Ashley already had a doctorate. She's going back to school anyway.

She's a traveling physical therapist, and she loves patient care - she just wanted more of it. More autonomy, more of the medical decision-making, more say in what happens next. So she started working on PA prereqs while working full time and moving around the country.

We talk honestly about the money side, because going back to school when you already have a career and student loans is a genuinely different calculation than doing it at 22. She's clear-eyed about it. I'm not a financial advisor, and nothing here is financial advice, but hearing someone talk through the tradeoff out loud helps.

Her PT background is a real asset on an application. Years of hands-on patient care, documentation, working with physicians. She knows how to talk about it, and that's half the battle.

What we cover:

• Why PT wasn't enough and what pushed her toward PA
• Knocking out prereqs while working full time as a traveler
• The financial reality of going back to school mid-career
• Getting support from her workplace during the process
• Using PT experience as patient care hours on CASPA
• Researching program prerequisites before you waste a semester

Resources:

Free Resume Download: https://www.thepaplatform.com/services/free-resume-download

CASPA GPA Calculator: https://www.thepaplatform.com/pa-school-caspa-gpa-calculator

PA Program Map: https://www.thepaplatform.com/pa-platform-map

Pre-PA Counseling: https://www.thepaplatform.com/services/pre-pa-counseling

Mentioned in this episode:

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Happy Caspa opening week.

Today we're not going to think about that because we're going to talk to a physical therapist who is going to become a pa.

This is actually something I've had a lot of requests for, so it's really interesting.

Ashley has a great story.

We also talk about being a travel PT and a lot of this could be relevant if you're interested in being a travel PA in the future.

So I hope you enjoy.

Hey guys, if you're listening in real time, just open.

You want to learn how to become.

I just want to reassure you guys that there's plenty of time.

You will be fine.

I'm trying to answer a lot of questions on Instagram.

We also have our CASPA deals posted.

So that's our hundred dollar mock interviews and some deals on the interview course.

So be on the lookout for that.

If that's something you're going to need help with coming up this cycle, we would love to help you.

And just a tip, I've said this before, but if you get stuck on anything, make sure you go to the CASPA faq.

Talk to CASPA directly.

They're extremely responsive and use the PA platform.

So if you look up the PA platform and whatever you're looking for, caspa, et cetera, you'll find all your information there.

Through our webinar series we've been doing, we've done two discussions on CASPA so far and this Sunday our All Access Pass webinar people will have an exclusive meeting at 8pm if you feel like you need more one on one help but you don't want to do like a counseling session, that may be a good option.

The pass is $25 for the year and you'll get access to all of our old sessions that we've already done and all of our upcoming ones.

Be on lookout for that and we'll put a link in the description as well.

But today we're going to talk to Ashley.

She is really cool.

As we were filming this, she was in this like beautiful sunny California setting and she tells us all about her job as a PT and what her path to thinking maybe that wasn't the best fit for her was and how she ended up pivoting to pa.

This is like really fun episode and Ashley's awesome.

If you have any questions for her, reach out to me and I can connect you.

But I hope you get a lot out of this and then I'll see you guys next Week.

I'm Ashley.

I'm.

I'm a native.

Native Marylander.

Right now I'm in beautiful Santa Rosa, California.

I'm a traveling physical therapist.

So that's why I get to be in beautiful places when I want to be.

And I've done that for some time.

But I went back and forth.

I love traveling, I love cooking, I love hiking.

And yeah, I got accepted to PA school.

So I'm super excited to start in the fall.

So yeah, I feel like people are going, wait, we're talking to a physical therapist.

And,.

And it's funny because like I've had a lot of.

I.

People are like, oh, like what are your plans?

What are you going to do?

Just general life wise, like travelers.

It's a tempor state for a lot of us.

And people are like, what's next?

And I'm like, oh, school.

And they're like, oh, what kind of school?

PA school.

And it's funny because some people are like surprised, but I've been more surprised on how little people are surprised.

Therapists.

I feel like we're a curious bunch.

