Skip to main content

Listen to an audio version of this column narrated by the author.

In the summer of 2018, I received a call from the director of Fox Rehabilitation. She asked me if I could squeeze a new patient into my schedule during the week. At first, I was reluctant to add a new case to my burgeoning caseload. For one thing, it was a home visit, and the patient lived at a considerable distance from my facility.

But an even bigger reason was that around this time I had begun to consider leaving the physical therapy profession. I had been feeling dissatisfied, especially with regard to burdensome documentation. I was pounding out notes on my computer instead of spending more time treating my patients during sessions and analyzing my techniques or treatment strategies to see how successful I was being at helping my patients meet their goals. My dissatisfaction had led to the illusion that “the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.” I was imagining myself treading a new and wonderful career path, even envisioning serving my church as a married deacon.

Log in or create a free account to keep reading.


Join APTA to get unlimited access to content.


You Might Also Like...

News

FTC Drops Legal Appeals, Abandons Noncompete Rule

Oct 8, 2025

In August 2024, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas permanently barred the Federal Trade Commission's ban on employee noncompetes.

News

Now Available: APTA Practice Advisory on Primary Care Physical Therapy

Oct 8, 2025

Primary care physical therapy highlights the role of physical therapists as integral members of a patient's primary care team. It's important for PTs and

News

APTA Flash Action Strategy 2025: 8,500 Falls Prevention Letters Sent to Congress

Oct 6, 2025

Thousands of PT and PTA students participated in APTA’s Flash Action Strategy,  Sept. 17-18, by creating social media posts and videos promoting falls