Hospital or private practice?

Hi there,

I hope to get some opinions from fellow physio's around the globe as I have been wondering about the next step in my career. In the end, I know, the decision is mine but I'd like to know why you actually ended up in the field where you are currently working.

I have been a physio for about 7 years now, I was trained in Germany and the Netherlands and have worked in Germany, NZ and Australia. During my career, I had the chance of working in different settings (mostly private practice, but also inpatient rehab, orthopaedics and general hospital work). At the moment, I work in Germany, but plan to return to Australia this year.

The thing is, I am a bit undecided where to settle professionally: Private practice or hospital? In the end, I know, the decision is up to me but I'd love to have your input.

I tried to think of pro's and con's of both settings:

Private practice pro's:
- Interesting clientele (e.g. sports injuries), usually more motivated than "hospital patients"
- Varied caseload (from children to older people, all sorts of musculoskeletal problems)
- Potential for earning a bit more

Private practice con's:
- More stress (frequent 20 minutes consultations, no extra time given for e.g. note writing, letters/calls to doctors etc)
- no/less interdisciplinary exchange, more isolated
- tiring for your hands sometimes (if you do a lot of manual therapy/soft tissue work)

Hospital pro's:
- less stressful, more time allocated for team meetings, inservices, documentation etc.
- working within a multidisciplinary team

Hospital con's:
- you might only work in one area, less variety (unless you work in small rural hospitals where you might be doing mixed work)
- sometimes the work is a bit boring/mundane (depending where you work of course, but often - I'm exagerrating a bit - you just walk people...)

So, my question is: Why do you work where you work? Which aspects of your work do you like? Would you consider a change - and if yes, for which reasons?
I am quite curious to hear your opinions!

Melanie

hi, Melanie:
I also have this feeling sometimes. I am just a recent graduate, but I graduated at age of 36, so I guess I have to choose my career more carefully than younger colleages.
For me, the hospital job is like a "job", a good "job" more or less: secured income, benefits, or maybe able to have career pathway of going to manager level...On the other hand, private practice is more like a "career", an unpredictable career, there is so much to learn ahead of you. Challenges, joy, or frustration...and chance being your own boss!
I have been working at private practice since I grudated, and I will continue working at private setting. that is where my passion is.
Good luck for finding your choice.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by physiogirl76

Hi there,

I hope to get some opinions from fellow physio's around the globe as I have been wondering about the next step in my career. In the end, I know, the decision is mine but I'd like to know why you actually ended up in the field where you are currently working.

I have been a physio for about 7 years now, I was trained in Germany and the Netherlands and have worked in Germany, NZ and Australia. During my career, I had the chance of working in different settings (mostly private practice, but also inpatient rehab, orthopaedics and general hospital work). At the moment, I work in Germany, but plan to return to Australia this year.

The thing is, I am a bit undecided where to settle professionally: Private practice or hospital? In the end, I know, the decision is up to me but I'd love to have your input.

I tried to think of pro's and con's of both settings:

Private practice pro's:
- Interesting clientele (e.g. sports injuries), usually more motivated than "hospital patients"
- Varied caseload (from children to older people, all sorts of musculoskeletal problems)
- Potential for earning a bit more

Private practice con's:
- More stress (frequent 20 minutes consultations, no extra time given for e.g. note writing, letters/calls to doctors etc)
- no/less interdisciplinary exchange, more isolated
- tiring for your hands sometimes (if you do a lot of manual therapy/soft tissue work)

Hospital pro's:
- less stressful, more time allocated for team meetings, inservices, documentation etc.
- working within a multidisciplinary team

Hospital con's:
- you might only work in one area, less variety (unless you work in small rural hospitals where you might be doing mixed work)
- sometimes the work is a bit boring/mundane (depending where you work of course, but often - I'm exagerrating a bit - you just walk people...)

So, my question is: Why do you work where you work? Which aspects of your work do you like? Would you consider a change - and if yes, for which reasons?
I am quite curious to hear your opinions!

Melanie

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Hi Melanie,
here's a different thought:
Community

I think it incorporates the best of both worlds.:o
regards,
Fyzzio

All good questions, and like you said - you are the one that has to decide. I found it useful to work back from the end. Decide where you want to be in 10 -15 years and fill in the gaps to figure out how you will get there. I have worked both in public (hospital) which included inpatient, outpatient, and community settings and then moved to private. Now with a good plate of experience in many areas, I am working in Saudi Arabia for an oil company. The only drawback to working in many different areas (some would say) is that you end up a 'Jack of all trades, master of none'

You have to determine where you want to go with your career or you will just end up floating around - but thats not a bad thing if you are happy to cruise and see where the wind takes you!

Nice question...i am currently working at a hospital setting. But at the back of my head, I am hoping to have a private practice in my house downstairs when i reach my yearning years. Now, it's better to be at the hospital and get as much experience as possible especially the business/marketing and organizational side of things. I am afraid of what physio in the sand said "jack of all trades, master of none", nobody likes to be called like that. It's just me...you will still decide on your own. You have your own circumstances that only you can discern like personal and family thing that will affect your decisions.

Hello Melanie.
My Name is Juana, I'm from Colombia, my situation it's very different int his moment!. (Actually I'm so far away!) But, I can tell you something about the physio There.

There are a new system's health, the idea in the beginning was good: life and wellness for every one. But in the really life; it's just business unfortunately.

I worked in a Hospital for a few years, was very nice: people, new cases, time for study, documents, search, feedback, also you have to use your creativity in this job!

After, I worked in a private company, and they gave me just 20 - 30min for each person, even when they need more time (as a neurological patients). So didn't enjoy this time in my life. But it's an experience.

Now, what would you like for yourself?, What are your expectations. You can get experience, save money in the private company and after you can change, as you like. In both cases you will get what you need, but just stop for a moment and think about you, your life.

All the best Melanie. Good luck!

But, if i have given a chance, I want to own a hospital. That way, I can have both two things, a hospital job and a private practice, all at the same time. Just dream big dreams.

Thanks for all your answers, it was interesting to get some input.
Personally, I tend towards working in private practice - in the long run, it just offers so much more flexibility and variety.
Also, community / mobile physio services is an area which sounds quite interesting.
Looking back, I probably got more personal and professional satisfaction when I was working in private practice - more autonomy, better/closer relationships with patients and co-workers and less politics;).
Thanks again!
Melanie

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Fyzzio

Hi Melanie,
here's a different thought:
Community

I think it incorporates the best of both worlds.:o
regards,
Fyzzio

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Yuck, worst of all worlds for me. Im currently working in private practice and for me the worst thing about it is the lack of exposure to other therapists. Especially as i graduated relatively recently, i think you have to be twice as on the ball with your reading etc to keep developing when i only have training with other therapists once weekly, as opposed to the constant discussion and advice you can get working in a large team in a hospital

... you might have overlooked that Melanie is 7 years post-graduate.

At that stage you are a "fully grown" Physio and very capable of looking after yourself. :o

Contrary to you, I have never worked so close in a team as in Community. Maybe it is due to the need of personal contact which the "forced" isolation causes. But I talk more and in more depth to my colleagues (including colleagues from other disciplines) than I ever did in hospital with 20 other Physios and a huge MDT around.

Regards,
Fyzzio