And so it's, oh, you're going back to school.

That sounds great.

So interesting.

Have you met anyone else who has done that?

Who has gone the PT to PA route when you reached out to share your experience?

It was funny because I had just had some questions where people asked, have you ever heard of anyone doing this?

And I was like, I'm sure people have.

I don't know of anyone off the top of my head, but I, I'm sure they have.

Yeah.

Yeah.

And I think that honestly living an unconventional life of sorts, like it helps if you see someone else do it first.

And I think my family, dental hygienist who's seen my entire family forever, her daughter.

I joke that I've been just walking in her shoes because she became a physical therapist, became a travel physical therapist, did like various things that we both did.

Both got really into scuba diving and then she went back to school for PA and I think she's now a neuropa, but I'm not sure if she still is.

And I've never met this woman.

I just.

You're sitting there with your mouth open and she's talking about her daughter.

And so it's really funny because my main inspiration as a woman I've never met, that makes sense.

I feel like sometimes hearing someone else walk before you through something helps you to take those steps, even if it is someone you've never think about.

Podcasts.

I've Listened to and things where I'm like, okay, if this person can do this, so can I don't know them, but someone did it.

So that makes sense.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I would love to hear a little bit about what brought you to the PT profession and kind of then to traveling.

Like, what was your motivation towards that?

And then we can go from there to how you figured out PA would be your next step.

Absolutely, absolutely.

So my mom, like really wanted us to know what we were going to do college wise before we entered college because she's first generation college student.

And so college wasn't always an assumed thing in our family.

It's a.

You have to have a plan, you have to be doing something.

I'm not going to, you know, pay a bunch of money for you to sit around and learn interesting things.

They have to be very applicable.

So our high school actually had a shadowing program where you could shadow a profession and.

It's getting a little windy.

Sorry.

It's okay.

Where you could shadow a profession for a year.

Do volunteering in there.

And I did that.

A number of my friends also did that.

And I got set up with a stroke rehab unit.

And so I'm following people with wheelchairs.

I'm cleaning things.

I'm.

This is all volunteer.

Since I wasn't technically working, if something was really interesting, I could just stick my nose in it a little bit.

And I just loved seeing people progress.

You can't walk, you can't talk.

To being able to access the world again.

I thought that was so fantastic.

Um, so from high school, you know, senior year, I knew I wanted to become a pt and I went into my undergrad knowing that.

And I tried to do an accelerated program.

Didn't work out.

But in the fact that I didn't like the institution that I chose to do that accelerated program at.

And instead of doing six years there and ending with a doctorate, I became a Spanish major and still graduated in three years.

So it was still six years total.

And transferred to University of Maryland to do a PT part.

At the time I was just like, I just have to make the best of a bad situation.

I got to study abroad, I got to learn Spanish.

I had to study.

So much fun through that.

And I do use my skills well.

Yeah, probably great skills for being a travel pt.

Oh, absolutely, absolutely.

Well, hey.

But yeah, so that's the thing.

I feel I saw the.

I could have done biology.

Yeah.

But the biology majors just didn't seem to be having a good time of it.

The.

The program was very Rigorous, very hard, known as a GPA killer.

And I wasn't interested in taking organic chemistry, but I did Spanish in high school.

I loved it.

I loved learning about the cultures.

We had exchange students growing up, so I just fell right into that.

Yeah, definitely, definitely recommend it.

Inclination do Spanish.

It's great.

Oh, yeah.

I regret not taking more Spanish classes voluntarily.

I was like, all right, you require two semesters.

That's it.

I'm good.

That's all I needed.

Okay, so went to.

Went the PT route, and then did you go straight into working in travel as a pt?

Is that possible?

It is.

It's not recommended, but I just did Maryland, where I am from and where I went to school.

It's a very small state, and we have two program or when I graduate, we had two programs within the state as well as Philly has a ton of School Schools.

D.C. had a couple programs.

Virginia had a couple programs.

So it was really a saturated market.

