Advice for Career Change - Physiotherapist

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  Skellysgirl on 03/01/2016 - 23:02

  How about working somewhere donating your skills, in a non first world country? It might make you see the skill you have in a different light.

  Sometimes we tire and its easy to lose the passion, using your skill for more than money might give you fulfilment.

  • 

    zrach on 04/01/2016 - 12:03

    +1

    I agree with this.
    I don't know about you but there is a stark difference between helping people who expect you to because they're paying for it AND helping people who absolutely need you and are genuinely appreciative of your assistance.

    You may not even need to go to a non first world country to find this

    • 

      lane8 on 04/01/2016 - 15:30

      Thanks guys, I'll keep this in mind.

      • 

        [Deactivated] on 04/01/2016 - 19:51

        http://ywam.org.au/
        Have a holiday AND help others . It's Awesome!

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  jcheah12 on 04/01/2016 - 02:04

  1. Why dont you want to stay in this career path?

  Write down a table of Cons vs Pros and weigh up whether it is worth continuing being a physio

  On a side note, you can pursue your passion in your own business and music whilst being a physio - manage yourself and dont limit yourself

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  OzzyB on 04/01/2016 - 02:40

  +3

  That is a question only you can answer.

  If there is something you are passionate about, then by all means pursue the dream. You are still young and have plenty of time ahead of you. Success is more often the product of hard work and perseverance, which is slightly easier when you love what you do.

  However, if you don't actually have a vision of what you want to do or achieve, you could very easily fall into the trap of trying something out and then deciding after another few years that it wasn't what you had envisioned and be back in the same position. If you have some avenues of interest, why not start pursuing them while continuing your day job, or perhaps work part time to fund your alternative career (be it study, writing a business plan, research, networking, etc.)

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  imissbeans on 04/01/2016 - 09:25

  The great thing about being a physiotherapist is that you will always be a physiotherapist even if you take a break from the profession. Make sure you maintain your registration and even if you don't return to clinical physiotherapy you could still return to an industry that values your background such as workplace rehabilitation. You could undertake an MBA and I know many physiotherapists who have chosen this path. They would prefer to work in management or own their own business than work in clinical physiotherapy. Further studies will help give you options with your career choice. Many physiotherapists take a break from the clinical work as you can burn out from seeing patients day in and day out. There are so many opportunities for you as a physiotherapist so stay positive as there are many people who want to become a physiotherapist yet don't have the marks to get into such a competitive course or have the ability to complete such a challenging degree. Be proud to be a physiotherapist and be okay that you might want to take a break, you can decide how long that break is and its never too late to return to a physiotherapy related industry in the future. Good luck.

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  Mumbles on 04/01/2016 - 09:51

  +2

  Who better to ask then strangers on the internet with major life decisions?

  Everybody is different. Finding out what jobs are perfect for other people won't lead you to finding the perfect job for you.

  In terms of finding a job that is both satisfying and one that you can apply for I recommend reading the book "What color is your parachute". Its a popular career/job hunting book which is available in bookshops and public libraries.

  I envy people who wake up and are passionate and love their job but then there's the side of me who just thinks that I'm making a big deal of this first world problem.

  Hmmm. Perhaps start by having conversations with the people you "envy". Ask them questions to find out what gets them out of bed. What things do they like about their job? What things do they like about their life? You might find new things to like about your job. Eg. "I am sadistic and I love hearing people scream".

  You mentioned the word "dreams". Much of first world problems is expectations. Most people of similar age are wide eyed with dreams, goals, aspirations, energy, drive. The perspective issue is much harder to fix. That's trying to undo 24 years of faulty programming.

  If truly a first world problem then consider putting your energy to use by improving the lives in the third world. There are plenty of social justice issues. Within Australia there are groups like GetUp!, Amnesty International, Australians Against Racism, etc.

  Dealing with perspective is hard. The quickest way to change is introspection. Start by asking why do you think you "envy" the persons you mentioned. From an external perspective you can study your environment such as the people and ideas that influence you (eg. role models, family, friends, first world cultures, sociology, marketing…).

  I'm a pragmatist so my last bits of advice:
  1) Remain in your job whilst you are considering all options.
  2) Every job is noble so get as much job satisfaction out of the one you're in.
  3) You can both work in a job AND run a business AND pursue a music career AND fight social injustice. Its not one or the other. This is genuinely a privilege for the first world.

  • 

    lane8 on 04/01/2016 - 15:32

    Thanks for the suggestions. I think I'll drop to part time and invest into my interests and see where that gets me.

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  azshade on 04/01/2016 - 10:28

  +1

  I started out doing a nursing degree. Finished about 2 years of the 3 year degree before I had mental health issues. At the time I was also working as a student nurse. My health issues took a few years to fix up, and after that I decided I didn't want to return to the health sector at all. I couldn't be there for patients and myself at the same time.

  So I re-enrolled in a combined physics/engineering degree. I've always been a physics geek, so I loved that. I also started working for an engineering company.

