The idea of physical therapists leaving clinical care by choice used to be practically unheard of. Sure, you could leave to raise a family and nobody would judge you. But leaving to pursue another career altogether? Blasphemy! At best, you were a black sheep. At worst, you were a sellout, a lazy PT, or just a plain old mystery to most therapists. But, since COVID reared its ugly head and ushered in The Great Resignation among healthcare providers, things have changed…a lot. PPE shortages, layoffs, and reimbursement cuts have become the norm, and people no longer look at you like you have three heads if you want out. These days, if you’re exploring non-clinical physical therapy jobs, join the club. You’re certainly not alone, and nobody is going to guilt you or shame you for exploring alternative physical therapy careers.
Table of contents
- Signs it’s time to consider a non-clinical physical therapy career
- Why I’m writing about non-clinical physical therapy jobs
- Here are 9 alternative careers for physical therapists:
- Are these the only non-clinical physical therapy jobs out there?
- Where can I find non-clinical physical therapy jobs?
- What about non-clinical physical therapy jobs for PTAs (physical therapist assistants)?
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Signs it’s time to consider a non-clinical physical therapy career
Before we jump into the non-clinical physical therapy careers out there, let’s briefly touch on some signs that maybe it’s time to consider leaving patient care.
- You’re searching for things like “What else can I do with a physical therapy degree?” or “I don’t want to be a physical therapist anymore” or “How to get out of physical therapy”, or even “I hate being a physical therapist”. Repeatedly. And sometimes angrily, or with tears in your eyes.
- You’re not feeling excited about your job anymore. Or, worse, you dread going in.
- You wish you could make more money, but you’re barely getting raises (if at all).
- You’re already working multiple jobs, but you’re still struggling to pay off your loans.
- You tell everyone who will listen, “I hate being a physical therapist!”
- You envy your friends who have greater flexibility or work from home.
- You’re no longer feeling connected to your patients or coworkers.
- You start stalking people on LinkedIn, looking for people who have non-clinical physical therapy jobs.
Perhaps you’re fully aware that you want to explore alternative physical therapy careers, but you’re simply not sure where to start. Or maybe you have tried applying to non-traditional roles, but haven’t had any luck landing interviews.
Whatever your reasoning, if you’re looking for non-clinical physical therapy job options, you’ve come to the right place! A career change from physical therapy IS possible.
Why I’m writing about non-clinical physical therapy jobs
I believe if you’re unhappy in your chosen field, you shouldn’t feel stuck. Physical therapist career options do go beyond direct patient care—now, more than ever. I also believe that if you want to explore something new, you shouldn’t have to start from ground zero and take a huge pay cut in the process.
Personally, I was ready for a change after just three short years of working as a PT. I’m sure you can imagine how embarrassed and foolish I felt for having invested all that time, money, and energy (and tears, in my case!) into a profession that didn’t seem to fit me at all.
I wrote this article to shed light on some of the existing non-clinical job options out there, because when I was first feeling unhappy, I had NO idea what to do next. This article is meant to be a work in progress, and I will come across more and more as time goes on—so expect frequent updates and additions as the site grows 🙂
Here are 9 alternative careers for physical therapists:
1. Education
Physical therapists make excellent educators. Our jobs as PTs and PTAs always entail educating patients, caregivers, families, and other healthcare professionals every single day.
Education is a natural transition for many physical therapists seeking non-clinical jobs.
The fact that education is number one on this list probably comes as no surprise to you; education is one of the most popular non-clinical career paths in our field. For years, physical therapists have been going into education when they’re ready to leave the clinic.
What you might not realize is that PTs aren’t limited to teaching at physical therapy schools. After all, there are PTs living all over America, but there aren’t PT schools everywhere.
Luckily, there are institutes of higher education pretty much everywhere, if you’re willing to commute a half hour or so. PTs are perfectly qualified to teach at the community college, university, and graduate level, especially in courses like anatomy and biomechanics.
Also, with the advent of more and more online education programs, PTs are in the perfect position to pick up courses to teach online, or even work with companies like MedBridge to create online CEU classes or teach webinars from home! Indeed, working from home as a PT is very possible if you pursue education!
Nicole Tombers, PT, DPT, does a great job of explaining physical therapist career options in education in this article.
Pros
- You’ll keep your PT knowledge fresh in some areas.
- You’ll truly help shape the next generation of clinicians.
- Being around students will keep you feeling young.
- Flexibility and reasonable pay.
- You’ll enjoy watching students succeed.
Cons
- You’ll be grading papers, preparing lessons, etc. outside of your actual teaching hours.
- You’ll likely start out as adjunct, meaning it’s not a clean break from patient care.
- You may be required to stay clinical to some degree (if you teach at a PT school).
- You’ll occasionally see an unsuccessful student, which can be painful.
Check out the spotlights below to learn more about therapists who’ve become educators!
- Kyle Coffey – Exercise Physiology Program Director
- Ed Kane – Professor at University of St. Augustine
- Adrienne Nova – PTA Clinical Director
- Jason Ashby – PTA Program Director
- Molly Miller – Quality and Outcomes Specialist
- Eric Trauber – Director of Clinical Education
- F. Scott Feil – Core Faculty at PT School
- Emily Gherghel – Lead Learning and Simulation Developer
2. Utilization review
In the past, utilization review (UR) roles were largely filled by nurses. Today, PTs (as well as OTs and SLPs) are often recruited for these non-clinical jobs, too!
Utilization reviewers (also known as clinical reviewers or physical therapy reviewers) typically work for insurance companies (or companies that contract with insurance companies), and their roles generally involve reviewing cases, and approving, denying, or otherwise managing insurance claims.
Utilization review jobs are sometimes remote/work-from home (or at least offer some flexibility with hours), and they generally require at least a few years of clinical practice in a specific setting.
For example, if you’re working for a pediatric clinical reviewer job, it will help immensely if you have several years of experience with treating kids as a peds PT.
You can check out a more extensive article I wrote about utilization review here.
Pros
- You’ll likely enjoy flexible work, possibly with partial or fully remote employment.
- You’ll be able to fight fraudulent billing practices.
- You’re definitely still leveraging your degree.
- You’ll likely enjoy a reasonable salary.
Cons
- You’ll probably feel pretty crappy at times; there’s sometimes pressure to decline treatments, even when you deem them medically necessary.
- You’ll be sitting. A lot. If your body ached in patient care, you might develop new aches and pains from the sedentary nature of these non-clinical jobs.
- These roles can be rather corporate at times.
Check out the spotlights below to learn about therapists who have pursued careers in utilization review.
- Tambi Rondinone – Clinical Review Coordinator
- Andrea Jansen – Pre-Service Coordinator
- Jennifer Lane – Therapist Reviewer
- Aaron Hackett – Physical Therapy Reviewer
- Bill Daly – Denials Coordinator
- Bryce Williams – Home Health Quality Review Specialist
- Erick Alvarez – PT Medical Management Director
- Amy Elder – Clinical Documentation Specialist
3. Rehab technology and innovation
Ever thought of working with robots? What about running clinical trials for innovative devices designed to help stroke patients? I had no idea PTs ever worked in these types of roles until I started this website!
As it turns out, tons of physical therapists are being hired as clinical trainers (sometimes called sales trainers), marketers, consultants, and more! These alternative physical therapy careers are on the rise. There is also a huge area of opportunity in VR rehabilitation.