And since I didn't really want to go into a job that I didn't like in a somewhat permanent way, again, I met someone who was a traveler before, and they were like, you should try this out.

You have adventuresome spirit.

You'd be able to handle it.

But you have to be able to handle it.

You have to stand your ground a lot.

Because not many people want to hire a new grad traveler.

And people who do want to hire new grad travelers, why would they want you?

Like, not to say that you don't have skills, but you don't have the same knowledge of kind of what is acceptable and what is right.

So my first two jobs were very interesting and taught me to grow a spine quickly, be gentle.

Yeah.

But because, again, the saturated market, I could have gone to a nursing home.

I could have worked in these outpatient clinics.

I really wanted to be in a hospital.

So I decided I'll do the travel job 13 weeks at a time until I get sick of it or I find something that I love.

Because I wasn't sure about Maryland.

I like, I've lived there so much of my life, and I was like, surely there's more out there.

Yeah.

I started out in West Virginia.

It taught me a lot.

Taught me about people, taught me about, again, standing up for yourself, advocating for yourself, and patience and very good learning experience.

I don't know if I would recommend starting out as a new grad unless you have the personality for it.

If you really are determined and you can kind of pick up a bowl and run with it, that's fine.

It's just not going to be easy because they say, oh, you'll have mentors.

And that's always a difficult thing to promise and a difficult thing to follow through on, Especially when you're working at a facility that is paying a premium for pts.

They're usually under a strain.

And so it's just.

What is that strain?

So interesting.

Yeah.

Okay, so how long into your PT career did you start to maybe wonder about other things?

Oh, shoot.

That's only two years in.

That's terrible.

Well, okay.

I like the medical puzzle of things.

I always enjoyed that.

Like, the science of it is always really interesting.

And PT doesn't.

We have a lot of background knowledge in that, but it's not where we live.

We live a lot in the relationships and working with people side of it.

There was a clinic that I was working at where we had pts represented for that outpatient orthopedic clinic.

So basically, we were just, like, providing a warm handoff, being like, and now you see this physical therapist lady, and you're going to go upstairs and work really hard and hopefully avoid surgery or recover from your surgery.

And we were just, like, going through various things.

The orthopedist was training someone at the time, and I'm a pt, so orthopedics, of course, is my wheelhouse.

And so he was, like, asking me to demonstrate things, and of course I. I do it.

And he pulled me aside and he was like, if you were like an NP or a pa, I would hire you.

And it never even occurred to me that was, again, a possibility.

Agreed.

And I kept interacting with PAs, and I was like, I worked at a big medical center, and I would go down to the emergency room and the observation units down there, and those were very heavily staffed by PAs.

And of course, I was going to them just to give my report so we can hand off as quickly as possible.

And I just loved them.

They knew what they were doing, they had the situation under control, and everything was just.

I don't know.

I really respected their knowledge, and I just love how they interacted within the team.

Yeah, Just got it done.

And then I was trying to see if there are other areas of PT I didn't explore being like, maybe there's something else that will scratch an itch.

And it.

I got to learn a lot of really cool things in trying to scratch my itch.

But I learned how to work with prosthetics and amputees and concussion care and just a lot of interesting, specialized areas.

But at the end of the day.

We're all in lanes and I kept wanting to cross out of my lane.

I was like, I'm going to get in trouble one day because either I'm going to overstep my scope unintentionally or I'm going to get really mad and frustrated because I'm trying not to step out of my scope.

Interesting.

So, yeah, like, I had this one patient who I just always.

This one patient, but she had so many questions because she had this really rare autoimmune disorder and she had all these questions and all I could do is literally write them down for her on a piece of paper.

And I was like, when the team comes by, get answers for all of these because they're all extremely good questions.

Yeah.

And they are so without outside of my scope that I not going to even try to answer them.

And she did and she like came back and she's like, look at all my answers.

I was like, that's fantastic.

I'm really happy for you.

But at the same time I was just like, ugh, yeah, irresponsibility.

But I want it to be.

Yeah.

That's such a similar sentiment to really what I hear from people in all other roles.

