Does my synopsis make sense? Is PT right for me? Is my worry of debt normal, how to deal?

[FederalBanana]

Good afternoon, I just wanted to post on here to see if any of you had a similar mindset when it came to going into PT. I’m currently 25, finishing Pre-reqs to apply for a DPT program.

The last few years I’ve worked random jobs and prepared for my MCAT. Throughout this process I had a T7-8 rupture and studying, everything I enjoy and work became a nuisance. After workin with a physician and a chiro, nothing was helping and I went to see a PT. I fell in love with it, I realized what I loved most about medicine (longevity, and the musculoskeletal system). I’m still struggling with the injury, but it’s helped. I’ve become overly fascinated with how to train and heal the body to allow people to enjoy common activity’s and not be in pain. That basis was my first foot forward and realizing that PT was a better path for me. Have any of you had similar experiences?

Secondly, one thing I’ve had to face is debt to income. In Minnesota the average PT salary is 70K per google, but per other people it seems lower. Banking on getting into a state school combined with undergrad debt I’ll be between 75-100K in debt following school, graduating at 30 most likely. As a PT with this debt to income ratio, are you able to still love comfortably? I don’t need much to be happy, and I could probably go ask my bank about this, but I feel asking others in that boat was best.

Thank you for anyone who reads and responds, all the best

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[ya1]

I was looking into Med school too and find PT option on the way which was much more appealing since you help people to heal their bodies naturally, without meds. I learned soooo much precious information in PT school for myself as well! (Well, you will learn a lot in med school too.)
My student loan debt is about 20K higher than annual salary. I have to pay less than $600/month (minimum) for my student loan. So you can ask yourself if $600/month of student loan payments for 30 years will make your life less comfortable and by how much.

 

[theheartyroots]

Hi! Thank you for sharing your story about how you came to love PT!
I am currently 2 years out of PT school. I started my first job making ~67k/year. It sucked, especially since I had 125k of loans. When your loans are gone, you can live quite a comfortable life. We make a good salary that will increase with negotiation or experience. The max a PT I know has made is 100k in home health, which is still a demanding job.

As long as you budget, you will be fine. of course, we cannot live lavished lifestyles by buying BMW's right out of school, but at least you'll eventually have the chance to do so as a PT!

I have a blog where I share my story of being in debt. I'm still cutting my way through, 2 years after graduating! It sucks but I don't think I would be happy paying off debt doing something else.

Good luck!! Hope this helped!

 

[Fiveoboy11]

I was looking into Med school too and find PT option on the way which was much more appealing since you help people to heal their bodies naturally, without meds. I learned soooo much precious information in PT school for myself as well! (Well, you will learn a lot in med school too.)
My student loan debt is about 20K higher than annual salary. I have to pay less than $600/month (minimum) for my student loan. So you can ask yourself if $600/month of student loan payments for 30 years will make your life less comfortable and by how much.

hearing someone suggest paying student loans for 30 years makes me uncomfortable

 

[snowcrawler85]

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[FederalBanana]

Become a DO.

I looked into this, BUT, there is so much as a physician I have no interest in. A lot of my career I would not be focusing on the muscoskeletal system, and if this is my primary interest the depth it is covered to, is much more in PT school. DO schools would have a great deal more then MD, but still less.