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Do keep in mind it is not necessarily how much you make but how you spend what you earn.
THIS.
Here I am now though in college and i LOVE rehab and anatomy and movement science and everything that comes with physical therapy.
To skip the details and why I want to go into PT and all the lengthy story, my question is, can you live a good life in a rural area as a physical therapist? Sure youre never going to make 100,000+ dollars but youre also goign to work regular hours, no call, no residency, and the such. I just want to make sure I'm not making a mistake, because heck... they have more life experience than I do, maybe they know something I don't.
So, can you make a good living off becoming a physical therapist?
I think you may have answered your question here. Yes, you can make a decent living in a rural area as a physical therapist. I don't think you'll be able to make the 100k point, but in a rural area, why would you need to do so?
Also, TheOx777 is right. I would not declare yourself as a doctor, especially because there is a lot of... tension right now concerning the title "doctor" and who really "deserves" the title. As mentioned in Ox's post, do your best to be a great Physical Therapist because first and foremost, that is what you are before anything else.
How is it a mistake when you'll being doing something you're passionate about?
Well put goyo! I am not saying that a person who earns their Doctorate in anything(I don't care if it's in video game playing) has not earned that right to be called "Doctor Pac-Man" OR Dr. "xyz"! We will have earned the title of "Doctor" once matriculating through our respective DPT programs. Unfortunately I got the sense that OP wanted to play "MD/DO", and that will not bode well. Honestly, I wish the DPT was just a PhD. with an added 1-2 years of research experience and then one could get licensed. This way we would have the much needed clinical exposure, but we would be a research/academic based Doctorate versus a clinical Doctorate!
As a practicing PT, I disagree with taking the PhD route. I received plenty of exposure to research in my DPT program, both through classes and a research project that encompassed almost two of the three years of graduate school. I use evidence every day in practice and stay current with literature (almost obsessively).
I would rather see this progression: undergraduate degree-->DPT-->residency--> fellowship. There is a strong need for more residency and fellowship opportunities in all areas, I will admit. However, I still feel the above route is best for practicing clinicians and if you have the desire for academia, pursue a PhD or ScD/DsC.
Just my two cents.
http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm#00-0000
$44,410 is the average American salary for all occupations according to the above source (May 2010). I know these figures vary from source to source, but this is probably within the general "ballpark" of the real value.
The way I see it, people can struggle financially at widely ranging incomes based on their expenditures, debt, lifestyle, family obligations, etc. You could be making double the typical PT salary and be struggling financially if you are not managing your finances well. So long as you prioritize your finances though, people can life comfortably on a much lower salary than the $60-80k range that PTs earn (I know it can potentially be higher than this too). Keep in mind that many millions and millions of individuals make less than PTs. There's always the school debt issue to consider of course, but having a starting salary that could be as much as $20k+ greater than the average American income should make this more than manageable.
Basically, if you want to be driving sports cars and live in a mansion, PT probably isn't the career for you. Do you really need more than a "comfortable enough" salary and a career you LOVE though?
Anyway, that's how I see the income issue. I felt comfortable making barely over $32k in a full-time position before I made the decision to pursue PT. It's true I didn't have debt, kids, or a car payment to make, but I think it's good to be able to live below your means and question just how much spending you need to feel comfortable and happy in your life.
SO i totally dont want to sound mean or rude, but here is my two cents on why pt is underpaid and ALSO, what the potential earnings are based on the people iv worked with and interviewed. First of all, I find it pretty sad that the PT profession is willing to give out doctorates to people getting C's in the science courses. I wouldnt want my grandma working in the hands of a mediocre student who barely made it through the pre reqs after she gets done with surgery. Maybe if PT programs around the nation decided to only let in competitive applicants who truly became doctors of the field with immense knowledge then the field would be more highly respected and paid for what they do. The guy who mentored me and whom I worked for for over two years is a millionaire. However, he didn't become a millionaire by staying in a hospital and working 35-40 hrs a week and going home every night to a beer. He makes a lot of sense and here is what he told me. "You know why investment bankers and lawyers and surgeons are rich, because they work upward of 60+ hours a week". So do the math, take the average PT salary for a DPT in California who hopefully has done a residency and fellowship to make themselves more credible and do 40 dollars/hour for 60 hours a week, thats 120,000 before taxes. Now do that for five years until you save enough to start a practice and work your ass off marketing your business. Any job can make you wealthy if you work hard and network well. This is 2011, barely anyone who is wealthy works mon-fri 9-5, try mon-sat 8-8 and see what kind of money you make! DPT is a solid career!
You don't know what you're talking about...
You feel it's sad that the PT profession "hands out" doctorates to people who got C's in the sciences? Funny, I think you're talking about the chiropractic profession.
I would like to see you make it through the curriculum as it is today.
I guess many of you don't live by urban areas. In NYC, browsing through Indeed.com, the average salary of DPTs is around 100k. Jobs claiming to accept "new grads" are putting down 60 an hour while another job just on the first page offered up to 85 dollars an hour in Brooklyn treating children. The Physical Therapist position reminds of me of the MT profession concerning how varied the salary is. Like PT/DPTS, most MTs complain about not being compensated well enough when MTs (a BS degree) are being offering 70/85k in the NY/NJ area. But anyway, 60k in a rural area will get one very far and they should live more than comfortabely.