EFTs, medical assistants, CNAs, even the patients are asking them questions that they want to be able to know the answers to and be able to answer.

But you're stuck a little bit in your scope.

So that's interesting.

And then at what point did you start taking steps and what steps did you have to take?

Because I would.

You would have great patient care experience.

Clearly very probably better than anyone else who applies ever.

Yeah, it's definitely consider high quality.

We have a lot of autonomy and we have a lot of leadership in that role.

So definitely, that was definitely the strongest part of my application.

Yeah.

Yeah, I just got really annoyed and like, this is just what happened.

I got really annoyed because I. I was trying to contact this physician and I ran down like, like flights of stairs to get him because he was going to discharge this person who was spontaneously passing out, like all the time.

And his wife was terrified, of course.

And I was like, you need.

We need to do something else.

And he just blew me off.

And I was like, he was so mad.

I was like.

He was like, what would you have me do?

I was like, have you tried my dream?

And he was just like.

He just looked at me and he was like, okay, we'll try it.

I was like, I'm going to get myself in trouble again because I just spat out a medication I had heard of and had seen, but I don't know if that would have been most appropriate for this person at all.

And I acknowledge that.

So I was like, I need to.

I need to try to do something else.

Yep.

And so that week I actually signed up for my prerequisites being a Spanish major and then trying to apply for PT school.

I really already knew that these college websites are sometimes mazes, but you really have to dig through them and get the information.

And so I basically went to a couple of the local PA schools and looked at their websites.

I was like, what do I need to take?

I realized I had to basically retake everything because I'm about, I'd say, nine years out as a pt and so.

And then my undergrad is even earlier.

That expiration hit me hard and I started out with some, like, harder science classes because I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it.

Just sitting and studying isn't my day anymore.

Yeah, it's hard to get back into.

Yeah, yeah.

I basically used a combination of I work an hour from where I live, so I was using the community college where I live for our weekend courses and then the community college by my work for weekday evening courses.

And so at that point I was taking like, you know, two science classes, but then.

And working.

Yeah, working full time.

And.

But the crazy thing was like that, that darn pandemic.

It really, I'm not gonna lie, it helped me a lot because I actually, with all the schools being online, like, the issue of trying to teleport to another campus was no longer an issue.

Everything was online now.

Granted, some of the classes were still hard to get to.

Like if I had a late clinic day, I was taking my exam in the clinic hoping that I wouldn't get dinged by the anti cheat software because the cleaners were coming in all.

Oh my gosh,.

That was crazy.

Um, but yeah, because of that, I was actually taking, yeah, at least 8 credits semester, quarter taken through the summer.

And I don't know if that would always be possible just because I don't know how they're weighing online classes post pandemic, or maybe post pandemic, who knows?

But yeah, so that.

And then, yeah, I actually also got.

Because they were laying off pts at the beginning of the pandemic and through parts of it, I actually took a contract because I already had connections in the travel world and I was getting ready to pack my bags and go to a crisis hospital in California, and my recruiter said, oh, no, there's a crisis hospital in Maryland and they're looking for people.

And because I took that job, it was a little rough, but it did pay a lot more, and it allowed me to cover those prerequisite class costs because the classes aren't free.

And I think that otherwise, probably the finances would have forced me to work slower.

But it.

The finances weren't as much of a concern.

So I just blasted through the classes in a year that was.

Okay.

Worked hard, very hard, to get everything complete.

And then when did you.

What cycle did you end up applying in?

Okay.

And then, yeah, I'm going.

I got accepted.

Yeah.

But just I. I'm thinking about it, and they're like, there's no perfect application.

Like, I.

Looking at.

I was like, it's still pinching myself that I got in just because I.

My only shadowing was virtual shadowing for 23 hours.

Clearly, you've worked with PAs, what a PA is, and that, I mean.

Oh, you're good.

You're good.

Okay.

Oh, he is letting us know.

Got a lot to say.

Got a lot to say.

But, yeah.

I don't know.

It's just.

