Making a drastic career change is often both exciting and nerve-racking.
Especially when you’ve been in a role and industry for so many years, shifting into unknown territory can come with many questions.
You may wonder:
Am I doing the right thing?
Will I be good at it?
Is there a future here?
The questions and thought process will be endless.
Because of the overwhelming feeling and uncertainty, some people remain in dead-end careers with no scope of progression. Whilst many take a leap of faith.
In recent years, the allied health industry has seen many employees take a leap of faith. Namely, from physiotherapy.
So, what’s driving this change and where are the physiotherapists heading? Let’s find out.
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Why are Physiotherapists or other Allied Health professionals considering a career change?
When most people decide to make a drastic switch in their career, there are some strong reasons. Whilst it may not be one of the easiest decisions to make, it can often be one of the best and lead to better prospects, job satisfaction, and most importantly, a happier you.
So, whilst there may be several reasons a physiotherapist may leave the allied health industry to pursue a new career, here are some of the most common reasons.
1. Lack of career progression: most people have a vision regarding how they wish to see their careers progress. However, with the lack of organisational vision, they may perish.
2. The pay isn’t great: Sometimes a key factor in job satisfaction, pay may not be the number one factor, but it can be a strong reason.
3. Lack of scope for personal development: With the lack of career progression comes the lack of opportunity to grow your skills. For those who seek a challenge and strive for continual growth, this can become this is reason enough to look elsewhere for the adrenaline rush.
4. Highly competitive: You may say that most industries can be competitive, which is a fair point. However, with the growth of digital and social media marketing, many physiotherapists are finding it difficult to keep up. The overwhelming pressure of this may be enough to drive one to reconsider a career where they don’t have to fight so hard to be seen.
5. Burnout: While the constant pressure of all the above can cause burnout, physiotherapists also take on emotional baggage from others. This can lead to severe burnout.
Alternatively., if you are a fresh graduate considering embarking into the physio profession, carefully think about why you want to go into it.
To help you along here’s some advice on when not to consider a career in physio.
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Physiotherapy career pathways
No matter what stage of your career you’re at, there are now more opportunities and pathways for physiotherapists to choose from. With greater recognition of the benefits, physiotherapists can bring with their transferrable skills to areas such as clinical support, more doors are opening.
You may wish to step into a clinical support role and assist with the physiotherapy aspects of treatment/care plans, become an Advanced Musculoskeletal Practitioner, or you may hope to embark on a career within medical/medtech sales.
And as a first step, take up a role as an Assistant Territory Manager ( aka "ATM" or Associate Product Specialist )
Whatever direction you envision taking your career in, there are plenty of resources and training courses to set you on your path to success.
The Australian Physiotherapy Association is one such organisation that provides ongoing training and education to help you develop a framework to map your career.
From In-Practice "Hands-On" Physio to MedTech Sales and Marketing
When you step out of the conventional thought process of physiotherapy solely being about treating patients with the realm of four walls in a treatment room, you will discover the opportunities through which you can put your skills to work.One such area is within the medtech sales industry.
Many physiotherapists have found solace by making a career shift into medical sales.
Why medical sales?
Well, first and foremost, they can continue their passion for healthcare, keeping patients’ best interests at heart.
Secondly, take their existing skills and continue to grow them.
A career change from physiotherapy to medical sales doesn’t have to mean going back to university or giving up your passion for healthcare, as we’ve uncovered.
The good news is with existing transferable skills, a strong personal brand, and a bit of training, you too can embark on a successful career in medtech sales.
If you’re curious about the specifics of transitioning to this field, read our comprehensive guide on How to Become a Medical Device Sales Rep for detailed steps and insights.
If in doubt, here’s a success story of a former physiotherapist Avnish Sekhon who took her career to the next level by entering the world of medtech sale with Fortune 500 global Medtech Stryker.
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Still, Thinking About Your Next Career Move Outside Allied Health?
Changing from allied health to a corporate MedTech career can feel daunting, but understanding where you stand in readiness is key and we know you are not alone facing this challenge.
We’re excited to introduce our Career Move Readiness Assessment—tailored to help you gauge your preparedness for taking the leap into MedTech sales or other corporate roles.
With just a few minutes, you’ll uncover:
Insights into your career strengths and also any blindspots that could hinder your search.
Areas that may need focus for growth or where we can help you.
Your level of readiness to move forward confidently with a framework to assist you prepare.
Take Your Career to the Next Level Within the MedTech Industry
If you’ve been considering a career change to MedTech sales or Clinical Support, drop us a call on+61 2 7912 1168.
We’ll work with you to
Coach you to build a strong personal brand.
Help you with your resume and interview skills.
Equip you with any relevant training courses.
Update your LinkedIn profile and please follow DukeMedfor the latest updates
Showcase your profile confidentially to MedTech employers through our Featured Talent page
Start networking.
While you’re here, check out our job board for the latest opportunities we are searching for or building talent pools.
Please note that not all jobs are advertised due to confidentiality reasons. Therefore, we encourage you to send us your resume.
We’ll see if we have anything suitable for you and if not, we’ll get searching.