Skip to main content

Ask anyone in physical therapy what some of the important issues impacting the profession are, and I guarantee most of those lists will include clinician burnout. I would go as far to say that even when other issues are listed, they, too, lead to burnout.

That's an important nuance. These "other" issues — things such as payment (reimbursement to some), productivity standards, expectations for more standardized care, student debt, and stagnating wages — are massive, systemic problems that point past the individual and even the profession as a whole, and point toward a nationwide health care and educational system. The expectations place on the healthcare system is often in contrast with best practice and creates barriers to prioritizing quality care above other stakeholders. Through this lens, burnout extends beyond an individual shortcoming.

Log in or create a free account to keep reading.


Join APTA to get unlimited access to content.


You Might Also Like...

Article

What 2 DPT Students Learned at the Special Olympics USA Games

At the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games, held June 20-26 in Minneapolis, both students and experienced clinicians alike volunteered in roles that reinforced

Article

Physical Therapy in the News: September 2026

"Physical Therapy in the News" is a monthly series that highlights recent media coverage of the profession and APTA members.

Article

Advocacy by Physical Therapy Students Generates 14,500-plus Letters to Congress

Thousands of PT and PTA students participated in APTA Flash Action Strategy, Sept. 23-24, by sending letters to Congress, posting on social media, and