As the health care workforce grapples with mounting burnout, attrition and policy headwinds, the latest generation of Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) graduates is sending a clear message: show me the money and the meaning.
A recent study led by Evidence In Motion (EIM) academics surveyed final-year Doctor of Physical Therapy students across 18 states to understand how they approach employment and professional growth.
The team of nationally recognized educators and clinicians examined student perspectives on career preparation and development.
The research team included Adriaan Louw, PT, PhD; Emilio Puentedura, PT, DPT, PhD, OCS, FAAOMPT; Colleen Louw, PT, MEd; Kristin Smith, PT, DPT, DSc; Laurence Benz, PT, DPT, OCS, MBA, MAPP, FAPTA; and Michael Walker, PT, DPT, DSc.
Their findings reveal a workforce that is highly motivated, deeply aware of the profession’s financial and cultural challenges, and eager to pursue careers that balance compensation, purpose and flexibility.
The 219 respondents, representing nine DPT programs nationwide, offered insights that should guide employers, educators and health care leaders striving to retain early-career clinicians and strengthen the physical therapy pipeline.
Base Pay and Burnout Are Top of Mind
When asked to rank the most important aspects of job offers, students didn't hesitate: nearly half chose base pay as their top priority.
Company culture followed closely, with 35% naming it their No. 1 concern. Only a small fraction favored flexibility or paid time off as their primary concern.
Today's DPT graduates are financially realistic and emotionally aware. They understand the crushing weight of student debt: 58% expect to graduate with more than $100,000 in loans. They're prioritizing compensation that doesn't come with strings attached.
Students expressed little interest in financial incentives tied to restrictive commitments, such as sign-on bonuses or student loan payoff programs that require long-term contracts. Instead, they favored offers that allow them to maintain mobility and flexibility early in their careers.
Lifelong Learning Is Nonnegotiable
Despite the high cost of education, nearly all respondents (92%) plan to pursue post-professional continuing education. That includes short courses, clinical specialty certifications, board certifications and residency programs.
Interest in residency programs (11%) appears significantly higher than actual national participation rates, which hover around 2% to 3%.
Mentorship also emerged as a key driver. Past research cited in the study links mentorship to lower burnout, higher job satisfaction and greater professional longevity. Many students prefer educational formats that include personal or faculty guidance.
No single continuing education delivery method stood out. Students were nearly evenly split among hybrid, online faculty-led, in-person and online self-paced formats.
This flexible approach reflects the generation's comfort with online and hybrid learning, particularly as many completed their education during or after the pandemic. It also suggests that future continuing education offerings must be versatile, accessible and high-quality across multiple formats.
What It All Means for the Future
This study is exploratory, but its implications are timely and far-reaching. If early-career DPTs continue to prioritize high base salaries, flexible yet value-aligned workplaces and robust learning opportunities, the profession will need to adapt quickly to meet these expectations.
“Given the current challenges facing the physical therapy workforce, it's essential that we stay attuned to the employment needs and professional development preferences of new graduates, so we can adapt and support them effectively,” said Colleen Louw, program director of therapeutic pain specialist certification at EIM and co-author of the report.
Forward-thinking employers can respond by crafting transparent compensation packages, building people-centered cultures and investing in internal continuing education pathways.
Academic institutions and continuing education providers, meanwhile, can diversify offerings to include mentorship, hybrid formats and clinically relevant, certification-ready programs.
The next generation of physical therapists isn't just looking for a job. They're looking for a profession worth committing to.