I think that's really easy to get into your head, even if you.

Yeah.

And that's why I think, like, you just gotta do it and let the application committee or the admissions committee tell you, no, you're not good enough.

So how many schools did you apply to and what were your kind of outcomes?

I applied to 12.

Okay.

I got seven interview invites.

Hi, baby.

Oh, okay.

And with that, my most embarrassing thing, I forgot to RSVP to one of them.

And that was entirely my fault.

So that was definitely.

Yeah.

Did you show up?

It was a zoom.

Okay.

Few.

And I partially forgot about it.

And I also was partially in Mexico for part of it, so I just.

I flat out refused to.

I didn't refuse, but I forgot to rcp.

And then I was like, shoot.

And, yeah, they were like, new dice.

Like, we got plenty of people at our door, so.

Oh, my gosh.

That I'm kicking myself about.

But besides that, I got three acceptances, two waitlists, and a rejection, which everybody gets a rejection.

Exactly.

And then.

And one plus the other five rejections.

But I picked some places that I was pretty sure I could get in just because I only wanted to do this once.

And then I definitely wanted to Just try.

So I looked at some schools that I wasn't so sure about and.

Yeah.

And it's an adventure journey.

Yes.

Oh my gosh.

Okay, I know.

In what we had talked about beforehand or some of the stuff you sent over, what would you say are your pros and cons for somebody considering somebody who's very established in their PT career or any other healthcare career?

Because we have a lot of everybody, RTs, OTs, you know, everybody.

Yeah, to someone who's very established.

And you're going back, we mentioned at the beginning, like going back to that student, you are, you're going back to that student position and giving up that salary and freedom and all of that.

Not to scare you.

I'm terrified.

I am honestly terrified.

And so what were your, like, pros and cons?

Like, things that you've thought about or think other people should think about going into making this decision?

Ultimately, like, for myself, I'm just very curious.

I'm inquisitive.

I figured I would at some point overstep my scope and I think that's a good reason to change your scope to protect yourself as well as your patients, because you want to have the education to back out anything that you do, anything that you say medical wise.

But I think, and I think also, if you're already an established medical professional, you have the PC, how to address patients, how to work within the team, and that is huge.

And I think that would be very, like, apparent in any application you have.

Just because we don't exist in isolation, we have lanes, but we were not isolated.

And I think one of the big things that I've come across and talking to other pts, because a lot of them have been interested in, been like, oh, like, you did it, that's great.

I was thinking about it and pts in general, I'd say we have a lot of pride because we've gone through PT school, we've gotten our doctorates, we learned a lot of things.

And you feel guilty of, oh, I have a graduate level education and I am like throwing it away just because it took a lot of effort.

And obviously with anyone who's just going into school, you feel like that is 100% what you want to do for maybe not the rest of your life, but a good chunk of it.

So just, I don't know, giving yourself permission to say, this isn't quite what I wanted.

And I think that was my biggest thing because I kept looking for, oh, I'll find another niche and I'll be fine.

And it just didn't happen.

Yeah.

And then I'm just.

I think one of the big things because a big advantage is being a medical professional who makes honestly like a very livable salary is cutting back on expenses.

It can allow you to shove money to support taking a ton of prereqs or applying to 12 schools.

A lot of things that would otherwise.

And not to say it wasn't insignificant, it's a lot of money.

Having the financial support of my job to back that up was huge.

I don't think I would be able to again go in as hard and fast if I didn't have that support.

And I can imagine someone who is trying to get their PC as a CNA that would be very different.

Yeah, so that's definitely an advantage.

And I think also again having another career to step back to when you're in the credentialing process, do you want to pick up prn if you want to take a travel contract or what have you.

But having real money is a double edged sword because I'm really working on trying to scale back my lifestyle even now.

Not going to the fancy gym, not going to out to eat as often things like that.

Because I life is going to be loans.

I paid some off already and I don't want to have to necessarily have to pay off like an absorbent amount of loans again I've done half.

