Does work experience make up for the academic advancement deficits in one’s professional career? A very grateful student asked me what degree I have at the end of his internship rotation. Upon telling him that I had a bachelor's degree, he was surprised to learn that I did not possess a postgraduate degree. This made me reflect: am I a qualified preceptor to these up-and-coming clinicians? It was a wake-up call for me to start pursuing a higher degree of education to be onpar with current physical therapy program standards. Not only will this degree offer personal validation that I am qualified to contribute my skills in honing these young therapists, but it’s also another step closer to meet criteria for even more specialized training.

Extensive work experience is essential to become a seasoned therapist. It earns you respect from junior colleagues, improves your people skills, deepens patient rapport, and boosts personal networking. Clinical practice is the vehicle of the knowledge learned, but it does not fill the gap for academic learning.

The physical therapy field is continuously evolving, and there is always room to grow and find new and efficient ways to treat patients. New studies and research are constantly being conducted. I believe that a good physical therapist’s craving for academic improvement should always be insatiable. It is more effective for a physical therapist to have both the theoretical knowledge and the skill of practical application.