I guess many of you don't live by urban areas. In NYC, browsing through Indeed.com, the average salary of DPTs is around 100k. Jobs claiming to accept "new grads" are putting down 60 an hour while another job just on the first page offered up to 85 dollars an hour in Brooklyn treating children. The Physical Therapist position reminds of me of the MT profession concerning how varied the salary is. Like PT/DPTS, most MTs complain about not being compensated well enough when MTs (a BS degree) are being offering 70/85k in the NY/NJ area. But anyway, 60k in a rural area will get one very far and they should live more than comfortabely.
Wow! PTs are making that much in NY? Thats good to hear! Like has already been stated, I think one can make a good living working as a PT. Everyone says don't worry about money, if you really love what you do it shouldn't matter. Well, this is true, one still needs to be realistic. When you look at the time and investment involved in becoming a DPT (about 8 years and around $150,000 assuming instate tuition for under grad and grad school + living expenses); a salary of 70k is not very much at all. I even questioned if it was worth it in the long run and looked at and shadowed other professions that make way more money with relatively less schooling, but always came back to PT because I do truely LOVE it. One really has to weigh what is important to them in life and act on it.
"I've always wanted to be a doctor of some sort"
You're not a doctor. At all. The PT doctorate isn't legitimate.
You don't take a series of statistical analysis courses like graduate students
You don't engage in orals like a graduate student
You don't complete a real thesis (and don't include that end of term research paper that we all presented to our mentor in the faculty--we all did that--that is not a graduate caliber thesis)
You don't teach lower level courses like a graduate student does
You don't go to PT school then "Advanced PT school" --say like the Aussies do with a "Masters in Manual therapy"
In short you do nothing a graduate student does. You go to PT school where they extended the internships to justify a "doctorate." The only ones who think you are doctors are yourselves. Everyone else, especially MDs just shake their heads.
But sure--get 130K in debt because you are really passionate about being a PT--that will die around year two at 1200-1400 a month.
Do goodie females who don't live in reality and beta males who act like them--the average PT
"I've always wanted to be a doctor of some sort"
You're not a doctor. At all. The PT doctorate isn't legitimate.
You don't take a series of statistical analysis courses like graduate students
You don't engage in orals like a graduate student
You don't complete a real thesis (and don't include that end of term research paper that we all presented to our mentor in the faculty--we all did that--that is not a graduate caliber thesis)
You don't teach lower level courses like a graduate student does
You don't go to PT school then "Advanced PT school" --say like the Aussies do with a "Masters in Manual therapy"
In short you do nothing a graduate student does. You go to PT school where they extended the internships to justify a "doctorate." The only ones who think you are doctors are yourselves. Everyone else, especially MDs just shake their heads.
But sure--get 130K in debt because you are really passionate about being a PT--that will die around year two at 1200-1400 a month.
Do goodie females who don't live in reality and beta males who act like them--the average PT
"I've always wanted to be a doctor of some sort"
You're not a doctor. At all. The PT doctorate isn't legitimate.
You don't take a series of statistical analysis courses like graduate students
You don't engage in orals like a graduate student
You don't complete a real thesis (and don't include that end of term research paper that we all presented to our mentor in the faculty--we all did that--that is not a graduate caliber thesis)
You don't teach lower level courses like a graduate student does
You don't go to PT school then "Advanced PT school" --say like the Aussies do with a "Masters in Manual therapy"
In short you do nothing a graduate student does. You go to PT school where they extended the internships to justify a "doctorate." The only ones who think you are doctors are yourselves. Everyone else, especially MDs just shake their heads.
But sure--get 130K in debt because you are really passionate about being a PT--that will die around year two at 1200-1400 a month.
Do goodie females who don't live in reality and beta males who act like them--the average PT
That’s awesome! In which state do you currently work? I’m trying to really push for the same and I know many PTs make close to 100k even new grads. Everything is possible and just like you said the PT profession is starting to grow so much that a lot of physicians are starting to hold PT at a much higher level.I am 2 years out, making over $100,000 per year as a DPT. Asked to consult on many MSK conditions by the physicians in my group. Had privileges to order imaging. DPT training had a year of statistical work and there are current fellowships and residencies. It's all possible you just have to work hard and push for what you want
Actually you do take statistical work. Much more than other health professional fields for examining data. You do engage in some orals as well. You do do evidence based projects.
Pharmacology, medical diseases mimicking pathologies appropriate for physical therapy, radiology, differential diagnosis, interventions tailored towards each population and coursework per setting, and structured intervention progressions instead of arbitrarily making things up upon graduation have all been implemented in the curriculum for practice patterns....as well as protocols that were developed throughout the years so new therapists don't rupture someone's new Acl graft upon graduating.
Science graduate students teach undergrad courses. Professional students study all the time to learn and practice content that is applied in the US healthcare system
Current practice acts and correct payment don't exist currently due to business interests from other providers. Medicare and the government are also unaware that therapists are working for them for free as well.....which means all other insurances do not follow suit and reimburse therapists directly for their work.
.....but yes, you're right the debt is a problem and people should find a different field if it's too much.