I think like getting used to that student budget mentality is something that is a disadvantage for us because I'm used to eating steak.

Yeah, I react with PB and J.

Exactly.

One random question that I just thought of, did it come up at any of your interviews or did you feel like any of your interviewers were skeptical?

Like why would you give up this great career to go to switch to something that is from a doctorate to a master's.

Did anyone seem confused or they didn't really accept that?

I'm just curious but actually did come.

Up in one of my interviews and because like generally I feel like and I'm just hey, do we make.

She's.

He's biting the other one.

Oh goodness.

Like the one is like a man and the other is a kenti.

So basically yeah it did come up and I think the thing that might be a little difficult is if you see PT just from the outside of oh, you just make people better and that's great.

Why would you leave that?

And oh, it's a respected profession.

Why would you leave that?

And I. Yeah, it wasn't a more awkward moment because he tacked it on at the tail end.

Yeah.

I was like, it's not to say I don't love it, I totally do.

But it's.

If you're trying to cure everything through active participation for patients, there are limitations to that.

And it's.

And all the politics of it, like, in any healthcare field can be exhausting just because in a lot of therapy spaces or clinics, hospitals, things like that, there isn't necessarily.

Oh, this is.

This is where we put physical therapy in terms of.

Especially in the hospital.

Oh, so are you a lift team?

Are you getting them up?

Are you doing anything?

Are you just saying that they can't go home because you want to make my life annoying?

Or, oh, you're just going to check them off to go to acute rehab or a snf?

So again, it threw me off.

Yeah.

Because everyone else had been so supportive and understanding because they were coming from the therapy point of view and they're like, there are limitations.

So, yeah, it was a weird way to end an interview.

I was just curious.

I just think of some of the faculty that I've come across and I could totally see them doing that.

Just some of them can be a little abrasive and want to push you a little bit and see where you're at.

But, like, clearly you.

You have great reasons and you've thought this through for many years.

It totally makes sense.

But I could see some interviews.

I was just curious if any of them ever actually came at you.

Yeah, yeah.

So it's fine.

Yeah.

I have my own reason.

It works out.

Yeah.

I want to talk because I think what you mentioned was very good, and you're right up.

But working with physical therapy techs.

And can you tell me, is there a difference in a PT tech and a PT aid?

I got in some big trouble.

Someone was like, no.

On TikTok.

No, these are certified positions.

And I was like, I. I know a lot of people who work as PT and they call them aids, they call them techs, and they are not certified.

So any clarity you have on that and whether you think it's a good patient care position or just advice would be helpful.

Absolutely.

So you are right.

PT techs and PT aides are uncertified physicians or.

And they're doing their thing.

They're not licensed professionals.

The place where people may get in trouble is if they call themselves a PT assistant.

Ah.

That is like physician assistant.

Okay.

PT assistant is similarly.

They cannot diagnose, but they can certainly treat.

And especially like a PTA with experience can be amazing.

Like anyone else so again, if someone's just writing assistant, that would raise my eyebrow.

But tech aid, all that's fine.

Okay.

And sometimes in, I think the behavioral health space, it might be a little different the terminology.

But in the physical rehab space, assistants are the licensed professional.

Gotcha.

And I would, you know, probably the easiest tech position to get would be an outpatient clinic.

Just because sometimes they're trying to monitor multiple patients at once and they just need an extra set of hands, a second hand set of eyeballs, and that's probably the easiest one to get.

To be honest, if you're looking for medical knowledge, I think it would probably be the, the least quality.

Yeah, I really would say to try to look for a position where you're in a hospital or an acute rehab or rehab hospital.

Because if you're a tech, if I'm calling a tech, it's because this is a very heavy duty patient.

It's because they're complicated and so you will see the craziest of my caseload.

And depending on who the person is, sometimes I'll stop by beforehand and be like, this is Mr. Jones, he has this and this going on.

And we're going to try to do this just so you're on the same page.

And if you see, okay, these are different things that happen with strokes, these are different things that happen with spinal cord injuries.

