By: Jasmine Thorsteinson (MPT, BKin)
New skills? Check. Master’s Degree? Check. Mentor? Check. Motivated? Check. New
career…? Real world: Am I ready? The answer: without a doubt, YES!
Background
I graduated with a Kinesiology degree in 2013 and achieved my Masters of Physical Therapy in 2015 from the University of Manitoba. Coming from a family of business owners, I knew I wanted to open my own Physiotherapy business someday. I took the business course during the MPT program to gain insight into opening a private practice. This gave me the business basics and an idea of the effort required in order to achieve my goals. This in combination with many supports and resources led me to where I am today. I currently treat in a private clinic (as Thor Physiotherapy) 3-5 times per week treating both private orthopedic patients and post op knee rehab patients, in facility that did not offer these services until recently. Five days per week I work as a physiotherapy consultant running and developing chronic disease programs. I also have the ability to treat out of my home as I see fit. For me, this is the best of both worlds, and keeps me on my toes tapping into all aspects of our scope of practice. As per postgraduate development, I pursued acupuncture as an asset in private therapy, took a myofascial release course, have begun volunteering on a CPM committee, and have been mentoring students since 2015. I am pursuing dry needling this year. The secret is out; I love what I do but how did I get here 3 years into my career? I will tell you a few tips as to my success thus far, however I assure you that I am still new, still learning, and not even close to being done pursuing opportunities in the field of Physiotherapy. In 2015, I began working at a private practice evenings and weekends as a typical new grad would. This lasted for about 4 months while working part time at as a physiotherapy consultant.
Due to my shifts, I found that I did not have a ton of access to mentorship while at work, however I stayed in touch with my mentor over phone calls and texts when looking for guidance. I began to wonder, what is the difference between this and running my own practice? I soon gained the chance to work full-time as a consultant and did not turn down the opportunity to have steady income however continued to have sights set on further business prospects. In October 2015 I was providing consults to patients but unable to offer private treatment follow-ups to members of our Centre. I met with my colleague, and we agreed to pursue the opportunity of opening a clinic within our current workspace to see what could come of it. We met with our management and CEO; developed a business plan, competitive analysis, negotiated contacts, etc. After 11 months of deliberation, we opened the clinic in August of 2016. In October 2017, the WRHA announced closure of outpatient physiotherapy services. We noted the gap in health care for post op patients and immediately met with management to develop and provide post op rehab to knee patients. Our TKR program opened in November 2017 with our post op hip rehab program set to begin in May 2018. After three years of developing my career path, here are my 4 tips to creating business opportunity in physiotherapy or within an existing business:
1. Be confident, not cocky.
• As a new grad we tend to question our abilities knowing that we do not have 10-20 years of experience under our belt. I urge you to reconsider. Be confident in your abilities, you have learned and applied many new skills and know much more about your field than your patients. Deliver, provide the best care possible, and research behind the scenes. You always have time in your next treatment to develop, progress, gain trust, and build your client up for success. Remind yourself however that although you know a lot, you do not know everything. Keep an open mind; learning from courses, colleagues, and your clinical experience will allow you to continue to develop and become a better therapist. Being over confident reflects in your practice and may inhibit your development. Be okay knowing that you do not know everything. Be okay asking for help. Be okay admitting you made a mistake or could do better next time. No one gains success without these experiences. These are learning opportunities. Being open to bettering yourself translates to your clinical expertise with clients. It is impossible to know everything; you will be looking up information for years to come. The best thing about our profession is that we are never finished learning and there are always opportunities to expand our clinical skills and abilities.