Our backgrounds make us incredible assets to tech companies in all sorts of non-clinical jobs. As engineers and designers work create technology to help patients become more mobile, PTs’ input is crucial. What seems painfully obvious to us after working with scores of patients might never cross a designer’s mind when she is placing a button on a device.
PTs are also highly valuable in industries seeking to streamline healthcare delivery. For example, if there’s an EMR company seeking an account executive to work with its rehab clients, you’ll have a huge leg up on job seekers who have never worked in rehab facilities.
Pros
- You’ll feel like you’re on the cutting edge of developments that will truly transform how we operate as clinicians.
- Enjoy unprecedented creativity in these non-clinical jobs.
- Be uniquely positioned to offer clinical expertise in a sea of techie and engineer types.
Cons
- You may wind up working long hours, or traveling quite a bit. This is more common in smaller, startup type companies.
- You’ll see a wide variety of pay; physical therapy jobs at startups don’t always pay well, but established companies do.
- You might need to take some non-clinical courses to learn additional skills you’ll need on the job.
Check out the spotlights below to learn more about therapists who’ve gone into tech roles!
- June Srisethnil – Clinical Product Manager
- Liana Merkel – Client Success Associate
- Lily Belcak – Director of Enterprise Client Success
- Merci Greenaway – Physiotherapist in Residence
- Melissa Klaeb – Clinical Consultant
- Ben Galin – Chief of Product
- Angela Forsyth – Program Director
- Stephanie Miller – Clinical Analyst
- Marla Ranieri – Chief Development Officer
- Matt Fuller – Clinical Training Manager
- Rebecca Tarbert – Director of Clinical Programs
- Michelle Stewart – Clinical Consultant
- Jeremy Hall – Clinical Solutions Consultant
- Anang Chokshi – Chief Clinical Officer
- Jennifer Stoskus – Director of Clinical Education & Training
- Luke Mountz – CX Research Associate & Voice of the Customer
- Beth Lind – Software Tester
- Jessica Manson – Customer Success Representative
4. Clinical/rehab liaison
A clinical or rehab liaison is responsible for filling the beds of a rehab facility with appropriate patients. These types of non-clinical jobs have a strong marketing and sales angle, as you’re often selling services to physicians, case managers, and even the community at large.
Clinical liaison roles tend to be pretty flexible, and they’re great for those who work both independently and on teams. These roles do require clinical licenses, and you still spend quite a bit of time with patients—just not treating them directly.
I wrote an article on how to become a rehab liaison, and you should check it out! Rehab liaisons are basically sales and marketing reps for inpatient rehab facilities, and I really enjoyed my time working in that role 🙂
Pros
- It’s pretty easy to move into a clinical liaison career, provided you have worked in acute care and/or inpatient rehab.
- These roles pay pretty much what you’d make in an acute care job.
- The non-clinical jobs are fun! You still get to work with patients, but in a much less physically and emotionally demanding way.
Cons
- There’s not always a direct growth path for these roles. Many people use these roles to springboard more directly into sales.
- There can be some pressure to meet census quotas.
- Sometimes, case manager and doctors can try to push you around a bit.
Check out the spotlights below to learn more about folks in clinical liaison roles!
- Megan Umberger – Clinical Rehabilitation Specialist
- Amber Hammock – Clinical Rehab Liaison
- Allison Solari – Clinical Liaison
5. Recruiting
Recruiting is an incredible career path for rehab professionals, especially those who have done some travel physical therapy in the past.
Physical therapy recruiters work with employers and rehab professionals, trying to ensure good matches for various job roles. For example, you might work as a healthcare recruiter (or talent acquisition specialist)for a staffing company, and your role would be speaking with facilities who are looking for PTs, then finding PTs who look good for those roles. You’d do the initial screening of applicants, and you’d earn a paycheck based on whether you’re able to fill open positions.
Some PTs choose to become independent recruiters. You can do that by working with a company like Relode, or you can simply contact companies and cut out the middle man!
Pros
- Enjoy meeting, and networking with, all sorts of people.
- Use existing connections to help find the right professionals for the right roles.
- You’ll enjoy a high salary if you’re good at your job; it’s often commission-based.
Cons
- You’ll have to “eat what you kill.” Commission-based roles often require an assertive, proactive personality, or you won’t make much income. Keep in mind that commission-only roles DO exist in this realm, but they are not for the faint of heart. We recommend recruiting jobs that have base pay!
- You’ll often have times where you feel like you’re fitting a square peg in a round hole, just to make that job placement.
- It can be challenging to convince a recruiter to give a PT a chance in a totally new role. Read how one OT bombed her healthcare recruiter interview to learn valuable lessons!
Check out the spotlights below to learn more about folks in recruiting roles!
- Christine Minnix – Director of University Recruiting
- Ashley Aliberti – Therapist Network Specialist
- Melissa Erlandson – Network Development Specialist
- Nina Luskin – VP of Client Services, Nursing and Allied Health
6. Writing
Ahhh, writing. My calling, and my favorite activity 🙂 Call it publishing, call it copywriting, or call it blogging, but there’s a huge need for educated rehab professionals in the online world. Just google “healthcare content” and you can see that writing about healthcare is a booming industry.
Writing roles vary greatly. You might work as a clinical content writer, or as a health copy writer. Work for large organizations or freelance with smaller clients.
You can also work as a medical writer, which is entirely different, and often requires a PhD or additional formalized medical writer training. Some companies, like Net Health, will even hire PTs into content strategy roles!
I’ve got a lot of additional content on this topic:
- How to launch a non-clinical career as a copywriter
- Getting your article published online
- Health blogs that publish guest posts from therapists
- Grammar guide for physical therapists
Pros
- Enjoy unprecedented flexibility and creativity.
- You’ll get to leverage your degree and build a name for yourself at the same time.
- You’ll have tons of paths to take, from marketing, to strategy, to editor-in-chief.
Cons
- You’ll be sitting a lot in these non-clinical jobs. Either invest in a standing desk or get your tail off the chair and get moving throughout the day.
- You’ll probably have to break into the field slowly, building your portfolio, then transitioning out of patient care.
- You’ll find that the pay might not be what you’re used to as a PT (at first). After a year or two, you’ll likely earn close to what you did as a therapist.
Breaking Into Health Writing, by Health Writer Hub, is another great course—and it’s quite affordable for what you get. It’s a great introduction for a new or aspiring copywriter needs to understand how to actually start writing. It covers types of writing that are out there (medical vs. marketing vs. health, etc.), and it explores what you need to make an actual plan to get there. I highly recommend this course if you’re looking for a writing career where you write content for other companies.
Save 25% on Breaking into Health Writing (by Health Writer Hub)
*By using the above link, you get a discount and I make a small commission. It’s win-win! I ONLY recommend courses with excellent reviews, and I fully stand behind this course to help you build your writing career. Thank you for supporting The Non-Clinical PT!
Check out the spotlights below to learn more about folks in writing roles!
7. Sales
When I was working in outpatient, I used to get super envious of the Dynasplint rep who would just breeze through, fit patients with their splints, toss us some doughnuts (mmmm…doughnuts), and be on her merry way. It seemed like such a fun, fulfilling way to leverage a PT degree!
