When you’re just beginning your physical therapy career, there are so many paths you can take, it can feel a bit overwhelming. Some people will advise you to become a generalist, while others encourage you to find a niche as soon as possible. Others will tell you to do whatever it takes to pay off your loans ASAP.
It’s OK! Take a step back, breathe, and smile. You’re entering a career with endless opportunities to improve others’ lives and find personal fulfillment. There’s no one prescription for success, but there are certainly steps you can take to ensure you build a successful, enjoyable career as a PT.
Here are five steps to take to find success in the ways that matter to you.
1. Take Time for Introspection
Pretty much everyone has an opinion about what a new grad physical therapist should do, but the only one that really matters is your own. Take some time to consider who you are, and make your career decisions based on what you will find most fulfilling in your career. Questions like the following can help guide your process:
- What do you want out of your career?
- Are you seeking achievement? Work-life balance? Financial independence? Leadership opportunities?
- What makes you feel passionate and capable? Is it a particular setting? Patient population?
- Do you enjoy the marketing aspects of practice? Are you an educator at heart?
- What are some absolute deal breakers?
- Do you refuse to see more than 16 patients per day?
- Are you fundamentally opposed to using ultrasound or working on Saturdays?
These are just a few of the many questions to ask yourself at the beginning, and it’s OK if you don’t have all the answers this moment. Introspection should be an ongoing process, where you continually check in with yourself and your loved ones; this ensures that you’re always making decisions that are true to who you are at your core.
Finding the right leadership opportunities can be challenging when you’re a new grad, but MedBridge has created a 5-part leadership series. It’s an ideal way to kick-start your confidence and polish up your resume as you work toward your professional goals.
We've partnered with MedBridge to bring you unlimited CEUs from the comforts of your home or office. Use promo code OMPT or click here to save subscribe to a yearly rate of only $250, saving you $175/year! MedBridge has seminars for PTs, OTs, DCs, ATCs and SLPs!
The Eclectic Approach has 4 courses on MedBridge, you can check them out here! If you've ever wanted to take one of my courses, but couldn't make them live, these are the next best thing, plus you get CEUs for them!
The course pages are here
The Eclectic Approach to TMD Part A and B
The Eclectic Approach to Clinical Neurodynamics Part A and B
The Eclectic Approach is on MedBridge!
The Eclectic Approach has 4 courses on MedBridge, you can check them out here! If you've ever wanted to take one of my courses, but couldn't make them live, these are the next best thing, plus you get CEUs for them!
The course pages are here
The Eclectic Approach to TMD Part A and B
The Eclectic Approach to Clinical Neurodynamics Part A and B
Keeping it Eclectic...
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