  Then I got diagnosed with a terminal brain cancer. My life expectancy is <5 years. As for HECS, I'll have to pay a large chunk of it back out of my life insurance payout I'm going to get (which is also going to have 31k in tax taken out as well). I'll be dead before I'm 40.

  ---

  Yeah I know it sucks and blah blah. Look, I'm not telling you this to whine. I'm telling you all this because life throws big giant boulders at you and you can't plan for it all.

  In hindsight, it was STILL the right decision to change degrees and not finish my nursing degree - because nursing was depressing me. In hindsight, I love physics so at least I started that. And in hindsight, a giant HECS bill with zero to show for it sucks, but I've also got no family (no wife/kids) so a HECS debt is as good as anything to throw my money at.

  My point is, follow your instinct and what makes you happy. You can't live life depressed and hating what you do day in day out. If this means going back to university do it. If it means volunteering do that. If it means sucking it up, working as a physio and then blowing off steam at a bar after work, do that. Whatever works for you to make your life (and those around you) happy and healthy.

  Because you have no idea what's around the corner. Trust me on that, you can't plan for everything.

  • 

    azshade on 04/01/2016 - 10:35

    PS.

    Have you considered working as an exercise physiotherapist? I see one each week who loves his work, his business and has a true passion for his job. Instead of being in a hospital, he's taking people of mixed ability (from the quite fit to the quite disabled) on exercise routines and works next to the beach every day. That's got to be pretty good job satisfaction.

  • 

    rgr on 04/01/2016 - 10:44

    "Then I got diagnosed with a terminal brain cancer. My life expectancy is <5 years. "

    Shit, that's horrible :( I hope it's more than that.

    • 

      azshade on 04/01/2016 - 13:03

      +1

      Nope. It was 2-5 but that was 12 months ago, so now it'd be 1-4 I guess. There's no crystal ball on this stuff so, it's all just statistical averages. The key number stat is the 5 year survival rate for malignant BTs is ~15-20%. IE, 4 out of 5 people diagnosed won't live for 5 years. But that's my crybaby story and we're here for OP.

      ---

      As I said my point was, obviously I'm an extreme case, but life throws stuff in your face. You could end up meeting a lovely person and having a child, or you might need to look after a sick relative, or you might find yourself wanting to move to a new place. Who knows.

      The point is that to maximize the time you have. We've all got a terminal, fixed, finite timeline. If you can take advice from someone that has a short timeline, it's to make the most of your own. What's that Robin Williams movie phrase? Carpe Diem? Seize the Day. Always be working towards improving your life and happiness, however you interpret that.

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  atris17 on 04/01/2016 - 11:07

  I was a Pharmacy Student for 3 years and jumped ship to Accounting.

  I enjoy the Healthcare career while I was working as an intern, but I wasn't doing too well in my grade. Plus it hard to find a job in pharmacy.

  Did accounting, work for some tax practice and now I am working with my sisters in the Dental Industry as a practice manager and love the business component.

  If entrepreneurship is your thing, than stick to Physio for a while and then start a practice. Accounting, Finance, HR, Customer Relation, IT are all interesting components to learn. You might end up starting a totally new business with what u learn in running a business/

  The future feel secure, but it is yet to be determine.

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  shaybisc on 04/01/2016 - 11:26

  At what stage of a physiotherapy degree do you start doing actual physiotherapy type stuff? It seems like something you would very quickly realise that you didn't like. Thus it seems odd to me, who knows absolutely nothing about physiotherapy, that you could finish the degree then realise you didn't fancy it.

  • 

    FirstNameLastName on 04/01/2016 - 19:41

    I have a friend who started physio at uni but quit within a couple of months when she realised she didn't like touching people. Now she's a scientist. :)

    I help train physio students and I must say i have a lot of respect for them. It's hard on your body. Patients can be quite ungrateful/unhelpful.. And it can be repetitive. It sounds like the Op isn't being challenged.. During studies there are heaps of challenges but in the real world maybe it's just the same thing every day.. Which is why the op is considering starting a business? [edit; i didn't neg u btw]

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  SlickMick on 04/01/2016 - 23:46

  I don't believe a skill like that is waited. Your future spouse will appreciate it :)

  If you want to run your own business, couldn't you do physio??

  Maybe working for a sports club rather than clinic or whatever you didn't like would be more suitable??

  Perhaps the music thing should be a hobby. If you hate your day job enough, you'll enjoy your evenings and weekends more :)

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  systema on 09/01/2016 - 17:01

  It sounds like you are experiencing a burn-out, which is quite common for Allied Health Professionals a few years into their practice. I would suggest you to take a break and give yourself some space to recover from it. Some suggestions mentioned before like working as a volunteer overseas, etc, may also help you to rediscover why you wanted to be a PT in the first place.

  Regarding career options, rehab consultant with WorkCover or DVA can be some options - you can still tap into your skillset and knowledge base but you won't be doing any frontline physiotherapy work. Desk job, but you will learn more case management skills and potentially would help you to build network as well for future endeavours.

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  lolol on 09/05/2017 - 12:28

  Mate, I am in exactly the same boat, graduated in 2013 and really don't enjoy the profession. I am wondering what path you went down just out of curiosity?