Jim Fried, SPT, has always been a people person.

It was while bustling around the operating room of University of Pennsylvania Hospital as a surgical tech-"the guy who hands them the scalpel," he joked-that he realized he had a great rapport with the surgeons and doctors. That knowledge built upon his previous notion that he wanted more out of his career than he was getting.

"I knew even when I received my diploma that I wanted to do something more," he explained. "I knew getting into the career I was in and working would at least direct me to where I wanted to go. Originally I considered nursing, but I really wanted to have my own patients and a lot more freedom and responsibility, and be involved in patient care more directly."

He started learning about the physical therapy field at Penn and eventually shadowed therapists there for a few days. Fried had seen all he needed to see to make his next move.

Four years later, he will soon graduate from the doctorate program at Widener University in Chester, PA. He's one of a growing number of individuals who are going into physical therapy or other health care fields later in life.

The Numbers Don't Lie

Throughout the recession, jobs in many health care fields have remained steady and strong.¹But another trend has emerged: individuals who have been laid off or feel their current jobs are unstable, choosing to pursue jobs in the health care industry.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the health care sector will generate more new jobs by 2016 than any other industry.²And of the 30 fastest-growing occupations covered in the 2008-2009 Occupational Outlook Handbook, several are in health care and include physical therapists and physical therapist assistants.³

But current physical therapy students are facing a different obstacle now than they would have had they gone to school a decade ago-the need for a doctorate. That change influenced Fried's decision when choosing schools. He started first at community college to take advantage of the tuition reimbursement offered through his surgical tech job, then transferred to Widener.

"I knew that's where the profession was headed. I didn't want to have to go back to school," he recalled. "It wasn't intimidating. Going back [to school] later in life, it was shoot for the stars. If I was going to be committed, I was going to go ahead and do it."

That doesn't mean returning to the classroom wasn't frustrating at times. Fried admits he wasn't the most studious of people and needed to really focus on the end goal to get him through some rough patches.

"It was a difficult transition at first. There were many times when it was very frustrating and very hard to handle. I had to be a big picture kind of guy, had to look ahead at what else is out there."

Still Working With His Hands

In Fried's case, the switch to physical therapy wasn't too far a stretch since he was already in the health care sector. But for Steve Voboril, PT, of Los Angeles, obtaining a degree from California State University in physical therapy last winter was a complete change-he previously worked as a carpenter.

"I went back to school because I was tired of being a manual laborer," he told ADVANCE. "I went back as a business major, and then had to have sub-acromial decompression surgery. While I was working with the physical therapists, I ended up kind of working with other patients, showing them what to do. I thought, 'Maybe I should change my major.'"

Voboril was nervous about giving up full-time work to go back to school and tackling the required science courses, but when he breezed through his first one, he decided to commit to a physical therapy degree. To his surprise, he wasn't the only one pursuing the career later in life. Other students in his class included a former graphic designer, chiropractor and gymnastics teacher.

Voboril now works in the acute rehabilitation unit at West Los Angeles Veterans Hospital. He's happy not only with better job security, but also with the more rewarding work.

"I don't know a single physical therapist who is unemployed. It's a huge market. I love working in the health care field. I think I work well with people-that's probably why I chose my job. I think physical therapists in general tend to reach out, embrace and engage their patients more than other fields."

Playing a Role in Rehab

Chad Jacobson, SPT, was working as an actor and personal trainer in New York City when he discovered his father in Sioux City, IA, had brain cancer. The health crisis prompted him to move halfway across the country to Omaha, NE, where Jacobson saw immediately that he wouldn't be able to pick up as many acting gigs as in the Big Apple.

"There was not as much work in Omaha for union actors, and physical therapy was something I had been thinking about when I started personal training as a side business," he recalled.

"I have always been interested in the body and anatomy, and I loved the fact that it was a way to directly help people. A lot of people in the acting community struggle with whether they are really 'making a difference,' and you don't have to worry about that with physical therapy."

Jacobson started out at University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) and then attended Metropolitan Community College while working full-time as a trainer. He then took off from work to complete his first year of physical therapy school at University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC).

Getting back into the school groove was difficult for Jacobson, but the bigger trial was giving up his old profession.

"Honestly, the biggest challenge has been giving up acting," he admitted. "I had been doing it in dinner theaters and colleges even as a young child, and my identity was so tied up in being an actor. It was hard to let that go at first and embrace this new path. But I really love the path I am on now."

Many Happy Returns

Jacobson, Voboril and Fried all said their loved ones were supportive of their decision to switch careers to become physical therapists. Each is excited to embark upon his new career path.

"I am looking forward to being someone who can help other people," Jacobson said. "I am excited to be in a situation where I can work with clients together, so that eventually they can return to the kind of function they are used to. I want to be able to help people who are in pain and empower them to be a part of their own health management. Finally, I enjoy the community that I have become a part of. My faculty and classmates are energizing and fun to be around. Being around all of them continually reinforces the feeling that I've made the right choice."

Voboril feels rewarded daily being able to work with a population that has put their lives on the line for the country, he said.

"The most rewarding is seeing somebody walk post-stroke who thought he would never walk again. A lot of times it's their stories, letting them share a little bit about their lives. You spend a lot of time with patients. They have no ability to move an arm or leg, and within a month-and-a-half we got [them] walking. It's a truly amazing experience."

Fried credits his wife, who he met working in the operating room at Penn, for her support and sacrifice while he chases his dream. He often doesn't get to see her since he goes to school during the day and then sometimes goes to work at Penn until the late evening. He's looking forward to completing his degree next spring so he can spend more time with her and their young daughter and start putting his knowledge to practice.

"Four years into it, you're finally having this epiphany-it really is paying off," he related. "I have lots of support from all of my coworkers. They're very encouraging. They see you in the halls and the operating room and say, 'How's it going, soon-to-be-doc?' Now they come to you and ask questions."

References

1. New America Media. (2009). Students Say Goodbye Wall Street, Hello Pre-Med. Retrieved from the World Wide Web, news.ncmonline.com/news/view_article.htm

2. HamptonRoads.com (2009). A Healthy Career Choice: Healthcare Jobs Defy the Recession. Retrieved from the World Wide Web, hamptonroads.com/2009/03/healthy-career-choice-healthcare-jobs-defy-recession

3. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2009). The 30 fastest growing occupations covered in the 2008-2009 Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved from the World Wide Web, www.bls.gov/news.release/ooh.t01.htm

Lauren Fritsky is a freelance writer based outside Philadelphia.