These are different, like how debilitated you can become in an icu, things like that, that can be really valuable.

And I think just seeing kind of the climb with recovery because being hospitalized can just SAP your strength so fast.

And I think being able to appreciate that is really good as a provider.

And that being said, if you're a tech or an aide, we don't know how much we can trust you until you, you show us how much we can trust.

Yeah.

And a lot of that is anticipating, like anticipating our needs.

Basically.

I just want you to be in a good position if something goes south.

So sometimes that's standing behind the patient or being ready to put your knee against their knee with a knee block to switch, keep them from collapsing.

And that does take time to develop.

And hopefully they'll train you initially with that.

When someone's starting out, they, a therapist might always explain that, hey, I want you to do a knee block or hey, like this person's gonna fly backwards.

And you'll start noticing when, what these situations are.

And I've had texts save my butt in so many ways.

And I love working with them, so.

So, yeah, I would definitely suggest it.

And with Again, with rehab, we're needing you inpatient care.

So I feel like in general there's also can be less paperwork and less administrative duties, but that so varies depending on the facility.

But just asking because sometimes it's the therapists who make the schedule.

Sometimes they'll have a tech make the schedule.

Sometimes they'll have a scheduler make the schedule.

Sometimes.

So I think being like upfront about that and then also the facility where I was working when I was doing all my applications, they were so supportive of just everyone.

If you wanted to chase a dream, they want it to happen for you.

Like all of our techs were in school, like OT or PT school or they were applying for med medical school or PA school and we loved it.

We really wanted to write a great letter of recommendation.

We wanted them to get in.

I just say look for those places and I feel if you can ask someone else where they've done their hours and if they said, hey, this is a great experience, that'd probably be the best way to tell.

Yeah, because from their website they won't say that.

Yeah, no, but that sounds great.

Like sometimes I have people who ask.

I like I'm scared of.

Not scared of patients, but they just haven't ever had that really one on one experience.

So it sounds like that would be good to get over that fear of touching a patient and like getting to interact with them one on one.

Exactly.

And I feel like also because the PT is ultimately responsible for the patient, they're not going to set you up in a bad situation just because it's bad for everyone.

One thing I did mention is we were talking about how techs and aides are not certified.

Yeah, I would say as a whole that is true.

The facility I was at, our techs were actually CNAs.

And the thought process with that is if let's say patient needed to use the restroom and they're fairly high level or they need to get up out of bed to get ready for therapy and things were going bonkers at the gym and tech could run ahead, do that because they had the CNA certification and they didn't technically need a supervising then.

But that's just the nature of that facility.

And the one of the my texts she was saying that she had her CNA certification with the, you know, anticipation of working in a hospital or a nursing home and because she didn't have experience, she couldn't get those positions.

Now nowadays it might be different, but our facility was willing to take on people without experience.

So just interesting.

I Wouldn't say look into becoming a tech just to avoid the certification, though.

I know lots of people think that way, because some of the places that are going to deal with more complicated patients, they're going to want you to be able to hold your own in certain situations.

Well, and that illustrates another good point, which is if someone has a certification, you can look for unique opportunities.

Like, just because you have your cna, you don't have to go work just at a nursing home.

You can look for different types of facilities.

I actually, I was a CNA at a rehab hospital, and I loved it because we had like a neuro unit and a huge PT gym.

I got to hang out there some.

It was really great.

I loved that experience.

But I. I wasn't working in the PT gym.

I just went there to shadow a couple times.

But still getting to see all of that was really cool.

But I feel like people, when they think like I'm an EMT or I'm a cna, they think like, one track of what they can do.

And there are some different facilities and opportunities out there.

So I think that's.

I would not have thought for a CNA to look at necessarily like something in PT at all.

So that's a good tip for somebody to look for if they are having trouble finding jobs and they are certified, because that happens so much.

And also with whatever pandemic status we are right now, just because there is.

Everyone's looking for medical professionals.

I know again, the facility that I was at and their sister hospital, they actually were starting programs to train you to earn your CNA certification and then also work.

