Author: Lauren Kealy

Crossfit. Pure Barre. P90X. Hot Yoga. TRX. Insanity- just to name a few of the hottest fad workouts people are participating in. They have many things in common such as having the power to get people excited to work out but they also all come with their own risks and set of potential injures. Who do we, as future physical therapists, keep the newbie or advanced participant from pushing themselves so hard and leading to injury? Is there a way to educate those participants before they end up in our clinic or is that stepping on the toes of the coaches who teach these classes?

Please note that this chat is not intended for us to bash these workouts but to discuss how we can help educate those who may push themselves too far. See ya Wednesday!

 

I think many #DPTstudents think about what it takes to open up and manage a successful PT clinic. I dream of opening my own place but I have a ton of questions from finances, to insurance, staffing, balancing family life and so much more. Several clinic owners are willing to answer all of our questions on this topic this Wednesday.

Hope you can join us on Wednesday at 9pm EST!

Modalities is a topic in physical therapy that tends to be controversial. There is research saying that certain modalities (ultrasound especially) really do not have any scientific leverage. Other modalities (dry needling for example) have more support behind them. Do you think modalities help add value to PT or is it a waste of time for us and the patient? Do you learn modalities in school? If so, what do you learn?

Let’s talk about it Wednesday, September 4, at 9pm EST!

Creating value for the cost of treatment is necessary in the field of PT- especially with limited insurance reimbursements and the expansion of self-pay or cash based PT practices. Jerry Durham (@Jerry_Durham) will be our guest this Wednesday to discuss creating value for the cost of physical therapy. You can read some of his posts, as well as Ann Wendel’s (@PranaPT) regarding the business side of PT here. This is certainly going to be a great #DPTstudent chat!

Also, a huge welcome to all of the new DPT students that just started classes not too long ago! I hope you will join in our chats!

One of the many things that drew me to PT as a career is that upon graduation, I could choose to go in so many different directions! Maybe I’ll specialize, maybe I’ll travel, or do research, or start a fellowship or residency program. Perhaps I will love working in a hospital setting, or a skilled nursing facility or maybe an outpatient clinic will better suit my needs. The options are endless!

This week’s chat will be moderated by TJ Janicky (@TJ_Janicky) and Dr. Ben Fung (@drbenfung) so tune in on Wednesday, August 7, 9pm EST!

I think we all hear the talk and excitement surrounding CSM each year, but what about the National Student Conclave (NSC)? A whole weekend just for DPT and PTA students! This Wednesday we will be talking about what the conference is, why you should go and how to network while you are there. You can find out more about the conference here: https://www.apta.org/nsc/

And by the way- this weeks #DPTstudent chat will be hosted by TJ Janicky so be sure to follow him @TJ_Janicky !

It’s almost August which means most programs have first years just starting! I was in the same position at this time last year and I remember having so many questions, fears and concerns. This Wednesday we invite the new students to ask us anything and everything they can think of from how to study, how to balance life and school, and how to stay sane while in PT school. See ya at 9pm EST on Wednesday July 17!

For a young and unattached recent grad a traveling PT gig can be really appealing- you get to see new places, meet new people and often times the salary is higher and some or all of your cost of living is covered. Sounds pretty sweet! Are there downsides to being a traveling PT? Would you lose out on mentorship as a new grad if you continually moved about or could you still get the mentoring you need if you put the effort in? What to clinics think of a traveling PT when you finally decide to settle down in one spot- are you regarded highly because of your travel experience or not as highly because you were never in one place for long enough?

Let’s talk about it! See you Wednesday, July 10 at 9pm EST!

There is a ton happening in Salt Lake City right now! The APTA House of Delegates has been meeting daily for the past few days discussing the new vision and other motions. You can read up on it here: http://www.apta.org/HOD/2013/

Talk to you on Wednesday night at 9pm EST about the APTA HOD!

One of the main points of the APTA’s Vision 2020 (which is now being revamped!) is autonomous practice which means having Physical Therapists be seen by the general public as the ‘practitioners of choice’. With the title of doctor, we are able to refer out to other healthcare providers as well as refer out for diagnostic tests. However, is that enough to be considered a primary care provider? What are some of the obstacles in our way to get to that point?

How great would it be if we could get to the point where once a year (or even more!) a patient comes in just for a check up regarding any muscle or movement deficiencies!  Or better yet, we never had to discharge a patient, but instead could tell them we would like to see them in a few weeks.

You can read more about the APTA’s definition of autonomous practice here.

Talk to you Wednesday at 9pm EST!