If you’re an actual sales rep, your role is to represent your product, so you need to know it inside and out. You are also responsible for maintaining (and sometimes starting) relationships with various businesses.
For example, if you work for Bioness as a sales rep, you will be going around to various rehab facilities and demonstrating your products, as well as training the therapists in their use. You can either land a full-time, benefited role as a medical sales rep, or you can try your hand at sales by taking on a commission-only DME sales rep gig.
Pros
- One of the easiest roles to jump into directly, without needing to do a gradual transition out of patient care.
- You’ll likely enjoy a good salary in these types of non-clinical jobs, provided you’re comfortable in a commission-based environment.
- You’ll be able to leverage your degree and existing industry connections.
Cons
- You’ll be “on” a lot. If you’re leaving patient care because you are shy or don’t like being around people all day, this might not be the role for you.
- You’ll likely have a lot of traveling in these roles.
- You’ll need to be good at working independently, and you’ll need to get into the mindset of selling.
Check out the spotlights below to learn more about folks in sales roles!
- April Hoffman – Territory Manager
- Allan Manuel – SMB Sales Specialist
- Jasmine Taylor – Specialty Program Manager
- Jack Scott – Territory Sales Manager
- Ben Barron – VP of Enterprise Sales
- Anna Manor – DBS Clinical Specialist
- Ricardo Robles – Sales Specialist
- Jeff Caulfield – Product Specialist in Joint Reconstruction
- Josh Young – Joint Reconstruction Representative
- Caitlin Jones – National Sales Director
- Preston Collins – Strategic Account Manager
- Adam Quire – Specialty Account Manager
- Matthew Holland – Account Executive
8. Entrepreneurship
I am so excited to include this on the list! There are SO many physical therapists who are leveraging their degrees to be their own bosses in non-clinical or partial-clinical ways.
In the past, entrepreneurial-minded PTs were told to become clinic owners, and that’s about it. With the advent of telehealth PT and smartphones, therapists have gone in all sorts of cool directions, including owning HEP companies and running telehealth platforms.
The key to becoming a PTpreneur is to identify a problem, then provide a solution, making your entire mission to delight your customer/client in the process.
Pros
- You’ll have the ability to truly create an organization or product that fits your vision. I created TNCPT because I knew what I wanted to do (create a comprehensive resource for therapists to find EVERYTHING they need to go non-clinical), and I wanted to be able to run the site solely based on user preferences (reach out to tell me what you want!) and my own vision for where I see the PT industry in 5, 10, and 20 years.
- You’ll be able to work from anywhere you want.
- You can truly effect change in our industry, in patients’ lives, and even in the healthcare industry on the whole.
- You can start out your endeavor as an OT/SLP/PT side hustle and it can grow on your own schedule.
Cons
- You’ll need a lot of internal drive to be an entrepreneur; you’re always on, and you will likely be hustling pretty much all the time. I’m writing this article on my weekend, and every entrepreneur I know is pretty much working all day, every day. But they love it!
- You won’t get a steady paycheck for a long time. You’ll go without perks many folks take for granted, such as PTO, 401(k), and health/dental benefits.
When I first started this website, I barely made any money on it. Now, I can proudly say that I make a nice full-time salary from this site and one freelance writing client. I teamed up with Chanda Jothen from Pink Oatmeal, and we put together a blogging course to help you learn from our successes (and our mistakes), so you can build, grow, and monetize your own website!
Check out the spotlights below to learn more about therapists in entrepreneurial roles!
- Chanda Jothen – Founder of Pink Oatmeal
- Heidi Jannenga – Co-Founder of WebPT
- Will Hall – CEO of HIPnation
- Kim Bell – Founder of The Bell Method
- Brianne Grogan – Founder of FemFusion Fitness
- Joses Ngugi and Casey Coleman – Founders of Pre-PT Grind
- Nicholas Rolnick – Founder of The Human Performance Mechanic
- Tony Cosenzo – Founder of Fibonacci Health
- Keith Cronin – Consultant and Manufacturer
- Jen Esquer – DocJenFit of The Mobility Method
- Meredith Castin (Little Ole Me!) of The Non-Clinical PT
- TaVona Boggs – Founder of Wellness PTs
- Kim Rondina – Mindset and Professional Coach
- Jim Aguilar – Founder of Periscope
- Laura Keyser – Co-Founder of Mama LLC
- Keith Rosenliao – Founder of Cayuga Climbs
- Carrie Black – President of Integrity Home Mobility
9. Telehealth PT
I debated whether to include telehealth physical therapy on this list, as it’s technically still considered clinical work. But telehealth is so flexible and hands-off, many PTs find it to be liberating compared to traditional patient care.
Telehealth PT is physical therapy delivered over electronic means, rather than in person—and this is great news for someone looking for telecommute physical therapy jobs (especially if they still love patient care)! There are several ways to get into telehealth:
- Join an existing company that provides telehealth services. You can sign up as a staff teletherapy provider and be part of a pool of therapists providing services remotely. You’re paid like a staff therapist and don’t need to worry about business considerations like billing or patient acquisition.
- Start your own telehealth PT company. The other option is to start a company where you provide telehealth as a solo practitioner. This means finding patients, setting up the tech yourself, and other concerns, but there are solutions to make this easier!
Pros
- It’s a way to truly keep using your degree and knowledge, without burning out your body.
- You’ll be able to work from anywhere you want, and in all sorts of settings, including sports or school-based telehealth.
- You’ll be part of a major sea change in our profession, which is exciting and prevents boredom.
Cons
- At this time, telehealth feels a bit like the Wild West. There’s not a lot of structure, and there are struggles with convincing patients to pay for your services when they still associate PT with hands-on care.
- Telehealth is cash-only at this point, as insurance companies are only reimbursing telemedicine in a precious few disciplines.
Check out the teletherapy spotlights below:
- Olivia Matta – Hybrid Physical Therapist
- Carly Cooper – Clinical Operations Team Lead
- Elana Shinkle – Teletherapy SLP (Speech-Language Pathologist)
- Ellen Morello – Clinical Program Manager
- Kelsey Quam – Digital Health Physical Therapist
- Julie Mulcahy – Senior Clinical Program Manager
- Emil Berengut – Director of Clinical Operations
- Tony Rost – Senior Director of Scheduling and Telehealth
Are these the only non-clinical physical therapy jobs out there?
Absolutely not! You can pursue so many other non-clinical PT jobs with your background, including:
- Compliance/quality/performance improvement
- Consulting (senior consultant)(business consultant)
- Public health
- Canine rehabilitation
- Working for pharmaceutical marketing agencies
- Clinical informatics
- Supervisor of patient trainers
- Client success (success manager)
- User experience
- Head of corporate healthcare relationships (leadership!)
- Program/project/product management
- Performance management
- Operations (operations analyst)(operations manager)
- Care coordination (cross market care coordinator or skilled inpatient care coordinator)
- Medical coding
- Home modifications
- Provider solutions growth
- Director of program management
- Executive director of digital health & area manager
- Clinical strategy specialist
- SO MUCH MORE!!!!
In my flagship course, Non-Clinical 101, we cover 25 career paths (with numerous job titles within them!) that are perfect for physical therapists looking for a change. You’ll find sample resumes and cover letters for each path, as well as information on how to apply for jobs, network, interview, and negotiate salary. The best part? Each career path is mapped out to help you identify which one is right for YOU, based on personalized self-assessments. Don’t take it from me, though. You can read success stories here!
