Strive & Thrive in Private Practice Program
Ideal for new and recent graduates. Avoid overwhelm and confusion. Learn essential non-clinical skills, increasing professional effectiveness AND client satisfaction
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Avoid Overwhelm. Learn How.
2021 research confirms the key principles of the Strive & Thrive in Private Practice course:
"New graduates were perceived to find...timely caseload management difficult; to have limited business, marketing, and administration knowledge and skills; and to present with underdeveloped confidence, communication, and interpersonal skills"
Work Readiness of New Graduate Physical Therapists for Private Practice in Australia Physical Therapy, Volume 101, Issue 6, June 2021. doi.org/10.1093/ptj/pzab078
University undergraduate courses for health professionals have their clinical practice component steeped in a hospital tradition. Fair enough, that was where most graduates headed to after completion of their degree. Well, they did 20+ years ago. Not so in recent time. A much larger number of graduates are heading directly into private practice and the expectations and skill sets required are significantly different. What happens? Stress, overwhelm, confusion and dissatisfaction.
Quotes from mates & the areas they struggled with:
"I'm finding it hard to be able to manage a crazy/busy caseload of on average 45 hours a week, and be able to also balance life outside of my working hours. I find I have no time for anything - friends, family, exercise, social etc.. and this really makes me unhappy and anxious at times."
"Marketing. This was something we never learnt at uni."
"Self doubt! I know I know a lot of stuff, but pulling it out of the brain at the right time, with confidence, and making it all make sense for a patient on the spot is a huge challenge - especially when, as a student, we always had time to step out of the room, process, chat and discuss things with a supervisor, and then re-enter the room."
"When I first started I found it difficult to combine a meaningful assessment, whilst thinking to myself the direction I was going to take with the treatment and then being able to effectively communicate with the patient without seeming like I wasn't confident. I guess it was all pretty overwhelming"
If this resonates with you, this course is for YOU!
I totally get where these people are coming from. Transition into private practice is tough. I know it, I felt it and there is a better way than jumping off the deep end and seeing if your a sinker or a floater. To solve this problem we created this blueprint course with 8 steps, to take you from struggle and overwhelmed, to being a confident clinician, understanding the how and why of managing a successful caseload.
The Strive & Thrive in Private Practice online course, is the first program in Australasia specifically for new and recent graduates. This course will provide all the necessary non-clinical skills so you can enjoy, feel competent and succeed in private practice, without lead weights around your ankles!
On completion, download your certificate to qualify you for 30 hours towards your annual AHPRA professional development requirements.
"I’ve just completed your course and I thoroughly enjoyed it! Thank you so much for creating such an inspiring course, which has so many useful tools and strategies to directly apply to our work. Having worked mostly for NSW Health since I graduated I have found transitioning to private practice in Sydney over the last few years quite different. Your course has definitely been what I have been looking for to better understand private practice but also better market what I do and how to best look after my patients."
- Laura Worthing Chair of APA NSW WMPH Committee, Titled APA Continence and Women’s Health Physiotherapist
"As a straight out of Uni, new graduate physio, I honestly had minimal understanding of what was required of me and what things I needed to consider when starting in the private practice sector. All of my practical placements at Uni were either hospital-based or government run organisation so I had no experience in private practice. Adding this to the fact that I had come straight from high school to Uni, from Uni to work, I had minimal experience being a fully-fledged adult. All in all, I was overwhelmed, stressed and a bit lost. So many big changes were happening so quickly.
The Strive and Thrive in Private Practice Program really helped me slow down and take things one step at a time. It helped explain what applications I needed to complete at the start of my job, how to effectively time manage, and how to manage complex clients. One of the things I found especially helpful was the module on how to build your own caseload as this was definitely applicable to my situation. The easy layout of 8 separate modules meant I could do 1 module a week on my day off or if I had time, I could smash out a few modules at once.
Overall, I found this program to be a great way to boost myself into the private practice sector. At the completion of the course, I felt much more settled and prepared for the start of my private practice career."
- Abbey Stewart New Graduate Physiotherapist 2021
"On Module 4: Effective Communication
An excellent exploration of patient centered care, through the lens of listening to understand. A very useful clinical summary of 'effective questioning'. I especially love the 'zoom in zoom out' concept. I've found this really valuable for staying focused and on track (with respect to both time and my clinical reasoning ....where to next with this assessment/treatment?) This has helped to lessen the anxiety that can creep in during a more challenging clinical session."
- Kim Tyson, Physiotherapist
"I have just finished your course and absolutely loved it! It was incredibly thought-provoking and insightful. I really appreciated how it delved down into how we need to look into our personal values and beliefs for longevity and happiness in our careers. As a final-year physio student, I really appreciated how the course highlighted some really important areas of focus that were not covered as part of the uni curriculum, such as practical strategies for growing and maintaining your client base and how to make the most of your time during treatment sessions.
Two of my goals when commencing the Strive & Thrive in Private Practice course, were to avoid overprescribing of exercises and to gain better structure within my treatment sessions. The course resources allowed me to achieve this. I learned a structured way to reflect on my current time efficiency and allocation of energy during sessions, as well as a way to plan ahead to gain more time within treatment sessions."
- Georgina, New Graduate Physiotherapist 2020
Course Presenter
Doug has been a clinician since 1987 and worked in a wide variety of private and hospital-based environments, both in Australia and overseas. To simultaneously assist others to develop a career in education and facilitate access to professional development education, Doug created AAP Education in 1996. AAP Education provides high-quality PD to aspiring health professionals wanting to improve the health and well-being of their clients and ensure their own professional longevity. Doug has personally taught several thousand health professionals the skills of anatomy, dry needling and recently the application of sleep education.
Along the way, Doug recognised the critical link between ongoing professional development and professional enjoyment. He completed a postgraduate diploma in musculoskeletal physiotherapy, a postgraduate diploma in clinical acupuncture, and specialisation in musculoskeletal physiotherapy. Doug recently completed his PhD at Curtin University.
Doug lives on a cattle farm, enjoys scuba and has been in private practice with his partner since 1989.
Frequently Asked Questions
"There was a lot I took from the Strive and Thrive in Private Practice online course, from the knowledge surrounding personal essentials (Provider number, DVA Registration, etc.) to approaching challenging clients to maintain motivation.
There were a few tips and pointers that might only seem small but I felt would make such a big difference in the way I might now approach situations. The way Doug explains how to communicate with demanders, or those who come with ‘Problem A’, but also want to discuss “problem B, C, and D’. I loved the Solution Funnel idea too, where you ‘zoom in, zoom out', I think that will be really helpful for me to ensure I am not missing anything, but also to keep my perspective open to anything.
The module on building your caseload was also really insightful. It isn’t something I have had to consider yet, only being a new grad, so having some guidance and having a flexible method and some non-compensable ie. No bad mood days, not keeping clients waiting, communicating with the referrer; they seem obvious, but are not instilled in my mind for when I start to practice.
Another one I resonated with was to minimise distractions and stay focused. I think it's easy as a new grad and with certain personalities to want to help everyone whenever you can, to be on top of things and organised all the time – but to look after yourself, to minimise distractions (email/reminder ‘ping’s and pop-ups, and my favourite; to handle emails only once (Trash, Deal with it, File for later) were really important reminders for me and good habits I intend to take with me into practice.
Thanks for a great course Doug, it has really dulled the nerves about moving into private practice somewhat and has really given me some valuable methods and approaches to situations or clients that I might have found challenging, and given me the confidence to have some of these sticky conversations."
- Stacey Berg, New Graduate Physiotherapist 2020