Now that PT admissions interviews are coming up, I’m busy prepping applicants for interviews and that includes going over potential interview questions. One common PT school interview question is, “Tell me about a current issue in physical therapy.”
This can be difficult for prospective physical therapists to answer since many of you have limited experience in the field, and may not have been exposed to many of these issues. So how can you approach the question?
Here are some suggestions:
- The proposed Medicare Physician Fee Schedule cuts for 2021. This is one of the most current issues affecting physical therapists. It’s all over social media, and there is a huge APTA campaign right now about this issue, which involves a proposed 9% cut to reimbursement for PT services under Medicare and other insurances.
- Direct access. This is the ability for PT’s to see patients without a referral from a medical doctor or other healthcare professional. Although there is direct access in all 50 states, it is different in each state, and there are many restrictions to it.
- Student debt. PT school, as well all know, is expensive. Most people don’t go into PT for the money, but this is a major issue in the profession because many PTs come out of school with six-figure debt, and it is extremely hard to pay that back with the amount most physical therapists earn.
- Other issues! APTA’s advocacy page lists additional ideas.
There is a LOT more I could say about each of these issues. The point of this blog post isn’t to give a comprehensive explanation of each issue, but rather to suggest a few starting points.
Do your own research, and become more informed about some or all of these topics. Or pick something else you’ve experienced during your physical therapy shadowing or work experiences. You want to be able to answer the interview question, but more importantly, researching these topics will make you a well-informed future clinician!
And if you need extra preparation, consider taking a look at my PT school interview preparation course.