The physiotherapy profession tends to attract lifelong learners, and I had a feeling that my Master of Science in Physical Therapy (MScPT) degree wouldn’t be the last formal schooling I would undertake. Coming out of physiotherapy school, I felt as many new grads do: mildly prepared and decidedly anxious. Particularly at the beginning of my career, I felt this sense of implicit pressure to take a number of continuing education courses to bolster my résumé and add a plethora of new skills to my toolbox before I really had a chance to fine-tune the existing ones. Some of my friends were powering through the orthopaedic manual therapy levels, and others had taken the McMaster acupuncture course before we had even taken the national exams. Meanwhile I was in a state of “analysis paralysis” where I was eager to take something, but unsure of exactly what that something was.
After about a year of working, I went to the Canadian Physiotherapy Association Congress in Halifax in 2015 and saw two exhibitor booths from different universities that were promoting transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy (tDPT) programs. I wasn’t aware that a post-professional DPT degree existed, and I wasn’t sure how it would benefit my career given that both schools were located in the U.S., but out of curiosity I went to chat to the representatives. I totally bought into their pitch of student-centric higher learning, and in the end, I decided to pursue my degree through A.T. Still University (a non-profit university based in Mesa, Arizona) because of its scheduling flexibility, reasonable tuition cost, and ability to fully complete courses online. The application process was fairly straight-forward, and 6 months after that initial conversation I began my first course in their program.
While I had taken a few Canadian post-graduate courses that I did find clinically helpful, my decision to pursue a tDPT stemmed from a few compelling reasons: I wasn’t exposed to a lot of mentorship as the sole practitioner during my first two jobs, I felt that my practice wasn’t evidence-based enough, and I wanted to experience learning about the profession from an institution outside of Canada having then recently completed an international placement in the Philippines. I’m not sure if all tDPT degrees operate in this manner, but the biggest draw for me was that the curriculum was based around individual student needs and gaps in existing knowledge, which means you are only required to take courses with material that you haven’t previously been exposed to. So aside from the mandatory courses I had to take related to the U.S. healthcare system and legislation, I primarily learned about pharmacology in rehabilitation, diagnostic imaging and radiology, advanced medical screening, and issues in diverse populations and settings.
The material I learned through these courses helped me gain confidence and competence in aspects of the profession I felt weaker in. For instance, with respect to a patient’s pharmacological history, instead of saying “I think you should see your doctor regarding your medication”, I was able to suggest “maybe you should have a conversation with your doctor about changing your medications since these statins might be contributing to your chronic ankle pain”. Moreover, having to study for exams and complete time-sensitive assignments also forced me to consistently review material and perpetuate good study habits, which I think is so important in a profession that doesn’t mandate continuing education hours.
Although I genuinely enjoyed my learning experience at A.T. Still University, there are a few things that I wish I had considered before I decided to complete this tDPT degree. Firstly, a DPT is still not recognized in Canada, and although I have a bit more portability if I ever wanted to work in the U.S. (given that all physiotherapists in America are required to have a DPT by 2020), this doesn’t really benefit me much right now. I naively thought that I might be more desirable to potential employers because of my tDPT degree, but some had initially thought that I pursued this because I wasn’t able to gain acceptance into a Canadian university. Secondly, while there was maximum flexibility in my schedule at A.T. Still University because I was able to complete all courses online, the downside to this online-only degree was that there weren’t any practical components in the curriculum. Other more expensive and comprehensive DPT or Doctor of Science in Physical Therapy (DScPT) programs have built-in residencies where students can shadow an orthopaedic surgeon or gain manual/manipulative therapy skills and attain accreditation with the International Federation of Orthopedic Manual Therapists (IFOMPT), which is the international umbrella organization for the Canadian Academy of Manipulative Physiotherapy (CAMPT).
Nevertheless, I am so pleased that I decided to complete my tDPT and I truly think that it has enhanced my professional career in a variety of ways. For me, one of its greatest strengths is that it took me outside of the typical physiotherapy lens in my clinical reasoning while still respecting the profession’s scope of practice. There are so many courses that are repeatedly presented within Canada that focus on the musculoskeletal system, and one of the most important concepts that this degree taught me is to take a step back and realize that physiotherapy can’t fix everything, and not all musculoskeletal-type symptoms are a result of a musculoskeletal issue. The other significant improvements I feel I made were in my subjective history taking and interviewing skills (i.e. inquiring about recent travel or illness and using appropriate follow up questions), and in my rationalization of when to refer to other health care practitioners.
In the end, pursuing a tDPT is a personal choice and one that many will not find necessary. I personally found that I enjoyed the program’s blend of structure and flexibility, and enjoyed the journey of working towards a long-term goal, as opposed to completing a weekend course. I think it was a healthy reminder for me of how much I still don’t know, and above all else, reinforced my passion to continuously learn.
About the author: Zach is a physiotherapist based in downtown Toronto, Ontario working in private practice in addition to running his own home care business. He holds an adjunct lecturer status at the University of Toronto and is involved in the Master of Science in Physical Therapy and Ontario Internationally Educated Physiotherapy Bridging Programs there.