Where can I find non-clinical physical therapy jobs?
I’m so glad you asked! You can sign up for my free email list to get non-clinical jobs delivered to your inbox on most Sundays! Non-Clinical 101 alumni get early access to all of my jobs!
What about non-clinical physical therapy jobs for PTAs (physical therapist assistants)?
Many of the above roles are perfectly appropriate for PTAs, but if you’re curious to learn more about what is specifically out there for you, you might want to check out this article from Sean Hagey, PTA. He has a really cool non-clinical consulting role at a telehealth company!
Thank you thank you for writing this!! Makes me feel less crazy and gives great advice for moving forward in my career. I appreciate this post very much!! TY
Hi Jen! Thank you so much for your comment; reading it truly made my day 🙂 Please let me know if I can ever help you, or if you have any particular questions. I might not know the answers, but I’ll certainly try to find them… thanks again for your comment and Happy New Year 🙂 – Meredith
Do any of these apply for PTA’s?
Absolutely! Recruiting, sales, tech/industry, and education (at the assistant level) are all great for PTAs. Some content writer roles work great for assistants, too, though some of them want a bachelor’s degree.
Meredith somehow my searches just keep finding you!! Lol!! I so resonate with these articles. I’ve been away from clinical practice for a bit pursuing some of my other passions of Life Coaching, Reiki, Qi Gong and fitness to mention a few. It’s been an interesting path integrating all of this with my love of helping others as a PT. Any advise for a not new grad with loads of experience and a very strong desire to help people help themselves with a holistic Mind Body approach?
Hi Coby!
Thank you for the comment. I think your background in PT is the perfect complement to your holistic and mental health pursuits! If you do wind up doing life coaching as your primary goal, you’re pretty well set up for having both mind and body covered 🙂 I checked out your website and it looks like you’re already very much on the right path. My advice is always to start with writing super relevant content to whatever it is you’re trying to either sell or “be the expert at.” In your case, you’ve already been blogging, which is great. Just keep at it, with more and more content, and try to get that content in front of the right eyes. You’ll only know which eyes to target when you hone in on a particular group you’d like to help. Is it teachers? Rehab professionals? Identify the ones you think could most use your help and then write tons of tailored articles to those people. You can join Facebook groups and share those articles in the groups to get more traction.
Your message seems really appropriate for burned out clinicians (any healthcare professional, really), so maybe you can start by working with PTs/OTs/SLPs and RNs. I’m happy to chat with you more about this sometime 🙂 Just drop me a line on the contact page. Happy 2018! Meredith
Meredith,
I am so happy to have found you and all the time you have put into your work with non-clinical rehab positions. I could just cry I’m so happy to know there is professional guidance and alternatives starting all over. I’m excited to follow you and take all the necessary steps needed to find a job I can love again!
Thank you again,
Amy Kuhlman
Hi Amy! Thank you so much for the kind words!! You made my day 🙂 Reach out anytime with questions! Meredith
Hi coby
Wanted to look in to your blog but couldn’t find it. Meridith mentioned your blog in her reply but i dont see any other details. Can you please give me the details of your blog. I am interested in your content .
Thank you
Vini
Your website gives me hope. Thank you!
More to come 🙂 Keep in touch!
Meredith.. Smashing article and hitting all the edges of the PT profession and burnout/resentment. I can relate to the details of this article as a PT in various levels. That’s why I am in the midst of building my life coaching programs around burnout in our profession. I have developed a six week life coaching program on this such topic and would love to through around some thoughts your way as it gets rolling out!!!! Looking forward to collaborating!!!!!(website – not up yet!)
Hi Stacie! Thank you so much for your comment. I’m really excited for you with your life coaching program…eager to chat more and find some cool ways to collaborate and help PTs find their passion 🙂
Meredith, I have a question regarding maintaining licensure in case of a fall back. Can you elaborate on this topic? I’m curious if I will lose my license if I step into a sales role.
Hi Lucas!
Definitely keep your license! As long as you comply with state con-ed and license renewal requirements, you should be just fine to keep that PT license when you move into a non-clinical role. If you use online con-ed (such as MedBridge), it’s really inexpensive and simple to complete all the con-ed you’ll need, so you’ll just need to pay your licensing fees and you’ll be set! If you have questions, just reach out… Thanks for the comment 🙂
Meredith
Keeping up with the con ed requirements wouldn’t be a big problem, but what about the hours of treatment requirement? I love in WA state and I think it requires 500 hrs every 2 years. Do you know if it has to be direct patient care? Or would these online jobs qualify? Thank you for your time and input!
Hi Stephanie!
Thanks for commenting. Here’s what I found on the Washington state website: “Physical therapists must complete 40 hours of continuing education and 200 hours of employment every two years.” I think they deliberately left that loose (“200 hours of employment”) because many PTs/OTs become managers. They don’t have direct patient care in those roles. I’d reach out the board personally to get clarification, as that’s an excellent question. My gut says you’d be OK in a non-clinical role, but you’d probably be safer hearing it from the board itself 🙂 Please let me know what you find out! Thank you!
Great Article. Exactly what I was looking for. At this point, I think it’s important for me to continue developing as a clinician, but I already know this is not the end game. I have writing aspirations and this was just the motivation I needed to sit down and start putting some of my transient thoughts into structured sentences. 🙂
This is great to hear, Daniel! Please let me know if you’d like to write a guest post!
I loved your article.
I am a PTA, 28 years. Last 6 years, hhc.
I am totally burned out more from agencies than patients. I am interested in QA but do not know where to begin.
I need some guidance.
Hi Sallie!
Thanks for the comment and nice words. QA is a great option for PTAs. Have you looked into PAI Coordinators? Other roles include PPS Coordinator and MDS Coordinator…
Meredith 🙂
hi Meredith, iam looking for an online PT job where I can work from home, can you please suggest any, your article was very helpful. thank you.
kavitha.
Hi Kavitha! Thanks for the comment. You can look into being a telehealth PT, an online (remote) health and/or wellness coach, or even a utilization reviewer (UR)/chart reviewer. While many of the chart reviewer/UR jobs are onsite, there are a few that allow you to work remotely! Hope that helps 🙂
Hello! I am so happy I found your article and website. What a valuable resource! I am a PT looking into non-clinical employment options that I can do remotely/from home. I have been offered a couple of jobs doing telehealth PT, but they are new companies and so it will take awhile to build up a clientele. Do you know of any established companies that do tele-PT? I am also interested in clinical reviewing because it seems like it might be a more consistent income. Do you know what companies that allow you to work remotely? Thank you kindly.
Hi Eric! Thank you so much for reaching out. I do know some telehealth companies. I’ll send you an email shortly 🙂 And I have an article on UR coming out soon! Some UR companies do allow you to work remotely. I’ll be in touch 🙂
I would love to hear of some established Telehealth companies for PT’s as well
Hey Kristen! I list quite a few telehealth companies here!
Meredith,
What a great article. Its strong and addresses a big topic. I heard your podcast when you were with the pre-PT grind folks, and I quickly wrote down your website name. The big question in my head was what can a PT do besides clinical work? I am really curious since I am currently exploring the field as a pre-pt. I hear a lot of boasting that there is so much variety in the PT field.
