Questions answered by a recent graduate

[Another Joe]

Hello all,

 

I'm a graduate of a physiotherapy program in western Canada, I've recently received my licensing results and started a job. Thinking back over it all I've been really fortunate in a lot of ways and I wanted to give something back for all the help I've received over the last few years.

 

I would be happy to answer any questions I can however I may not be the best person to ask about application particulars since they may have changed since I applied. As I'd like to remain anonymous I will avoid talking in specifics about my program and where I currently work.

 

I'll try to answer questions for a few weeks but keep in mind I won't be checking this thread daily.

 

Cheers

[kin_kid]

Can you talk about how difficult school was? Is it possible to maintain a life outside of school?

 

Everyone that I've spoken to (no first hand sources though) has told me that you're in school for 8 hours per day (8-4, 9-5) but then your evenings are spent studying and prepping for the next day.

 

Thanks!

[Another Joe]

Can you talk about how difficult school was? Is it possible to maintain a life outside of school?

 

Everyone that I've spoken to (no first hand sources though) has told me that you're in school for 8 hours per day (8-4, 9-5) but then your evenings are spent studying and prepping for the next day.

 

Thanks!

 

Let me start by saying that my program emphasized that "grades don't matter" (as long as you keep above the minimum cumulative GPA that all grad students have to, or if you're on scholarship). I can say that the school really believes that as I haven't meet a professor or clinician who would think differently of you whether you were an A student or a B student.

 

Now failing a course is a big deal in that you will have to retake the course when it is offered again the next year. If it's a prerequisite for other course like the anatomy course, you probably wouldn't advance with the rest of the class and would join the following incoming class next year. BUT for most practical tests in our program you would get a chance to have one do over if you failed it (Theory you still have pass normally).

 

With that understanding I would say that you study as hard as you chose to, I would put myself somewhere around the middle as some of my friends would literally do ever reading but the majority of us did not.

 

Imo that the pace of the courses is probably twice that of undergrad, You will spend 4 to 8 hours per day in classes but you typically will not spend the night prepping for the next day unless that's how you study.

 

Now when it's down to exam/pract time which is quite frequent as you do a lot of course you probably will have to hunker down and study several hours a day.

 

There's certainly time for a social life, most of our class was pretty close with each other as we'd spend a ridiculous amount of time with each other in the first place. Some of my class even worked part time but in the end it'll really be your style and how you manage.

[kin_kid]

The minimum in every course is a 70 right?

 

I was under the impression that with PT, you have to stay on top of things and really understand everything because you have to know it for life (unlike undergrad where you can cram for exams and forget everything after finals).

 

So it's possible to maintain a part time job (maybe evenings and weekends) etc right?

 

And if you don't mind me asking, which school did you go to?

[Another Joe]

The minimum in every course is a 70 right?

 

I was under the impression that with PT, you have to stay on top of things and really understand everything because you have to know it for life (unlike undergrad where you can cram for exams and forget everything after finals).

 

So it's possible to maintain a part time job (maybe evenings and weekends) etc right?

 

And if you don't mind me asking, which school did you go to?

 

The pass for a course was 60 or 65 I don't remember, however the GPA you had to keep was overall was something like a 70.

 

I know what you're getting at and it half is and half isn't like cramming in undergrad. The theory is largely to help mold you as a therapist but there aren't too many specific facts that must be remembered as there aren't that many black and white answers in Physio.

 

For example you may have a patient come in with Tennis elbow, for this situation you would have learned all the structures and different treatments options. A really studious PT may remember all the nerve roots of all the wrist extensors but that is unlikely to matter in your care, except to help your assessment. What will really matter is how you interact with the patient and how well they buy into their treatment. What your recommendations are will heavily be influenced by their circumstances and preferences.

 

You'll learn and forget a great deal of theory over the program, at times you will forget even basic things and have to review them. At the end of the program there will be a big practical test which is mock version of the practical portion of the licensing test which you will need to know the basics of all the areas of PT care. Afterwards you'll probably specialized in whatever setting you chose to work with and forget a great deal about other areas and have to relearn it from your old notes if you change jobs.

 

Some people did maintain jobs, personally I wouldn't recommend it as you're spending a lot to be in school and you're under a lot of stress anyway.

 

I rather not say what school I went to as it's a really small world, it was one in western Canada and as you know there are not that many.

[Crane]

Hey Another Joe, thanks for this. How hard is to get a job in a hospital right after graduating? Also, what's the starting salary like for a new physio?

