1. Meaningful management positions within healthcare will always to nurses and doctors for the simple fact that they are on the frontlines of the field which in turn puts them face to face with such opportunities.
2. I’m estimating that about less than 1/3 of our profession has any meaningful involvement with the APTA which is supposed to be our biggest advocate when it comes to implementation policies that govern our profession. When a school births you into a low posting out patient clinic and your 130k in debt, the last thing you’re thinking about is joining an organization to better the profession as whole. You’re thinking about how you’re gonna survive.
3. Using our degrees outside of theory means competing with other professions like athletic trainers, personal trainers, massage therapist, chiropracters, etc. We do it all, but we are a master of none. Which is why our profession offers a shit ton of specialties. From a non clinical perspective a PT degree might be helpful with regard to case management or perhaps it can show a prospective employer that you can learn but its just another healthcare degree. It offers no flexibility like a degree in business admin.
4. Our skillset does not extend beyond clinical. Most PT programs emphasize that our skillset extends beyond exercise. When I was in school every other PT program was all about choosing PT over traditional pan meds. PT advocacy groups are trying to complete with pharmaceuticals not the doctors/nurses who are as we speak making advancements with Telehealth, taking on case management roles, taking roles within their EHR system (Epic actively hires nurses and offers them certifications for analyst roles). Whatever nurses and doctors leave behind in their wake of progression is what we inherit as Therapist. “Your doctor doesn’t prescribe you that pain med any more? We can help you here “. “Nurses doesnt wipe your ass anymore? Allow me!” .

Exclusivity doesn’t win, but it does present economic opportunity. A scarce resource is s valuable one. There are not a lot of doctors or nurses. So there expertise is the gold standard of the healthcare field. Meanwhile ours will be deemed silver because of bumfuck schools like this…