It’s awesome to see you succeed as a copywriter. I needed to hear that. I want to be a PT, but I also have strong skills in writing and editing, and I am thinking to myself “Well, if I become a PT. I wont be able to use my writing or editing skills to help anyone.” Its just something I am good at and seeing that you can eventually do both is awesome!
My question to you is what are some career paths you can take if you go the sports physical therapy route, and do you have any articles or resources on that topic? I would love to explore a little more in that area. I have considered getting a writing job in the past. As a pre-pt can I still get a writing side job or gig or do I need to be focusing on getting the clinic hours and just getting into PT school? Thanks for your help. I hope to hear from you
Wes
Hi Wesley!
Thank you so much for your comment and kind words. I’m so happy you’re considering options outside of the clinic, even as a pre-PT. It’s so important to consider these things, because life happens, and even if you want to stay in the clinic long-term, that might not be possible.
Because you have a knack for writing and editing, you’ll definitely have some opportunities. I’d recommend starting early. If you do want to go into sports PT, start making connections as soon as possible and start publishing articles on sites whose topics resonate with your interests. NewGradPhysicalTherapy sometimes accepts posts from pre-PTs, but Pre-PT Grind itself might, too. You might also want to reach out to The Student Physical Therapist.
I’d also start your own blog. You can look at The Curly Clinician to get an idea of some things you can do to start making a name/brand for yourself starting today 🙂
Good luck and please keep in touch! Thanks again for reaching out.
Hey Meredith,
Thank you for the very informative article! I was curious if you are solely involved in writing or if you have any connections in the medical sales industry? Was hoping to get involved in this field but have no connections or contacts to help. Any advice or if you know someone I could contact would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks Again,
Brandon
Hi Brandon! Thank you so much for commenting. I’m glad the article was helpful 🙂 I will email you directly, as I do have some contacts in the sales industry. I’ll be in touch!
Thank you so much! I look forward to connecting and hearing from you
I have recently become interested in the possibility of some sort of consulting in regards to building/home planning or maybe even town planning to make things more accessible/walkable/ergonomically appropriate. My entire PT career has been in geriatrics (home health and SNF with experience in outpatient as well) and I feel like I have a lot to offer in this regard. I have been casually looking, but I honestly have NO idea where to even start. So, I feel like I am just sort of aimless at the moment. Any direction you can give would be appreciated. Thanks!
The largest part of my background is geriatrics (mostly SNF and Home health). I have recently become interested in Home/building design and even potentially city planning to make them more accessible/walkable/ergonomically efficient, but have no idea where to start. I think a PT would be perfect in this role. I have been casually researching it but feel pretty fruitless in my search. Any direction would be appreciated.
*i tried to post something similar earlier but it wouldn’t work, so if it double posted, I apologize.
Hi Milli! Thanks for your post. Please be on the lookout for a guest post soon…it’s by an OT who has started a home modification business 🙂 I do think that’s an excellent role for PTs and OTs, and am eager to see more of us going in that direction in the upcoming years. One thing to consider is how important it is to network with builders, contractors, and other development professionals. Maybe consider getting some business cards printed and attending a few meetups and networking groups, just to start getting your name out there! Keep in touch, and check back regularly for the guest post!
This is really educating, it’s a great Eye-opener. Thank you for writing this article.
Hi Meredith,
Thanks for writing this article, it’s just what I was looking for! I am a PT with tons of pediatrics experience. I’d like to transition to working from home now that I have a new baby. Even if i still need child care, I’d prefer to stay at home. Any ideas on how I can get started looking for UR jobs specifically for Peds where I can work from home?
Thanks for the comment, Carmen! That’s a very specific niche: peds and work-from-home. I know Cenpatico was hiring for that several years ago, but I don’t know if they’re still looking. I’m going to be releasing an article on UR soon, so I’ll be doing research on who’s hiring. Stay tuned!
I am currently a PTA going on 10 years in the field, and stumbled across your site looking for non clinical jobs. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!! you have no idea how desperately I have been trying to get out of the clinical side, and now you have given me hope.
Hi Bronwyn! Thank you for commenting, and welcome! There is so much you can do!! Stick around and ask any questions that pop up :).
Same here
Thank you so much for the great article I’m encouraged I’ve practiced PT for 11years n feeling the burn out also looking for ideas on non PT jobs
Hi Meredith!
Thank you so much for your work! You’re really inspiring!
I was struggling when I realised that the clinical side wasn’t for me…now I feel full of hopes again!
Greeting from Italy!
Hi Martino! Thank you so much for the comment and the kind words! I would love to learn more about what it’s like as a PT/physio in Italy! I’m glad you’re feeling inspired 🙂
Hi Meredith,
thank u so much for this great article.
just for query, are there any other options beside these?
Absolutely! These are just the most common ones, but there are TONS more!
Hi Laura! It really depends on the company. Most are still in their infancy, so it will be tough to find a really solid benefits package, but in a few years, I anticipate you’ll find much better options. The nice thing is you’re getting in on the ground floor when you start now…but that also means you’re not going to get the most stable setup with benefits, etc. Hope that helps! Thanks for commenting 🙂
Hello from Germany!
I am a licensed physical therapist in Nevada and currently practice in Leipzig Germany. I am licensed also her in Germany and would like to know which Telehealth companies you recommend. I am very interested in this career path. Any information would be appreciated as I have found nothing worth noting from Mr. Google.
Hi Ryan! Thank you so much for commenting. I don’t have much insight to any of the telehealth companies, other than Physera. I know the clinical program manager there, and the company has been growing quickly and hiring. They seem like a really great group! So, if I had to recommend one, it would probably be them! Keep me posted on your progress! That would be so great to treat NV patients remotely from Germany!
would love to find a way to use the past 20 years experience as a PTA in a non clinical setting …
Thanks, Leiba! There are definitely options for PTAs. Recruiting, sales/acct management, and education are just some of the options!
Hi,
Thanks for the article. It was really nice to read the article. Can you enlighten about some more options, as you said in one of the reply that there are many more. Especially I want to know about occupational health and safety. This area seems interesting but I don’t have any idea how to go about it. I will be thankful if you can help me out.
Hi Novina! Thanks for the nice words! I cover many more options in my course (nonclinical101.com), and as far as occupational health and safety go, you can certainly pursue those routes, but will likely need formalized health/safety training (OSHA courses, etc.) You can also consider home modifications, which would take you in more of an entrepreneurial direction. Reach out anytime with more questions!
great article, food for thought…
Just stumbled upon your article and it is very eye opening. I enjoy hands on work and thought PT would be the right choice for me, but it is not quite what I expected. Id like to get into contracting for home modifications for accessibility but dont know where to start. I think it would be the best of both worlds for me.
Hi Cirio! Thank you so much for your comment. I agree that PT is often not what we expect during school. Home modification is such a fun niche…feel free to check out this spotlight on Maria Lindbergh, an OT who went the home mods route 🙂
Hi there! I am very happy I found your article and website… very resourceful. I am a PT licensed in MI state but currently staying in TX. I am looking into non-clinical opportunities that I can do either remotely/ from home or onsite if available locally. Do you know of any established companies that do tele- PT?
I am also interested in clinical reviewing. Do you know any companies that allow you to work remotely?
Thank you very much.
