HEALTH CARE PROMISED YOU PURPOSE. NO ONE PROMISED YOU WEALTH

Before you begin, I will like to make an appeal to you.

I think it is high time we told ourselves the truth about physiotherapy and the healthcare profession as a whole. We cannot keep deceiving ourselves that by studying these fields, we are guaranteed financial breakthrough. Let us be honest: there is no financial breakthrough waiting for you simply because you chose to become a clinician.

This is a bitter pill to swallow, but one that needs to be said. Our predecessors, intentionally or not, failed to tell us this. And that is one of the reasons why so many clinicians, whether physiotherapists, nurses, or even doctors who are walking around frustrated, burnt out, and disillusioned.

We came into these professions with high hopes. Bright-eyed, full of zeal, passion, and a desire to make a difference. Many of us had this superhero complex of wanting to help people, to be that change in the community, to touch lives. And yes, that is a beautiful thing. That is still what drives many of us. But let’s be real! deep down, everyone also wants financial stability. Everyone wants to live a good life, take care of their loved ones, afford nice things, and have peace of mind. We all want that win-win — change lives and make money.

But when you step into the real world of healthcare work, you find that one side of the equation is present (making a difference), but the other (financial breakthrough) is missing. That is where disappointment starts to creep in. That is where you begin to question everything.

It leads to a lack of job satisfaction. And let us not forget there are certain things that contribute to job satisfaction. Some say three, some say five, some say ten but it depends on who you are talking to. But we all know a few core ones:

• Job security and stability

• A positive and supportive work environment

• Career growth and development

• Recognition and appreciation

• Fair compensation and benefits

Compensation is key. You could be passionate about what you do, but if you are constantly underpaid, overworked, and undervalued, that love for the profession begins to fade. That flame, that enthusiasm you brought in, will slowly go out. And when that flame dies, what you are left with is stress, burnout, depression, and dissatisfaction.

And here is the truth I keep telling people: I have never seen any physiotherapist, nurse, or radiographer who became wealthy solely from their monthly salary. That is why I am a strong advocate for clinicians going into entrepreneurship.

When you run your own business, you are not just making money but rather, you are creating your own job satisfaction. You are doing the same thing you were trained to do of helping people, providing care, but on your terms. You have autonomy. You control the environment. You set the tone. You build the team. You choose the direction. And guess what? You also build wealth.

One of the biggest perks of entrepreneurship is that you create the kind of workplace you have always wanted. You create your own stability. You decide your work-life balance. You define the culture. You choose what compensation looks like. You are no longer waiting for anyone to validate your worth. You set your own value.

Let me give you an example:

There is someone I deeply admire. A mentor who shaped the way I view physiotherapy and business. His name is Dr. Nnamdi, the founder of Amazing Physiotherapy Clinic and Azim HEALTH. When I worked with him, I was learning not just about clinical care, but about the ropes of physiotherapy entrepreneurship.

One thing he said has stayed with me to this day. He said, “I have never written a CV in my life. I do not know how to write one, because I have never dreamt of being employed by someone.”

That blew my mind. And it made me realise how backward our system is. In physiotherapy school, we are not taught to think like entrepreneurs. We are taught to be workers, just employees, salary earners. At best, they might mention “doing PP” that is, going to patients home for physio services, but nobody opens our eyes to the full scope of what is possible.

There are so many ways to make money from physiotherapy that have nothing to do with waiting for a paycheck. But because we are not taught this, people keep graduating into a system that cannot absorb them, and even those who get jobs are unhappy, underpaid, and trapped.

We need to change the narrative. We need to stop romanticising struggle and start preparing our colleagues for financial empowerment. That includes thinking beyond the four walls of a hospital or clinic.

There is more to physiotherapy than being overworked and underpaid. There are untapped avenues to explore. We need to start to talk about some practical and profitable ways physiotherapists and health care workers can make money beyond traditional employment.

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Thanks for reading.

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