I think the thing with those programs, though, is I'm pretty sure you had to have some amount of time commitment in order to apply for it.

So it might not really work for people applying for PA school, but who knows?

Worth looking into.

Exactly.

Let make them tell you.

No.

Yes, exactly.

So have you been doing anything to prepare for PA school or are you just.

I'm gonna work, save money, and then jump right in.

Oh, goodness.

So I. I tried.

So I'm.

Obviously, I'm doing the traveling thing.

I'm trying to make as much money as I can.

I try.

I sold my house.

Good time to do that.

Pardon?

I said it's good time to do that.

Yeah.

Oh, it is.

It practically sold itself.

It was great.

It was great.

But basically what I was trying to do is I got a couple of books, like a coloring book for anatomy.

My old anatomy textbooks also.

And then there was another book, like First Line Guide.

It's like in the same genre as pants pred.

Pearls.

I was just, like, flipping through them and reading them, and I was like, there is no way I'm going to take in this information in any efficient manner that's gonna be beneficial to me.

Like, I. I just not.

And so I put that to the side.

And instead I was like, when I went to school, I had binders and I printed out all of my PowerPoints and anyone, even my sister who just finished MP school said, that is not the way to do it anymore.

And so rather than trying to study the material, I'm trying to learn Anki.

I'm trying to learn notion.

I'm trying to think of, like, how can I organize myself in my computer because I'm such an analog person right now that I just.

I feel overwhelmed in that way.

And just, there's notability.

There's just so many things.

And I don't want to necessarily do that learning curve when I desperately need to take that information into my brain.

Yeah, I'm just playing around with it.

Yeah.

I jumped on the iPad wagon bandwagon.

I don't know what it's called in December, and I am a fan of GoodNotes or what I. I think that's what it's called.

And being able to take notes and just like, whip it out anywhere is so helpful compared to having papers everywhere and binders.

So it's a hard transition that.

Yeah.

And lose it.

You're getting your papers wet.

And then if I can't read the disaster.

Exactly.

Yeah.

It is way better.

Except for don't get your iPad wet.

E. There, that's a problem.

So my kind of final question is, do you see yourself in the future being a travel pa?

Actually, yes.

Okay.

I. I think, though, again, the suggestion of don't go into it as a new grad.

I'm actually going to follow as a PA just because I went.

I started as a traveler.

I went perm per se.

I took a staff position for a while, and as a staff member, people actually invested in my development, which was so cool.

And I learned so, so much.

I got again into all those specialty areas, and I feel if I just threw myself off a cliff as a pa, that just would be rough unless I really felt amazing in a certain specialty area.

Let's say I don't know, cardiology or something.

But I just feel like I'd be setting myself up for failure if I did that straight out.

And then also, I'm not gonna lie, the travel PA might not happen just because, like, I was permanent for a while, because I wanted to set down roots.

I wanted to start a family.

I wanted to do all the things.

And then now I'm off again.

I still have that feeling that I don't want to just be a pa.

I want to, again, be a part of my community, be a mom, be a decent daughter to my poor multiple, you know, dealt with, like, her daughters running around the country.

Yeah.

I think that there's a lot of appeal in a lot of it.

And obviously, it's beautiful, it's fun.

Life has its seasons.

Yeah, I feel I'm seeing the end of that one.

You know, like to say, what am I prepping for?

PA school?

This is like my last travel hurrah.

And until I, you know, gonna be stuck in some books for a while.

No, I'm very excited for you.

I think it'll be like, you'll be excited to be there, which will make it somewhat enjoyable.

It'll be as enjoyable as.

Yes, exactly.

And then he'll be at the end of it.

And that's why it goes by so quick.

Like, it just.

It goes by so fast.

And so it's over very quickly.

But.

And I was PT School.

Right.

So you've been there.

Mine's like, yeah, I was like, that was not a super fun experience.

I feel like you just blot it out, and then you're on your life.

There you go.

That's all you need.

Thank you for sharing your insights, and I know everyone will appreciate this so much.