Hi Malathi! Thank you so much for taking the time to comment, and for your kind words! You can find a list of telehealth companies in this article, and other companies that sometimes allow remote work (utilization review) include Anthem, Blue Cross, United Healthcare, EviCore, and Aetna. If you follow each website and check regularly for jobs, you should see many options popping up. Best of luck! Please let me know if you have questions 🙂
Hi Meredith!
Thank you so much for a fabulous article! You provide many great resources and ideas. I am. Pediatric PT with 20+ years of experience in multiple settings. I’d love to continue to diversify and stay relevant while sharing my knowledge with others. What do you feel are some untapped areas for someone like me? Please feel free to email me directly. I’d love to chat with you more!
Hi Lauri! There are so many areas for you to explore! I see a lot of job postings looking for people who have worked with kids with disabilities. The job titles vary widely, though, so it’s tough to say exactly which titles to pursue. Keep an eye on your favorite companies and set up job alerts so you can see what they have open. I hope this helps! I’ll send you a direct email, too 🙂
I was so happy to find this site today. I have been struggling with regret over my decision to become a PT and feeling like I need a change to a nonclinical role. Your information will be very helpful for me as I figure out my next steps! I am really interested in the utilization review pathway. Thank you for putting this out there!
Thank you for the kind words, Jennah! I have a big article on UR coming out next month, so stay tuned!!
Hi…thank you for the work you’re doing…I recently trained for a specialty area after burnout in home care and acute care over 20 years…but I am really not passionate about it. I feel very indebted to my facility for the training expenses (I’ve been in the same health care system since 1996 in all these capacities ), so anticipate giving it a real go for a couple of years but perhaps a side hustle is in order. As I go on in life I realize what I have always loved is just spending time with people. ..especially elderly..hearing their life stories and providing tlc. I need to find a way to make that onto a living 🙂
Hi Laura!
Thank you so much for commenting and sharing your perspective. I agree; that was always my favorite thing about patient care, too! As someone who has chosen not to have children, I often wonder who will listen to me prattle on as an older adult…hahaha…I am known as quite the “Chatty Cathy,” so I legitimately wonder those things :). I sometimes imagine there will be a new type of care coordinator/patient advocate that emerges over the years: someone who cares to hear our party-hearty stories from our youth, but can also help us with navigating the aging process in our broken healthcare system 🙂 I do see more and more rehab/clinical liaison and care coordination opportunities opening up; perhaps you’d make a good fit for one of those? Thanks again for the note! Best of luck with whatever you do!
Thank you for this website. I feel more at ease knowing I’m not the only one struggling with wanting to be a NON-clinical PT. Motherhood + a couple terrible bosses has made me completely disinterested in ever returning to the clinical setting….but I have so much school debt…Thankful to see resources for alternative jobs but still in the same field.
Again, thank you!
Hi Steph! Thank you so much for the nice comment! I’m thrilled that you find the site helpful 🙂 Keep in touch!
Love the article! As it turns out I presently work for ReWalk as a Business Development Manager and basically (without knowing it) went through the pathway you just described, from clinical and into the tech industry! I’ll say it is VERY competitive, and employers want to know you are willing to take a leap of faith from the 9-5 treating paradigm to a totally different career model.
That said, the journey has been amazing. I’ve quickly become in tuned with the world of medical technology and its utterly fascinating. Plus there is a rush I get when our robotics are utilized by that perfect person who reaps all the benefits from it. Lots to look forward to in the time ahead, and am grateful to see others who are looking to lateralize their clinical skillsets and applications. I’d love to chat more if there was ever interest!
Hi Zachary! Thank you so much for the comment, and yes…let’s connect 🙂 I would LOVE to feature you on the site sometime! Congrats on making the leap! Cheers!
Hi Zachary,
I was wondering if you were still working in this role and if there was any more you could tell me about it and how you got into the role.
Thanks
Nicky
Thankyou so much, it was really good nd got much new ideas abot non clinic job.
Thanks, Nikita! I appreciate your kind words!
Hi, Meredith. Great Article.
Just few questions.
With out doing a compliance course from the Medbridge on UR / CR is it still possible to get a job as an UR/CR with the insurance companies and also I mostly see those job openings for nurses. For going into tutoring is it necessary to have DPT? Since I am just a PT in TX state.
Thanks for the article once again.
Hi! Thank you so much for the kind words. You can definitely get a UR/CR role without the MB courses 🙂 And for tutoring, you don’t need a DPT, but it does depend what you want to teach, and in which setting. I hope this helps! Thanks again for the comment!
Meredith,
You may very well be a light in the darkness. 10+yrs as a physical therapist, experience across all settings, and a strong background in home care. I have the constant thought that 1) I’m being held back by the constraints of our (changing/failing?) healthcare system, and 2) I’m never going to be appropriately compensated for my clinical and interpersonal skills because therapy is not a performance based salary model. At the risk of sounding pompous, I know I am worth far more than the yearly 1-3% raises that we only SOMETIMES receive.
Hear me out, because I have a very important question at the end of this…
I had thoughts about being what you might consider a home safety consultant/educator. This service would offer falls/balance screenings (and recommend formal NSG/therapy services as appropriate), educate on fall risk reduction strategies, complete home safety evals and recommend modifications, and also provide education to caregivers and/or caregiver agencies regarding body mechanics, positioning, transfer techniques, use of assistive devices, etc.
Here is my question: Do you think there is a feasible way to market these services when there is such a strong overlap with the type of services an individual might receive from a formal PT evaluation?
Hi Mike!
Thank you for the kind words, and for taking the time to comment. Incidentally, lots of PTs score 3s on the enneagram test. That’s “the achiever.” No wonder so many get frustrated by the lack of growth and lack of performance-based incentives. Many people find that non-clinical roles offer the growth and upward mobility that they inherently crave.
I do think that a home safety consultant/universal design consultant/home modifications expert is a great role for both OTs and PTs. What you’re describing sounds like a blend of home health wellness and home modifications. Love the idea! A few considerations: are you going to be private pay or insurance-based? Are you planning to work with an existing corporation or be on your own. These answers can help you better assess how viable the idea is. You’re right. The overlap is the rub, because Medicare will not let us PTs charge cash to Medicare recipients for services that are already covered by Medicare. But I think it’s a wonderful thought, and really would love to see more people thinking this way!
I hope this helps! Reach out anytime with more questions. – Meredith
Hi Meredith,
This is such a great site and exactly the type of information that should be provided DURING therapy school. I’m curious if you could offer any advice in starting an online CEU business. More specifically, how do you obtain the content, and how do you actually get that content accredited for use towards CEUs in one or more states?
Hi Janelle!
Thank you so much for the kind words. I agree that this type of material should be taught during school! We are working to get a special interest group started in the APTA, so stay tuned for that! I am hoping AOTA and ASHA are open to something similar. If you’d like to start your own CEU business, you’ll want to check with each state in your profession to find out specific requirements for getting CEUs accepted. Each state varies, so it’s a process getting certification for each state. That said, it’s very possible. YOu’ll likely want to start with a single course on a platform like teachable, and apply to each state separately. There are probably other hosting platforms out there, but I know and use teachable. The hard part is applying through each state. It is possible, though, so I hope you go for it! The more unique CEU providers we have out there, the better! I hope this helps! Best of luck, and keep in touch!
