Burnout in physical therapy is real—and it’s pushing many clinicians to rethink their careers.

In this episode of the PTA+ Podcast, we sit down live from CSM with Andrew Schofner, CEO of PtEverywhere, to explore how cash-based and hybrid care models are creating new opportunities for Physical Therapist Assistants.

Andrew shares insights on:

• Why traditional insurance-based models are becoming unsustainable
• How PTAs can expand into wellness and cash-based services
• What it looks like to start a side hustle or independent path
• The mindset shift required to take control of your career

This episode is especially valuable for PTAs who feel stuck, burned out, or curious about what else is possible in the profession.

PtEverywhere:

https://www.pteverywhere.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/pteverywhere/posts/?feedView=all

Website: https://www.ptapluspodcast.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ptapluspodcast/videos

Instagram (show): https://www.instagram.com/pta_plus/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/PTA-Podcast-100093326902910/

LinkedIn (Katie Sutton): https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathryn-sutton-0725

Special Thanks to:

Thanks to US Physical Therapy for hosting PTA+ at CSM.

MedBridge users: Visit ptapluspodcast.com for your exclusive discount code: PTAPLUS

In this episode recorded live at CSM, we sit down with returning guest Drew Wilcox, a Physical Therapist Assistant, educator, and researcher, to tackle one of the biggest issues in the profession: the broken pathway from PTA to DPT.

Drew shares a powerful vision for the future of physical therapy education — one that removes unnecessary barriers, reduces cost, and creates a unified pathway for clinicians to grow.

We discuss:

• Why PTA and DPT education are still siloed
• The real barriers preventing PTAs from advancing
• How AI is changing education and curriculum design
• The lack of PTA-specific research in key areas
• Why PTAs should get credit for prior learning
• A new “highway model” for career progression

This episode is essential listening for Physical Therapist Assistants, PTA students, and clinicians looking to expand their impact and career opportunities.

Website: https://www.ptapluspodcast.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ptapluspodcast/videos

Instagram (show): https://www.instagram.com/pta_plus/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/PTA-Podcast-100093326902910/

LinkedIn (Katie Sutton): https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathryn-sutton-0725

Special Thanks to:

Thanks to US Physical Therapy for hosting PTA+ at CSM.

MedBridge users: Visit ptapluspodcast.com for your exclusive discount code: PTAPLUS

In this episode of the PTA+ Podcast, we explore how AI and Remote Therapeutic Monitoring (RTM) are transforming the role of the Physical Therapist Assistant.

Host Katie Sutton sits down with Ellen Morello, U.S. General Manager at EverEx, to unpack how hybrid care models are expanding access, reducing burnout, and creating new opportunities for PTAs.

You’ll learn:

• What RTM actually looks like in daily practice
• How PTAs contribute to patient outcomes in hybrid care
• Why AI is becoming a critical clinical tool
• The skills needed to transition into remote PTA roles
• What the next 5–10 years of physical therapy could look like

Guest Information:

Ellen Morello

U.S. General Manager, EverEX

Leader in digital health, AI, and remote therapeutic monitoring

https://everex.ai/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellen-morello/

Subcribe and Follow PTA+:

Website: https://www.ptapluspodcast.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ptapluspodcast/videos

Instagram (show): https://www.instagram.com/pta_plus/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/PTA-Podcast-100093326902910/

LinkedIn (Katie Sutton): https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathryn-sutton-0725

MedBridge users: Visit ptapluspodcast.com for your exclusive discount code: PTAPLUS

In this episode of the PTA+ Podcast, Katie interviews Valerie Bueschlein, a Physical Therapist Assistant working in outpatient neurological rehabilitation who also serves as a spinal cord injury caregiver and patient advocate.

Valerie shares the deeply personal story of her husband’s catastrophic injury and how it reshaped her understanding of rehabilitation, caregiving, and advocacy.

Through that experience she learned that injuries affect far more than the patient — they impact caregivers, families, and entire communities.

That perspective led her to co-create the “You’re Not Alone Podcast: Understanding Life With a Disability,” a platform that allows people recovering from neurological injury to share their stories and support others navigating a new normal.

In this episode we explore:

• The caregiver perspective in rehabilitation
• Why PTAs must understand life outside the clinic
• The creation of the You're Not Alone Podcast
• Giving a voice to people living with disability
• The importance of community support after injury

This conversation is an important reminder for Physical Therapist Assistants and rehab clinicians that true patient-centered care includes caregivers, families, and lived experience.

Website: https://www.ptapluspodcast.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ptapluspodcast/videos

Instagram (show): https://www.instagram.com/pta_plus/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/PTA-Podcast-100093326902910/

LinkedIn (Katie Sutton): https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathryn-sutton-0725

Special Thanks to:

Thanks to US Physical Therapy for hosting PTA+ at CSM.

