Physiotherapy

[Guest JT]

Hi there

 

 

I have a question regarding Physiotherapy. Now that it is a two year program (2 yr Masters in Ontario) I may do that if I dont gain admission to a medical school.

 

 

Does anyone know what the salaries are like (both starting salaries and salaries for experienced physiotherapists)? I heard over 100K after 5 years but I dont know if that is accurate

 

 

Is there a big demand for their services?

 

Has anyone else considered Physiotherapy or worked in the field? If you wouldn't mind sharing your thoughts about the program and/or what the job is like, it would be really appreciated.

 

 

Thank you

JT

[Guest Ian Wong]

I'm not a physiotherapist, so someone else will have to supply the "real world experience."

 

However, here is a very interesting an informative article on PT which can be found on the Canadian Physiotherapy Association. While it's written from the perspective to draw attention to bad conditions in Manitoba, it's also got lots of PT satisfaction surveys, comparisons of maximum and minimum hourly and annual wages for each province in Canada, and lots of other good information. There's also additional information regarding working in private practice or not. Definitely worth a long look-through, and most of the goods can be found between pages 5-17 (the document is 27 pages long).

 

www.physiotherapy.ca/physio2.pdf

 

Ian

UBC, Med 3

[Guest JT]

Wow sounds like its not a good field to go into at all.

 

Maybe I'll look into Pharmacy or something if I dont get in. Hey Ian what was your back up plan if you did not gain acceptance to medicine after trying for a couple of times?

 

thank you for the article, you could have possibly saved my future!

 

JT

[Guest tommygirl]

JT,

 

Just curiously, where did you hear the 100K figure? Was it word of mouth? It just seems severely inflated... I wouldn't trust it.

[Guest JT]

Tommygirl I got the figure from the admissions staff at the UofT physio program, I gues they were just trying to boost up the profession!

 

What are your back up plans if you dont get into medicine?

[Guest tommygirl]

JT,

 

Well its good you have the facts. PT is still a good choice, I think. An interesting discipline, people-oriented etc etc.

 

You should watch taking a professional program while trying to maintain a med GPA. Professional programs have some REALLY tough courses because they cover material you have to know in the workforce. For example: Pharmacy has a brutal med organic chem course that is guarenteed to drive you (and your GPA) crazy.

 

Just giving you the heads up.

 

Actually I've already gotten into medicine... Good luck to you.

[Guest JT]

Thanks tommygirl

 

Just wondering where did you get accepted?

 

Oh yeah if I didn't get into medicine after this try, I think I'll give it up and just stick to whatever professional school I end up getting into so if my GPA dips a bit at that point it will be alright. I dont want to be one of those people who keep doing degree after degree after degree just to get into medicine. There's more to life than being a doctor so there's no sense in running around like a chicken with its head cut off.

 

 

Congratulations on getting accepted, I wish you nothing but the best TommyG

[Guest BC guy]

In BC, approximately $28/hour starting wages for physiotherapist and occupational therapist working in hospitals and billing of $50/hour for those working for a private company and then it is 60% for you and 40% for the company. For hospital pharmacists, the starting bottom wage is approximately $35/hour.

[Guest sydney]

Physiotherapy is good career, stable, and definately in demands...however, unless you own your own clinic, or do private work (insurance) and keep crazy hours, your salary would likely not reach 100K!

The hospital I work at pays us 24-29 per hour depending on your years of experience (i.e. a new grad can expect about 24.00/hour)

 

Talk to a practicing therapist in private practice & one who works in a hospital...see what you think if you don't get into medicine...but, if medicine is really what you want, my advice is not to settle. As a therapist myself (who wanted to be a Physician but then thought rehabilitation would fulfill my career aspirations as I did not get in...) I have had to really justify my career switch...so, do some research before you make any decision! Best of luck!!

[Guest tommygirl]

Hi JT,

 

Thank you for your kind words. Actually, I got in to a couple of places --UA, UC and McGill. I am waiting to hear what becomes of my Ontario Interviews--UT, Queens, UWO. I have confirmed UC and sent back the declines for the rest.

 

Any of the Ontario schools would be lovely if not for the $ differential-- and I am an Alberta girl. Go Oilers.

 

RE: your decision

Its definitely a good thing that you've drawn this line in the sand.I agree a prof program (esp after a undergrad degree) allows for a bit more security, AND you can still persue medicine, concurrently.

 

It's so true that theres more to life than persuing an academic program-- like travel. When you graduate--and even before that b/c you know you'll earn sufficiently to be able to pay off your trip-- you'll be able to afford opprtunities to see the world. I have friends who are pharmacists, PTs and OTs who work hard for a couple of months in a stetch by condensing their shifts, collect up extra vacation time as a result and then take off travelling every chance they get.

 

My one friend (pharmacist) has been to Greece, Rome & the South of France in the last 2.5 years. They were all brilliant trips--I was so jealous! One of his life goals is to travel to every single country in the world!!

 

Take care, JT and good luck.

[Guest ITgeek]

Hi JT,

I was a practicing physiotherapist in Ontario who went into medical school after practicing for four years. Here's my take on things :

Advantages of Physio :

a) Regular hours, usually Monday to Friday (occasional weekend, depending where you work); 3-6 weeks paid vacation plus lieu time accrued

High demand for physiotherapists

c) Relatively "clean medicine" (not dealing with the number of bodily fluids as in medicine or nursing)

d) Good salary (starting at roughly $45,000; cap at $62,000 in hospital - with good benefits; probably more in private clinic but only if you plan on running one)

e) Some diversity (orthopaedics both inpatient and outpatient, neurology, cardiorespiratory, pediatrics)

f) Direct patient contact, personal contact

 

Disadvantages :

a) Very easy to get into a rut

At times frustrating to be in the "medical hierarchy" (i.e. final decision making, knowledge base)

c) Politics of working in a hospital or in a clinic

d) Limited amount of postgraduate courses available

 

Basically, you need to weigh both the pros and cons as to what you are looking for in a career. Physiotherapy is a stable career with some opportunities for advancement but may be not be as dynamic as what you are looking for.

Hope this helps

[Guest candybits]

I was also a practicing physiotherpiast for the past 2 years in Ontario as well as in Quebec.

 

As for the salary figure, as previously mentioned, 100K is probably what you can make in a private clinic setting, most likely if you own your clinic or have a partnership with someone.

 

I personally worked in both the hospital as well as the out-pt setting, but didn't really feel that I could be doing it for the rest of my life. True that it's a great career, which gives you plenty of hands-on care and lets you estalish rapport with you patients, but I simply hated the idea of working under someone and being trapped within the hierarchy of the health care system...