I’m often asked whether it’s possible to have a job during PT school. The answer, like most things in PT school is: it depends.
I didn’t work in PT school because I didn’t feel I had the time, but some of my classmates worked a little bit. There are probably more options now due to the “gig economy.” And of course, you might have an easier time working if you attend a hybrid or weekend program.
I’ve heard of PT students working retail, as personal trainers, or in PT clinics as aides. This would be a great opportunity since it would give you the chance to gain valuable experience and get to see some of what you’re learning in school in action.
My recommendation, however, would be to try to get a job that doesn’t have regular hours or a set time commitment. There will likely be weeks when you’re extremely busy and stressed and don’t have the capacity to work as much, and others when you can take on a little more. I can imagine how hard it would be to have shifts scheduled during finals week or when group projects were due.
There also may be breaks when it wouldn’t be convenient to have a rigidly scheduled job, depending on if you travel for clinicals or spend school breaks far from campus. One way to get around this would be to find a job within your school, such as in the campus store or dining hall. Another tactic would be to do work online, such as by editing podcasts or doing social media for a small company. Bonus points if you can do these tasks for a physical therapist and make valuable connections while honing these skills.
Other flexible jobs could include babysitting, driving for a ride-sharing company, or other similar jobs where you can set your own schedule, and still gain experience working with people.
You can also make use of other skills you have. For example, you can use your science background to tutor undergraduates in biology, or writing skills to do some freelance writing.
With a little time management, there are many ways to make money as a physical therapist student. Remember to make studying a priority, and you just may be able to offset the cost of school or subsidize your living expenses.