#FreshPT? Consider These Factors When Selecting Your Employer

By Todd Bzdewka, PT, MPT, GCS, CCCE
Physical Therapist

Today’s DPT students are, in my opinion, the best-prepared, entry-level practitioners the profession has ever graduated.

I attribute this to the combination of two main factors.

The first: Students learn from many different approaches including current research and well-proven techniques that have been used for decades.

The second: Most Doctor of Physical Therapy students enter the field with a general interest in wanting to help society and improve patient’s health. The APTA states this well in its vision: “transforming society by optimizing movement to improve the human experience.”

A majority of these entry-level PTs are bright-eyed and ready to tackle the world. They interview in many different settings and finally accept the position they feel is right for them.

I was one of these new graduates.

I accepted a position in a traditional acute care setting and was excited to learn from the five full-time PTs around me every day. Little did I know how wrong I could be.

On my very first day, I was given a full caseload. I did not receive an orientation, training, or any advice at all.

So, I accepted this full caseload and thought all will be fine. I made it through the day, getting lost numerous times, having a hard time finding the correct patient rooms and charts. I was relieved to complete the day and returned back to the therapy office to complete my paperwork.

When I returned back, to my surprise, the entire staff had left for the day because it was 4 p.m. on the dot. So, I sat there, unable to complete the paperwork for the day with no guidance at all.

This experience may have improved slightly over the two years I stayed, but never met my needs as an entry-level PT. I worked with PTs that had little pride in what they did, had no ambition to instill their knowledge in me, and rarely offered any insight at all.

So, I looked for a new job and organization that better met my needs.

The problem was: I could not find a good position for close to two years.

I actually contemplated leaving the PT world altogether.

But, I did not.

I was patient, and finally found the organization I was looking for: FOX Rehabilitation.

I have been happily part of this amazing team that values evidence, hard work, and team spirit for over 13 years now.

The greatest advice I can offer is:

• Stay diligent in your search for your first employer. Make sure you interview them as much as they interview you.
• Don’t just accept the first offer or the highest offer that comes your way. Wait for an offer from an organization you can see yourself at long-term.
• Find an organization that meets your goals professionally, personally, and financially. While most of us think this cannot happen, find the closest match possible.
• Never accept a position without having done a clinical at the site or shadowing prior to employment. If an employer refuses to let you do so, head for the door.
• Ask questions of the current staff, shadow a full day, and ask what resources they offer to new PTs. Be diligent, comprehensive, and ask tough questions like employee retention numbers and the hardest part of the job.

And, at the end of the day, if the position does just not feel right, it probably is not.

Trust your gut and really take the time to look for an organization you can see yourself at for a career.

The people featured in the photo are real FOX clinicians and patients. Though, these are not the people mentioned in this article.