The question that stumped both Jenna and Phil
Jenna: Phil there's a lot of new grad PTs out there right now. So give me if you can think back, give me a big win you remember from early on in your career and give me a big learning item that's from the beginning of your career.
Phil: Wow! That might take a minute to think about. I'll tell you a story on my first patient, though. I bring back my first patient. I literally call back my first patient as a new grad, and he walks up and he's like "So how long have you been doing this?" And I'm like, let's see here. It took you about 10 seconds to walk from the chair to here, so that's about how long. But I played it off as, "Well, if you consider all the training and things like that, it's been about three years, but it's my first day on today's job."
But gosh, big win?
Jenna: And not necessarily like you changed a life, the first one, but where you either felt, okay, this is right.
Phil: I think I need to ask you this question.
Jenna: I'm sorry. I don't know...
Negotiation is hard. Not getting paid what you're worth is harder. Here's what to do about it.
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
Filling the gap between new grad and expert
“Fix the hip extension,” he said nonchalantly. The ease of his answer frustrated me. I had struggled to improve a patient’s dorsiflexion for two weeks and his answer was too quick. I was convinced he hadn’t listened to me and pressed further.
“I don’t think you understand. I can get the ankle better and restore the range of motion with manual treatment, but it doesn’t stick,” I repeated.
“Yes, so fix the hip extension and the dorsiflexion will stay without needing to mobilize it every session,” he stated confidently.
I knew the SFMA and I understood the concept of regional interdependence, but there were many other things I would try and improve on this patient before I’d think about fixing hip extension. But, he wasn’t changing his answer. So I left to improve hip extension, prove that wasn’t the problem and then come back to get a different...
