From Physical Therapy to IT: My Journey and Career Aspirations

Career Progression- There is fairly firm ceiling on a Physical Therapist Assistant's ability to move upward in their career. You reach a level of management where the patient-care portion becomes less of a focus and the personnel management/paperwork overwhelms your career. Apart from direct management, the only way to progress would be to oversee regions of therapy services which includes substantial traveling. This brings up my next point.

Emotional Fatigue- My family is my everything. So often I find myself drained to "E" at the end of the day after motivating and encouraging people who oftentimes do not have the motivation to improve their own lives and independence. I return home and am running on fumes. I enjoy spending time with my family watching a movie, at the lake or playing in the backyard. I am looking for a career which allows me to have an emotional work-life balance.

Pay Ceiling- It's widely known Medicare reimbursements are cut frequently for therapy services. More recently, units provided by Physical Therapist Assistants and Occupational Therapist Assistants have received a larger cut to reimbursement as well. Each decline in financial compensation for therapy services results in a smaller margin for the companies. In turn this creates a closing gap on our pay. This results in stagnant wages or in some cases, wage cuts.

Physical Injury- Even the most active and nimble therapist will succumb to an injury while providing services to a SNF population. Some residents are admitted with substantial injuries, detrimental balance issues and more frequently prolonged durations of inactivity and dependence. We help these people get back on their feet and move. Sometimes this requires substantial effort and through the best lifting techniques, can still result in strains/sprains or aches/pains (without the intent to rhyme). The body will only take so much of joint straining and injury until the very arthritis we are treating, starts to creep into our joints prompting a resident/patient to say, "oh it sounds like you need physical therapy too". I kindly explain my knees have cracked in that fashion since I was a little kid. But still I ponder on the abuse my body has taken. I want to play with my kids especially as they get older without pain because of my career choice.

Team Atmosphere- A Physical Therapy department is my stomping grounds. I enjoy all of the coworkers I have provided therapy with. Everyone has their own personality and strengths/weaknesses (as do I). We compliment each other very well in every facility I work in (which is around 4 at this time). I like to think of myself as a very bubbly and social person who is a skilled professional when it's needed, but also can bring a certain lightheartedness to a sometimes stressful and scary environment for the residents and staff alike. The residents enjoy the little things such as this door alarm above for when the Occupational Therapist comes in. Can this type of fun professionalism still be appreciated in an IT setting?

More of What I Know- It's no surprise when I feel more comfortable and relaxed in a setting and career I have dedicated my life to for over a decade. I reached a certain point where I didn't feel the challenge I once felt driven to overcome.