Physiotherapy versus Medicine as a Career

[hacker]

Hi
I've just discovered this forum in researching more about physio as a career.

Just wondering how physio's think their career as a physio compares with a career in medicine? Also, how does the physio course compare with a medical course? How many physio's leave to study medicine and what motivates them to do this? Is their always a frustration of not being able to 'do' as much as doctors or have the same level of responsibility?

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[gcoe]

I have been a physio for 29 years and it is a great profession! I never wanted to be a Dr so no inferiority complex there. It depends what you want to achieve - if you are comfortable dealing with serious disease and can cope with the responsibility of putting your patients at serious risk from time to time, can cope with patients dying while on your call, find drug prescription and possibly conducting surgery then medicine may be for you. But dishing out drugs and cutting people up never interested to me - don't get me wrong I am not anti medicine. quite the opposite. I have worked alongside Drs for all my career and have huge respect for what they do. Just a case of not my thing.

In contrast physiotherapy is a healthy profession and precise physical assessment, hands on contact, exercise and education are what it is about. Some physios are drawn to the sports world where physio offers invaluable support. Others are interested in doing what we can to limit disability and rehabilitation is very rewarding. some areas of practice are:

sports physiotherapy
Musculoskeletal physiotherapy
cardiopulmonary physiotherapy
neurological physiotherapy
physiotherapy for the older adult
paediatric physio
occupational health and ergonomics
research
teaching physiotherapy

...and there are many other options. so no shortage of opportunities

The biggest downside I see with being a physio is the money - or lack of it. Compared to taking on a commercial career for instance, the money is not great. That doesn't mean you can't make money but this is not easy these days. So one does it because it is a real vocation. However that applies to most health practice careers.

One other thing worth mentioning is the importance of being a good communicator and enjoying dealing with a large variety of people. Again this is essential for all health practitioners - may be not pathologists - but everyone else yes. You generally are working in a team environment.

Physios enjoy a high level of autonomy these days - some places more than others but gone are the days where we were servants to Drs. A lot of counties in the world you don't need referrals from drs and that has been a good thing although greatly has increased our responsibility

[yelufem]

For me both professions are great in their own class.It all depends on what u want to enjoy doing for the rest of your life.Medicine been much older profession has built knowledge base around human pathology at molecular level and interprete dx thru abnormal molecular behaviour.Physio on the other hand establish knowledge looking into pathology of function called pathokinesiology and interprete dx thru dysfunction of human body precipetated by abnormal tissue behaviour.While medicine could be said to sustain life ,physio bring motion to such life.So both are interdepended.A surgeon skillful job cannot be appreciated in most cases without the rehab acumen of a physio.
Physio offers a wonderful life style and great reward both in cash and kind depending on how u want it.Physio a proffession confirmed to be among the first 5 most satisfying job in US has made a mark in relivance in modern world.
Physiotherapy has propelled me to an attainment in short time that wouldn't have been possible given other profession.yelufem

[bobo]

If you want to be the one doing your best to save someones life then medicine, if you want to be the one doing your best to enhance someones life then physio. Thats not saying doctors dont enhance peoples life, its just a general statement to highlight that the physios speciality is enhancing physical symptoms while the doctors is enhancing medical symptoms.

For example on a stroke ward, a doctor will provide the necessary medicines etc to give the person the best chance of survival/recovery but the physio will be the one who works with them to try and get them walking again. It really depends on you. When push comes to shove, a doctor is still the top dog in the MDT (multidisciplinary team) but it depends on what you get a buzz out of.

[Sole Man]

For example on a stroke ward, a doctor will provide the necessary medicines etc to give the person the best chance of survival/recovery but the physio will be the one who works with them to try and get them walking again.

That's probably the best brief description of the value of a physio I've ever read.