MedBridge users: Visit ptapluspodcast.com for your exclusive discount code: PTAPLUS

Clinician wellness isn’t just about self-care, it’s about leadership, ethics, and systems that either protect or drain healthcare professionals.

In this live conversation from CSM, Lisa Kohler, PT and Ohio Physical Therapy Association board member, discusses a new national survey exploring wellness across the therapy profession, including Physical Therapist Assistants (PTAs), who have historically been left out of research.

Five years after COVID, clinicians are still reporting anxiety, burnout, and moral injury. This study aims to identify the biggest needs, from emotional well-being to financial stress, and guide meaningful resources at the chapter, state, and national level.

If you’ve ever felt like surveys only focus on patients and productivity, this one focuses on you!

Exploring Wellness in the Physical Therapy Community: Identifying Needs and Opportunities

Take the survey here:

https://osu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cUeyaQiAZRcfbam

Co-Investigators:

Tonya Apke, PT, DPT, NBC-HWC

Cara Berg-Carramusa, PT, MSPT, EdD

Website: https://www.ptapluspodcast.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ptapluspodcast/videos

Instagram (show): https://www.instagram.com/pta_plus/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/PTA-Podcast-100093326902910/

LinkedIn (Katie Sutton): https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathryn-sutton-0725

Special Thanks to:

Thanks to US Physical Therapy for hosting PTA+ at CSM.

MedBridge users: Visit ptapluspodcast.com for your exclusive discount code: PTAPLUS

Aquatic therapy might be one of the most overlooked tools in rehab, and Wendy Enck is here to make the case for bringing it back to the spotlight.

Recorded live at APTA’s CSM, this conversation explores how Physical Therapist Assistants can use water to accelerate balance recovery, reduce chronic pain, and build patient confidence faster than traditional land-based rehab alone.

With fewer than 300 PTAs attending CSM out of 15–20,000 rehab professionals, this episode is also a rally cry: show up, get involved, and elevate the PTA voice.

• How water improves dynamic balance
• Why aquatic therapy isn’t just for geriatrics
• Using buoyancy for post-op recovery
• Helping chronic pain patients experience relief
• Why PTAs belong on national stages

Wendy Enck – Aquatic Director, nonprofit leader, and open water endurance swimmer.

Website: https://www.ptapluspodcast.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ptapluspodcast/videos

Instagram (show): https://www.instagram.com/pta_plus/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/PTA-Podcast-100093326902910/

LinkedIn (Katie Sutton): https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathryn-sutton-0725

Special Thanks to:

Thanks to US Physical Therapy for hosting PTA+ at CSM.

MedBridge users: Visit ptapluspodcast.com for your exclusive discount code: PTAPLUS

APTA CSM is buzzing — but is it worth it for a Physical Therapist Assistant? Katie talks with Margie Nguyen (Not Just a PTA) to talk about:

• Why PTAs need to show up at national conferences
• Networking strategies that actually work
• Pelvic health advocacy for postpartum patients
• Growing your PTA career beyond the clinic
• How to “put yourself out there” without fear

If you’re a PTA wondering whether CSM belongs in your career path — this episode is for you.

• PTA identity & visibility
• Women’s health advocacy
• Professional growth
• Conference ROI
• Networking courage

Website: https://www.ptapluspodcast.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ptapluspodcast/videos

Instagram (show): https://www.instagram.com/pta_plus/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/PTA-Podcast-100093326902910/

LinkedIn (Katie Sutton): https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathryn-sutton-0725

Special Thanks to:

Thanks to US Physical Therapy for hosting PTA+ at CSM.

MedBridge users: Visit ptapluspodcast.com for your exclusive discount code: PTAPLUS

Recorded live at CSM, this episode is a direct challenge to every Physical Therapist Assistant who has ever thought, “There’s no room for growth.”

Deanne Yates shares her journey from PTA to national-level leadership involvement, including work with FSBPT and PTA governance initiatives. She discusses:

• Why PTA and PT are both terminal clinical designations
• The danger of self-limiting beliefs
• Running for national office as a PTA
• Artificial (augmented) intelligence in rehab education
• The shift toward blended and hybrid PTA programs
• Why we need clearer definitions in hybrid education
• Why every PTA should attend CSM

If you’ve ever waited for permission to lead — this is your sign.

Special Thanks to:

Thanks to US Physical Therapy for hosting PTA+ at CSM.

MedBridge users: Visit ptapluspodcast.com for your exclusive discount code: PTAPLUS

Follow PTA+:

Website: https://www.ptapluspodcast.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ptapluspodcast/videos

Instagram (show): https://www.instagram.com/pta_plus/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/PTA-Podcast-100093326902910/

LinkedIn (Katie Sutton): https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathryn-sutton-0725