I need to really say thank you to you – my father is a doctorate of rehabilitation sciences but had a stroke 10 years ago and has had an enormously hard time finding a job as a physical therapist because of it. Websites like this can hopefully allow him to get back on his feet and get some more control of his life. Thank you thank you thank you!
Hi Keith!
Thank you so much for the note and your kind words. I’m so sorry about what happened to your dad. Please let him know he can reach out to me directly anytime, and I’ll be happy to speak with him and help in any way I can. Thanks again for the note, and keep in touch!
i never wanted to be a pt but like an accident it happend for me to get in to that.now after graduation although my classmates are working and im sitting home how to get rid of this i found ur website and after reading your suggestion i think that might help me generate some idea.but i think ur suggested lines are still very close to use the physiotherapy which is not called career change.
Hi Mujeeb!
Thanks for your comment. Yes, I strive to cover career paths that are still well within the scope of what PTs (and OTs and SLPs and assistants) do, so we need minimal additional training (if any) to make the transition 🙂 Thanks again! Keep us posted on your journey! – Meredith
Hey Meredith! I must say, very thoughtful of you to come up with such an informative post. Glad to know that we as PTs are not only restricted to clinics. Looking forward to be a part of the Facebook group.
Hi Hetali!
Thank you so much for the kind words, and I am looking forward to having you in the community 🙂 Have a wonderful weekend!!
Hi Jan,
My name is Neena. I had done physical therapy from India and licensed there. But now I am in USA. My credentials all evaluated here in NY and all are equivalent here. But I have not taken a license examination. If I want to get a job with out my license ,what kind of jobs I can apply here. I am so sad that I have this physical therapy degree but do not know what else I can work with or apply for. Your explanations and answers to all others were really good and leading. Please give me also any idea. thank you so much
Hi Neena! Thanks for your comment. You have several options: sales, recruiting, and content development/marketing are all areas that don’t require an active PT license to get started. Within each of those fields, there are plenty of types of roles you could fill. I hope this helps! Thanks again for your comment, and keep in touch!
Just wanted to let you know the teaching thing isn’t nearly as easy as you make it sound. You mush and at least your DPT and then you will be making much less than in the clinic and much less than tenure track faculty with a PhD. As for community colleagues…one would think the PT degree would be enough…but you also need a masters degree in whatever you’ll be teaching (a and p, biomechanics, etc.) our shortage of PTs is going wi worsen in part because were lacking staff! Crazy hamster wheel
Hi Lori!
Thank you so much for weighing in. Our profession is certainly in interesting times! I have noticed some trends following clinical work into the education world: hiring adjuncts instead of full-time professors and paying them less (equivalent to hiring PRNs instead of FT-clinicians). I’m curious where you live! I’m in Southern California, and there’s a pretty saturated market here, but I know there are still major shortages in other parts of the country. Thanks again for your insight! – Meredith
Great article!!! Having been a PT for over 30 years in various settings (home-care the longest) , I have become so bored with it. Definitely looking for non clinical positions. What interests me is the research portions or even telehealth . I am going to check it out. Good look with your writings.
Hi Pearl! Thank you so much for the kind words. With 30 years of experience, you would be a great asset in the telehealth world…research, too! Please keep me posted on your journey, and best of luck!
I was interested in your article because I have been a PTA for 25 years and would like to make a change. I don’t seem to have as much patients as I use to and it weighs on me at times. I hesitate to change because I can’t afford to take a big loss financially. I enjoy working with my hands and would like to find a field that I can bridge with physical therapy. It is nice to know that other people feel the same as I do.
Thanks for your comment, Terry! You’re certainly not alone. There are so many options for you! Please keep in touch!
Hi Terry,
I’m reading this March 19th, 2020. I’ve got 26 years in and am SO READY to make a change, but our education and experience don’t cross over into much. I’m curious to know if you’ve found some other path, and what it might be. I don’t even care if I do something PT-related or not at this point! 🙂
I’d like to find out more? I’d love to find out some additional information.
This article is a breath of fresh air. I graduated PT school in 2017 and just didn’t have the same love for the profession that I thought I would have. I’m just not invested, as much as would love to be, in the profession. I don’t have a license so all I have is my doctorate, DPT. I’ve been thinking about doing some teaching– as I always loved tutoring students in my PT program. I’ll have to look into some of these options, thank you. However, with teaching at a university level, wouldn’t you need more experience with teaching to be able to do that or have some sort of certification?
Hi Mackenzie! Thank you so much for the kind words. I understand your feelings, too! As far as teaching goes, you might want to look into teaching at the community college level. In order to teach at the university or DPT level, you’ll probably need additional credentials (including the PT license), but a community college might not have the same requirements. Each state has its own rules and regulations for teachers (sound familiar? lol!), so you’ll want to take a look at your state’s requirements to see what will work best for you. Best of luck and please reach out anytime! – Meredith
Anytime I encounter someone who wants to be a physical therapist, I try my very best to talk them out of it. It’s a shame that we are bright people who work so hard to get into a program only to find out that there isn’t much at all in the way of upward mobility or pay or variety. I realized that during my first internship. So I went back to business school, which opened up a lot more doors for me. I don’t know why other fields don’t give clinicians more of a chance because we are obviously intelligent and driven. We have many transferable skills, but in my experience if you want to get out of healthcare completely, you need to ramp up your computer and finance skills. Yes, there is always sales, but smart people like variety, and sales doesn’t provide anymore variety than PT does.
I just added to my last post but somehow it got deleted so here is a brief summary…. If you don’t mind working weekends look into working for a new homebuilder like Lennar, Pulte , Toll Brothers, etc. You would start off as a sales associate which pays OK but when you become a sales manager you can make pretty good money. You can throw away the scrubs and put on your cute outfits! Builders are just looking for great people who are friendly and conscientious. So spin your resume to UN-highlight your clinical skills, and Highlight your marketing and sales skills. After all, our patients are buying “us”… And we have to meet quotas for our companies, so you’ve already BEEN selling! :). I know you can get hired in this field… If you have questions on how to tailor your resume feel free to reach out to me. Good luck!
Hey Leslie! Thank you so much for this comment! I love your insight and offer to help others 🙂 Cheers!
Hi Meredith,
I really appreciate finding your article as I make my transition into a non-clinical role. I am coming upon my 10 year mark this November as a full-time clinical based PT. I have worked in a variety of settings, including in an outpatient setting with adults (primarily ortho), in an acute care large urban hospital, in a SNF inpatient rehab facility, and in home health care. Some of them through a stint of a couple years in travel PT/contract jobs. I have gradually gravitated toward more neuro and pediatric interests. I am now working in an outpatient pediatric clinic and I do find that out of all my previous clinical jobs I enjoy this one clinically the most. It is slower paced (in terms of one child per hour one on one) and thorough which I like. I actually find I mostly burn out of the documentation aspect of the job (severely burn out from it though, as my brain just shuts off and I cannot get it done on time the more days of it in a given week I have to do it!). I also get bored by the lack of variety and upward mobility throughout the career. My brain desperately craves novelty, variety and innovative/creative type pursuits.
