A Turf War
This year has definitely been different than I expected in many ways. But one main thing that stuck out for me is what appears to be almost an ongoing battle between health care professionals--PTs, ATCs, chiropractors, and MDs--in what appears to be a turf war. I understand each organization's role in supporting their own professionals, and I think that that is great, but I don't understand the continuous competition between the parties. Isn't our ultimate goal the same...to help the patient and do all that we can in efforts to maximize their healing process?
Because of all of this, I have had particular difficulty finding where I stand as both an ATS and SPT. I have constantly felt as though I have to choose... do I want to be an ATC or a PT? I have found that many of my classmates share this same feeling, and it makes me wonder if other SPT/ATS students feel the same way.
Throughout my undergraduate career I was always told what I could and couldn't do as an ATC with balance. However, during my first 6 months of PT school, all I was told was what I couldn't or shouldn't be able to do as an ATC. Now, I understand that as a PT one must support the practice of physical therapy, but it honestly made me feel as though I was being told that I just wasted 4 years of my life.
Then on the flip side I was being told that as an ATC we should have more rights and responsibility than has been allowed in the past... the same thing that PTs are fighting for. I'm not sure that there is any answer to this, and since I have only newly been exposed to all of this and my understanding of all of it is limited, I can not begin to supply one. But, what I will say is that I think all organizations need to work more toward supporting each other. I am certain there is a way this can be done without compromising one's own professional affiliation. Besides, isn't our main concern our patients?