4 Signs It’s Time for a Change in Your Physical Therapy Career

As a Physical Therapist, you help people improve their lives. It’s rewarding work, but it can be taxing like any patient-focused career. If you’re second-guessing your physical therapist career path, you need to take a moment to understand why.

All medical service careers have times that demand more, but you shouldn’t feel consistently overwhelmed, or like you don’t have the support you need. If you feel this way, take a moment to understand why and pay attention to some signs that it’s time to adjust your physical therapist career path. Those adjustments could mean switching specialties, advancing your career from a physical therapist assistant, or seeking a new way to use your skill set.

Let’s talk about the signs and explore some of your options. Whether you’re a recent graduate or you’ve been in the field for years, these are some signs your workplace simply isn’t working.

1. Your patient load is too high

Unfortunately, high patient load is an all too common problem. Most physical therapists see an average of 6 to 12 patients a day, but the ideal load should be closer to six. With the time you need to devote to patients and the breaks you need for yourself, it’s difficult to imagine seeing 12 people between 8 AM and 6 PM each workday. If you’re seeing more patients than you can handle but want to continue your physical therapist career path in your current role, talk with your supervisor or manager to find a solution.

2. You’re rarely or never excited to go to work

Many people seek a physical therapist career because they enjoy using their expertise to help people heal and achieve their goals. If you’re not getting enjoyment or satisfaction from your role, something isn’t right. You should feel connected with your patients’ success and motivated to aid their recovery. Feeling numb or unmotivated is a signal that you need to look into a different position, explore a new specialty, or reconsider your physical therapist career path altogether.

3. You don’t have an opportunity to work in your preferred specialty

While you may need to spend some time working in areas you don’t enjoy as much as others, you should be able to have a significant amount of your patient load focused on your preferred specialty. Whether it’s pediatric care, women’s health, orthopedic, or cardiovascular and pulmonary, your role should include your preferred area. If that’s not the case, talk with your employer to find out how you can make more opportunities to concentrate on your area of interest. Even if you’re working as a physical therapist assistant, developing your career in your preferred specialty should be a major goal.

4. You need to work a second job

While passion is important, your physical therapist career path shouldn’t lead you to a position without adequate compensation. Physical Therapists are in demand – there are opportunities out there that will allow you to make physical therapy your one and only career.

Making Adjustments to Your Physical Therapist Career Path

If you’re looking for new positions, there are options! A few areas you can explore include:

• Home Health: Visiting patients in their homes and traveling locally to give care.
• Travel: Travel Physical Therapists are open to traveling to locations throughout the U.S. or globally to provide care.
• Nursing Care: Work in short- or long-term nursing facilities, helping individuals recover from injuries or build stamina as they age.

Other options include taking a teaching position or working as a utilization reviewer for insurance companies. Both of these positions use your physical therapy skills in an alternative way, expanding your physical therapist career path.

Find New Opportunities with Nyman Associates

Whether you’re looking for a new Physical Therapist role or want to expand to alternative options, the experts at Nyman Associates can help. We work closely with all our candidates to ensure they feel valued and supported in whatever role they choose. Our team can help you go after more flexible work hours, work-from-home and hybrid positions, and opportunities for better benefits and compensation.

If you’re looking for opportunities in greater Philadelphia or Southern New Jersey, take the next step in your physical therapy career path with Nyman Associates – send us your resume to get started.