Even though I tend to be very good with patient interactions, I also often find I need “Off times” away from people to harness this other side of my brain power if that makes sense, so I am also considering more behind the scenes type roles, such as remote working options or just less direct people roles. My hope is actually to retain about a 50% clinical role and a 50% non-clinical role long term ideally but I also like the idea of having the non-clinical side as a potential full-time role in the future should I have difficulty physically or availability wise of doing the specific type of niche clinical job I prefer part-time. Do you have any input for someone seeking that type of future in PT – not fully transitioning out of clinical care but diversifying and adding more variety into the career? I find I am either mostly drawn to something that allows me to use my creative, innovative side working on different projects with less redundancy as is present in clinical care. I have considered possibly research roles, or rehab engineering project type roles potentially. Alternatively I may prefer to have the flexibility to cultivate my own second role with more remote work such as involvement in a writing role, a consulting side business potentially etc. Basically I do have the most trouble narrowing down my options but know what I do not prefer if that makes sense. Any advice is greatly appreciated (feel free to email me directly)!
Hi Megan! Thank you so much for your comment. I will email you directly for simplicity 🙂 Meredith
Hi, I am a 55 year old PT with a Masters and have several injuries now which have limited my ability to work. I am currently PRN at an acute care hospital and keep reinjuring myself.(also the PRN rate has not changed in more than 10 years there). My original plan was to stay in my specialty field which was wound care but it has become impossible to find a place that will hire a PT. All they want are nurses. Because of that I let my wound cert go. It is no sense paying for something I can’t use. I am restricted in my search area due to my husbands job. I have read through your article but still have no idea what I can do. I don’t seem to be a good fit for any of them. HELP. Is there anyone I can talk to that you know of???
Thanks
Hi Brenda!
Thanks for the comment. I’m sorry that you keep getting injured on the job. It’s a tough setting, and it adds insult to injury when you don’t see an increase in the PRN rate in over a decade…jeez. I would recommend taking my free course (you can find it on the front page of my website) and exploring the spotlight series (https://thenonclinicalpt.com/category/non-clinical-spotlights/) to see if anything specifically appeals to you. You don’t have to have all the training and experience, but if you know what you want to do, it can serve as a “north star” to guide you in what certs and experience you DO need to get where you want. Hope this helps, and please keep me posted on your journey!!! Oh, one more thing, I have seen many roles for CWS PTs, but many do involve travel (think clinical educators/trainers). Food for thought 🙂
Hi, my name is Sunny Gil. I’m currently in PT school. Before I started PT program, I wasn’t informed or even have interested in finding non-clinical PT opportunities and I didn’t even think that there are any. I honestly was little worried that what if I don’t want to do any if patient care after I worked several years as a PT. However, after I read your through your article, it was such an eye opener and I’m so glad I have found you here. I still have much to go but this is a great resource for my future career. Thank you for such helpful article and great resource 😊
Hi Sunny! Thank you so much for taking the time to comment and share your experience. I know what you mean! I had a feeling I might not be cut out for long-term patient care as early as PT school! You’re in a good spot b/c you can start building your non-clinical skills and breadth as early as possible 🙂 It makes the transition out much easier. Keep in touch!!
Thank you for this. Although it applies to you Stateside and we don’t have the exact same jobs in the U.K. due to how our healthcare system works, it was a great read and made me consider what some other options might be for me. I’ve decided to actually go back to uni & specialise in Public Health as that way I can still use my knowledge and experience from the last decade as a PT and apply it in a different way in a Public Health role.
I’m definitely feeling inspired by your articles and your site and may start researching options in the U.K. a bit more to give that advice to others and make recommendations. This is a great resource!
Thanks again for the inspiration! 🙂
Hi Gem!
Thank you so much for your comment! I am so excited to hear that you’re going to study public health! What a great focus, especially given how timely it is right now! I am going to feature a public health PT on my spotlight series soon, so keep an eye out 🙂 Thanks again, and best of luck! Please keep us all posted on where you go in your career!
Merideth,
I was thrilled to find your website and have spent at least a couple of hours on it! I am a pediatric (and aquatic) PT with 40+ years of experience, now doing telehealth EI, with a recent 2nd MS in Disability Studies. I have been looking to do something that combines the 2 fields and less direct care, and this has given me some ideas. Was wondering if you have more specific advice for “seasoned” therapists beyond this? Doing a lot of networking and LinkedIn tweaking! Thanks so much!
Hi Faye!
I’m so glad you’re finding the website helpful, and congrats on such a long and really cool career! I think you’re smart to do telehealth EI, and I could see you building your own consultative practice, given your extensive experience in peds and disability studies. It really depends on your “why” for the remainder of your professional career, and how you want to spend your time! I’m excited for you! Definitely lots of networking, research, and informational interviews will be helpful to help you hone in on what to do next 🙂 Keep me posted! – Meredith
Hi Meredith,
Thank you so much for this information! I has seriously given me hope. If possible, could you direct me on how to reach out to PTs in the utilization review world because this greatly interests me. I am extremely unhappy in my current clinical world and am desperate to find other options. Any help you can provide would be highly appreciated. Thank you again for everything!
Hey Quinn! Thanks for the nice words. I’d recommend making connections on LinkedIn and asking for informational interviews. Also, this article might help you learn more about the world of UR/UM: https://thenonclinicalpt.com/utilization-review/ It’s a pretty competitive field right now, but the roles are out there! Best of luck!!! Meredith 🙂
Hi Meredith,
You have created a very useful platform for PT professionals who are looking for guidance on alternative career paths. It is a great resource! I am in the same phase and as I write to you, I have got PT license exam prep books next to me, to prepare for the license exam in Canada (I am not still thinking whether I should write the exam).
Due to my unsteady health condition, I became 100% sure that clinical PT job is not right for me in the long run. Do you think PT’s could get hired into a non-clinical PT role (content writing, for example) without a PT license? Which non clinical PT jobs would need a license?
I look forward to your thoughts. Thank you!
Hi Pal!
I’m so sorry about your health struggles. Yes, you can definitely land certain roles without a PT license. Sales, writing, account management, and writing are just a start. There are tons of other options, but too many to list! I’d start with exploring those. Good luck!!!
After 21 years as a PT who has worked in all adult settings I am ready to transition to non clinical, preferably WFH position. Loved being a PT clinician but I know I am done! We therapists are overall a cheerful, compassionate, intuitive, efficient, clever, and Hard Working breed and many businesses would be lucky to have us. Wishing you all the best in your pursuits for a satisfying non clinical position.
Hi Lisa!
I 100% agree with you. PTs have so many wonderful attributes that aren’t always appreciated in the clinical world anymore. The fact that you can identify these soft skills, combined with your experience, will set you up for success when you transition out of patient care. CHeers to your future!
What about the possibility for public health?
Hi Kristen! Yep, public health is a fantastic option for PTs who want a change. We cover it in Non-Clinical 101 🙂
Hi, Meredith.
I am from California. I am a licensed PTA and PT from Newyork state. I am a licensed PTA from California with 3 years of experience. 1 year in outpatient, 2 years in SNF. I want to come out from direct patient care. I want to try something like Management role/ Auditing documentation/ UR reviewer/ PT billing and coding. This are the only names I know as per my knowledge but I would really appreciate your recommendation to find opportunities in sanjose, CA. I am unable to figure out what is the right course? How can I start? Where can I start? What are the career opportunities? My basic need is desk job/no more labor work. Can you please guide me through?
Thank You.
Hello! You can learn more about utilization review jobs in this article 🙂 https://thenonclinicalpt.com/utilization-review/