Avoiding PT/PTA Burnout
Welcome!
Hello everyone and welcome to the Side Hustling DPT Blog! I started this blog to help our profession learn how to develop and implement alternative income sources to avoid the dreaded PT/PTA burnout that is so common in our field! Long days, ever increasing productivity standards, micromanagement and decreasing pay for clinicians has many in our profession looking for alternative careers. Prior to COVID19 I worked as a travel DPT and enjoyed the freedom and pay greatly. However, during that time I found many clinics I contracted for were plagued by all the same issues as clinics where staff PT/PTAs were working. These realizations resulted in a growing passion to help those clinicians I worked side by side with to develop alternative revenue streams.
My Current Side Hustles
I am a firm believer in developing multiple streams of income and utilizing those income streams to fund additional side hustles. My husband and I opened Emerald Coast Medical Housing in April 2019. We started the business with two rooms available. In the past three years we have grown from two rooms to four bedrooms, a guest house and a private apartment. I initially utilized my travel PT pay to fund the purchase of the property and furnish the rooms. However, when COVID happened the travel market shut down and a different approach had to be taken.
Once COVID happened I left travel healthcare and took a home health position. I was able to negotiate a PRN position that provided great pay but also allowed me the flexibility to work 20 to 25 hours per week. While treating in home health I began to start teaching Orthopedics, Therex and Modalities at a local PTA Program. This venture led to me beginning to develop continuing education courses for Allied Health and the PT Learning Lab. One side venture can often lead to multiple other side ventures!
So what's next!??? Well, my husband recently opened a small handyman business. While treating in home health I began to notice several of my patients needed home modifications to decrease fall risk and improve safety to live independently. This led to me discovering a certification called Certified Aging in Place Specialist! This fall I will be completing this series of courses so I can work in partnership with my husband to improve patients home safety!