 

Hello all,

 

I'm a graduate of a physiotherapy program in western Canada, I've recently received my licensing results and started a job. Thinking back over it all I've been really fortunate in a lot of ways and I wanted to give something back for all the help I've received over the last few years.

 

I would be happy to answer any questions I can however I may not be the best person to ask about application particulars since they may have changed since I applied. As I'd like to remain anonymous I will avoid talking in specifics about my program and where I currently work.

 

I'll try to answer questions for a few weeks but keep in mind I won't be checking this thread daily.

 

Cheers

[wolf30]

I was wondering if its possible to make six figures working as a physio without being the best of the best? I've looked at online sources and it seems the salary cuts off around 80k.

[Another Joe]

Hey Another Joe, thanks for this. How hard is to get a job in a hospital right after graduating? Also, what's the starting salary like for a new physio?

 

I work in the west so this is only fair for AB and BC, I would say it's extremely easy if you don't care about moving or what area of patient care you do. However if you want to work in a really particular area like plastics/peds in a specific city than a job may not open until someone leaves that department. Even if you want to work in a particular major hospital and there are no fulltime openings it's pretty easy to get a casual job where you'll be able to work fulltime but without benefits.

 

As for public starting grad pay it's somewhere around 30 a hour in BC and ON, a few bucks more I think 33 in AB. I can't comment so much for private although I would say Lifemark and CBI would start a new grad salaried for the first few months and I imagine it's competitive.

 

I was wondering if its possible to make six figures working as a physio without being the best of the best? I've looked at online sources and it seems the salary cuts off around 80k.

 

In public that is extremely unlikely unless you're a manager really high up in the food chain. As for private it is possible but what you should understand is that Physios cannot arbitrary charge as much as they want even if they had clients willing to pay that. So conversely some private Physios try to see as many patients as possible (as private you're usually paid a percentage of what the clinic charges per client), if you want to see 4+ people per hour making 100K+ is easily feasible but you can form your own opinion about whether you consider that good care and if that's something you want to do.

[Desiice]

Hi , I am 29 years old who just completed his diploma. Yes I side tracked in life but got back on track and I am looking into colleges. I did apply for Engineering but in my heart I always wanted to become a Physiotherapist.

 

The only thing that stopped me was thinking that there is a imaginary line which I cannot cross , I guess I am thinking I am slow or stupid or its I just do not believe in myself.

 

I made this account when I read you are a recent grad and maybe you can help with some advice.

 

Question is - If I did apply will this take 2 years? it says 2 years on the UofT website, or I think it was 4 , but someone here said 6 years !!!

 

So that means I will be around 35 when I graduate?

 

 

Is this course real hard? I know nothing is hard , just takes lot of practice but really I mean is it mostly memorization of the body parts right?

 

 

Lets say I completed those 5 years but I failed on the 6th year , so that means I have to start all over again ? I get kicked out? how does this work ?

 

thanks , hope can answer all these.

[Philly]

Hi , I am 29 years old who just completed his diploma. Yes I side tracked in life but got back on track and I am looking into colleges. I did apply for Engineering but in my heart I always wanted to become a Physiotherapist.

 

The only thing that stopped me was thinking that there is a imaginary line which I cannot cross , I guess I am thinking I am slow or stupid or its I just do not believe in myself.

 

I made this account when I read you are a recent grad and maybe you can help with some advice.

 

Question is - If I did apply will this take 2 years? it says 2 years on the UofT website, or I think it was 4 , but someone here said 6 years !!!

 

So that means I will be around 35 when I graduate?

 

 

Is this course real hard? I know nothing is hard , just takes lot of practice but really I mean is it mostly memorization of the body parts right?

 

 

Lets say I completed those 5 years but I failed on the 6th year , so that means I have to start all over again ? I get kicked out? how does this work ?

 

thanks , hope can answer all these.

 

I am not a graduate, but I am applying this year.

I think I can give you some answers for your questions.

Physio is 2 years

When people say 6 years, its 4 years undegrad + 2 years in PT school.

So if you have your undergrad and the required prerequisites completed, you should be good to apply for the 2 year professional masters progra

 

hope that helps

[Desiice]

I am not a graduate, but I am applying this year.

I think I can give you some answers for your questions.

Physio is 2 years

When people say 6 years, its 4 years undegrad + 2 years in PT school.

So if you have your undergrad and the required prerequisites completed, you should be good to apply for the 2 year professional masters progra

 

hope that helps

 

 

Thanks Philly , so what is the 4 year program called? sorry I am not so sure of this "undergrad" term .

 

So I take which course for 4 years before I join the UofT 2 year PT program ?