2. Utilize your resources
a. Mentor: Do not underestimate the importance of having a mentor. This is someone you can turn to for advice within your field and who you can depend on to provide information necessary to better yourself and your practice. It does not mean you have to be in constant communication but that you have support and guidance. I owe much of my success to my mentor, thank you Tony.
b. Post Graduate Courses: Something my mentor encouraged me to do. There are many different courses we can take to develop our skills as therapists. I encourage you to choose at least one course per year to continue your education and keep your skills fresh.
c. College of Physiotherapists of Manitoba: Do your due diligence on knowing the requirements to run a private clinic, the regulations for working for nontherapists if this is the path you choose, know requirements for charting, scheduling, billing etc. It is important that you work to uphold the highest standards when pursuing business opportunities in your profession. This is your responsibility. If you are unsure, contact the college for clarification. The college is there to protect the public and to provide you the information necessary to run an appropriate practice.
d. Family & Friends: Wow do I owe a good chunk of my success to my family and friends. In my personal opinion, it is sometimes simply about who you know. Do you know lawyers? Entrepreneurs? Communications experts? Other health care professionals? Utilizing your resources can help you on the business end of things when learning to navigate interviews, opportunities, negotiate contracts, etc. You are now in the real world and yes, you have the right to negotiate your contract. You are a professional and this should be reflected accordingly. The supports you have when you are pursuing goals in your career help you stay focused, know when you need to step up, or take some time for yourself. Be sure to thank these people in your life. The time will come when you will be able to do the same for someone else. When it does, pay it forward.
e. Past jobs/skills & experiences: This is important when it comes to your interviews, presenting business opportunities/proposals, and developing ideas. Your skills and abilities outside of the field of physiotherapy are also important in your career. This becomes more and more clear when you are pursuing business and building rapport with your clients.
3. Keep an open mind, pursue opportunity & do some research
a. Interviews: go to every interview offered. The skills of developing the ability to interview well are invaluable. This also creates the opportunity to be open to a career path you may not have envisioned but end up really enjoying. I planned on treating athletes; my clientele is now primarily older adults and I truly enjoy treating this population.
b. Work: What does your work currently offer? Where do you note gaps in the system? What clientele needs physiotherapy? Who could you offer these services to? Who is your competition? With physiotherapy being propelled into the private sector, you have an opportunity to be creative in developing programs or services for clients. Build a rapport with your management and colleagues,and have the confidence to present new or different ideas, you may be surprised at the support you gain and opportunity that comes of it.
c. Volunteering: This may begin because you feel you should give back to your community. The truth is, you end up bettering yourself. You learn new and different skills by volunteering to be a mentor, or being part of a committee. This also creates unique networking opportunities and may better your practice along the way.
4. Work-Life Balance
a. I think we can all agree physiotherapy is a great profession. It is important to be constantly learning, and bettering yourself. However, maintaining a work-life balance is also important to keep your mind fresh and ready to offer the best care possible to your patients. Outside of your career: pursue personal goals. It is just as important to maintain your ambitions outside of your industry. Play sports, run marathons, go to craft shows, concerts, whatever floats your boat…oh, and go on vacation! We all need a break sometimes. Get back refreshed and ready to put your best foot forward.
Final thoughts
• Opportunity: You never know when an opportunity will present itself – keeping your mind, eyes and ears open will allow you the ability to see and develop new ideas or business opportunities.
• Ask questions: It is important to know about physiotherapy, but we also have been so enveloped in school that the real world awaiting can sometimes feel like your head is spinning. Look up business information, look up the regulations from our college, pricing, fees, etc. ensure you have proper protocols developed, and are managing your practice effectively and efficiently.
• Be patient: Do not jump into an opportunity too quickly, take the time to plan, negotiate, and develop your business. Good things take time, success does not happen over night.
• Be self aware: You are just starting your career, success does not come without failure.
• Good luck! May your pursue your dreams, be successful, and provide quality care to your patients, enjoy the rewarding career of being a Health Care Provider and be proud of the work you do.
Here are some resources that have helped me in the past few years in pursuing my career
opportunities:
• http://www.manitobaphysio.com/for-physiotherapists
• https://physiotherapy.ca
• http://mbphysio.org
• http://www.companiesoffice.gov.mb.ca
• http://talbotcpa.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Statement-of-Business-Activities.pdf
Thank you for the opportunity.
Sincerely,
Jasmine Thorsteinson
Jasmine is happy to respond to any questions you may have. You can reach her at thorphysiotherapy@gmail.com.
