students,

“Do you think students will be prepared after a year of their education being affected by COVID?”

You are over a year into navigating your education since COVID.  

I don’t know how you’ve done it.  I’m impressed.  The adjustments you’ve had to make, the constant changing and the lack of certainty only adds to an already difficult program.

I hope you know how awesome you are and I hope you know that while I’m sure it wasn’t enjoyable, it has already made you a better physical therapist.

Being a PT is ALL about being able to pivot and change course when needed.  It is about constantly wondering and assessing whether you are on the right track.  It is about taking it one session at a time and knowing that you may have to adjust daily.

So yes, I think PT students will be better prepared for their careers than ever before.  I think the fact that...

 By Ro Rodriguez SPT

I vividly remember the first class in PT school that focused on the topic of clinical placements. The Director of Clinical Education (DCE) started by saying “don’t reach out to clinics yourself in an attempt to get placed there, because you may forfeit the rotation.” I did not put much thought into this because I wasn’t sure where I wanted to go, and more importantly, I was extremely focused on understanding the concept of the “concave-convex rule.” 

What I did know is that I wanted to build relationships with professionals that shared similar interests and worked in fields that motivated me. Innocently, I sent an Instagram message to a PT working with a professional sports organization that I am truly passionate about. I was simply trying to ask for resources to learn more about a population I aspired to work with. The PT replied and not only provided me with the educational information, but also...

PTs leave a lot of money on the table.  It is a mix between not being taught what to do and not knowing exactly how to go about the negotiation process.  We weigh in on how to go about a negotiation so that you can get what you're worth and still build the relationship.

Wondering how your salary compares? Use our free salary calculator