[Philly]

Thanks Philly , so what is the 4 year program called? sorry I am not so sure of this "undergrad" term .

 

So I take which course for 4 years before I join the UofT 2 year PT program ?

 

basically just means to have a bachelor's degree

from looking at the UT site, I don't see any specific program they are looking for so you could have a Bachelor of Science/Social Science/etc...

As long as you complete their prerequisite courses, what you have your degree in doesn't matter a whole lot. However, it would obviously be more beneficial to have a science related degree.

[Another Joe]

Hi , I am 29 years old who just completed his diploma. Yes I side tracked in life but got back on track and I am looking into colleges. I did apply for Engineering but in my heart I always wanted to become a Physiotherapist.

 

The only thing that stopped me was thinking that there is a imaginary line which I cannot cross , I guess I am thinking I am slow or stupid or its I just do not believe in myself.

 

I made this account when I read you are a recent grad and maybe you can help with some advice.

 

Question is - If I did apply will this take 2 years? it says 2 years on the UofT website, or I think it was 4 , but someone here said 6 years !!!

 

So that means I will be around 35 when I graduate?

 

 

Is this course real hard? I know nothing is hard , just takes lot of practice but really I mean is it mostly memorization of the body parts right?

 

 

Lets say I completed those 5 years but I failed on the 6th year , so that means I have to start all over again ? I get kicked out? how does this work ?

 

thanks , hope can answer all these.

 

Philly has already answered your question about the basics of what kind of schooling you need.

 

I would say to you that if you want to be a physio than work towards that, yes you're starting off later in life, yes you'll have to study hard and do well in school even to get into physio school. No one here can decide if that's worth it except for you.

 

Now what you do your bachelors in doesn't matter as long as you do the prerequsite courses needed to apply to particular physio school. You also asked about foreign schools, yes it's possible to do a physio degree in another country and right the licensing test here.

 

BUT Physio isn't easy, you need a solid background of sciences and anatomy to do well in Physio school, even if you got into a program there's a lot you would be expected to know that you don't right now. That isn't to discourage you from becoming a Physio, rather so that you understand there aren't any real short cuts because in the end people will be putting their faith in your skills and you have to build those skills with lots of hard work.

[wings101]

I was just wondering if anyone knew if there are any (how many and how much) entrance scholarships from mac, western, toronto and queens??

[Another Joe]

I was just wondering if anyone knew if there are any (how many and how much) entrance scholarships from mac, western, toronto and queens??

 

There's the QE2 I think for grad programs in Ontario in general but I can't tell you more about that. I've never heard of anyone being offered a scholarship for accepting at a particular PT school, but for all I know maybe the folks with the highest GPA got something and never talked about it.

[jerkstore]

what's your starting salary?

[Another Joe]

what's your starting salary?

 

I've answered that in this topic and in a few others on this forum. You will make low thirties per hour depending on where you work and more if you don't have benefits.

[chii]

When you say a solid background in science, what do you mean? Can you give an example?

 

I am interested in physio, but I have always been intimidated by sciences and maths. How big of a challenge do you think it will be to someone who finds these courses quite difficult?

 

Now, I'm going off of my experience in high school where I lacked motivation and did quite poorly, but I can't deny that I am weak in these subjects...(Especially math. It's shameful, but I have a really hard time doing simple math in my head : S)

[Another Joe]

When you say a solid background in science, what do you mean? Can you give an example?

 

I am interested in physio, but I have always been intimidated by sciences and maths. How big of a challenge do you think it will be to someone who finds these courses quite difficult?

 

Now, I'm going off of my experience in high school where I lacked motivation and did quite poorly, but I can't deny that I am weak in these subjects...(Especially math. It's shameful, but I have a really hard time doing simple math in my head : S)

 

That was direct to the fellow who just recently finished his high school diploma in that if you tried to do a physio program with just high school sciences even if you got in I imagine you'd struggle.

 

To answer your question though, practically what I mean by strong science background is do you know enough to do well in your physiology and anatomy prereqs.

 

For example take the heart, you could remember the answers in the sense if you have these findings it means this. But you should really understand the physics involved in how blood pressure changes, the chemistry relating to the arterial blood gases that affect the chemo and baroreceptors as well as the biology of the different cells in the heart. Ultimately knowing the underlying science helps you understand things as interacting systems; this which will allow you to understand how other factors affect these systems as well as explain them to other people.

 

That may seem like a tall order but that's what you're suppose to learn in your prereqs and if you work hard and have a passion for becoming a physio I wouldn't worry about how you did in high school.

 

As for math, all evidence based practitioner should understand basic stats to be able to evalute evidence.