My parents want me to get the MPT degree. Reason: “You will not suffer later.” (“you” is me, btw.)

On the other hand, I don’t want to.
Reason: “It is just a cherry-on-top degree.”

Then I started to look into it, wanting to get an answer totally “un-biased”. 

What I think is getting an MPT is not definitely meaningless, but also not necessary as well. 

So, I started to look into the pros and cons of getting a Masters. 

pros.

it keeps the academic door open.

The most obvious. 

Time and time again, I have heard this line: “Do Masters if you need to get into academics.”

Without an MPT, becoming a faculty in a physiotherapy college becomes difficult. 

Clinical instructor without MPT=ok.
But faculty, like Assistant professor = I don’t think so. 

Here is the thing. I like to teach. But I don’t want to teach professionally. But I could think differently in about 10 years. So, having the Master’s keeps the optionality open. 

learning more than just treatment techniques.

I have some idea of Master’s. Not because I did, but because I had academic seniors who did Masters and were friends to me. 

The books they studied are very interesting. There is one book on electrophysiology that was lended to me by my professor long time ago during my Bachelor’s days and it was the most interesting book ever– and obviously, I haven’t understood anything but still I found it interesting. If that book is interesting, maybe I will find other books similar to the book lend to me, find interesting. 

So, access to library– checked. 

Access to hospitals with patients is another one.
The patients I will see and the clinical reasonings I will have as a Master’s holder or pursuing will be somewhat, if not far, superior to the clinical reasoning I have as a Bachelor holder. 

climbing the hierarchy.

Corporate things. 

If I want to become the “head of the department” or something like that, or a Principal or some “head”, having a Master’s degree and obviously, some experience in the clinical and non-clinical field, will definitely help. 

cons.

expensive. very expensive and also relative.

Colleges takes somewhere about 2-2.5 lacs or more per Master’s degree. 

So, the cost is “2-2.5 lacs in 2 years.”
That’s the wrong answer. 

The actual cost is more monetarily. 

There is the “2-2.5 lacks in 2 years” fees + petrol + 2 years of significantly reduced earnings. 

Here is the thing. I am totally independent which is analogous to the word “alone”. The physiotherapists, the other medical professionals I talked to will not refer patients to me. Why? Because the attitude and the demand for 50-60% of my total income I get from my patients to their pocket is outrageous. I will take all the risks of the patient, I will take the “doctor told me to get IFT and ultrasound only” and smile– nope. Not happening. 

So, I have almost a few patients, and those patients also I will not be able to see during the Master’s pursuing years. 

This is my strongest argument against doing Master’s. 

having a Master’s does not automatically make me an excellent physiotherapist.

I don’t want to be rude but there are Master’s holder who don’t know what they are doing. There it is– I said it.
But it does not apply to all MPT holder tho. 

When asked the clinical reasoning behind IFT and TENS and US, the answer is– PAIN. RELIEF. 

I am no expert but, I and my peers know somewhat what to provide and why to provide. 

Hence, a mediocre can have: Dr. Name, PT. BPT, MPT (Neuro).
And a highly competent physiotherapist can have only a BPT. 

There is a practical difference between an excellent physiotherapist and an excellent lecturer. As far as I have seen, there are only a few who are both. 

quality is the qualification that matters the most.

There is a big difference between:
“I am doing MPT” vs “I am doing MPT.”
Same wordings. Different reality.
If you let me explain. 

I don’t know how doing an online or distance MPT makes more sense than that of being in presence of actual professors or physiotherapists in a high volume patient exposure area with strong supervision and research exposure. 

Of course, this is subjective and can vary from student to student and also the luck of the group of students getting an excellent mentor. 

So, obviously if I go for MPT, I may not be going for MPT through online or distance type. But also, if I go the traditional route, I give up to Almighty that I might get a few good enough mentors. From what I have heard, and conclusion I have came to is that all the colleges are more or less the same. The statement has been agreed by the passed outs whose name shall not be taken. 

effect on income? Somewhat.

Effect on impression. 100% approved. 

I have seen time and time again and even now, at this current point of time, writing this draft dated 27 Aug, 2026, timed 4:47 pm, most MPT degree holders are still working the same as BPT holders and funny enough– they are also working the same as Diploma holders and also, twice the funny enough– they are also working the same as non-passed out or internship incomplete physiotherapy students.
Only in the clinical aspect what I am taking about tho.
And yes, some clinics recruit them.
Something called “oprio hotyo” in Assamese. 

But having a MPT will definitely open up more job opportunities.
But job is not what I desire. I want to work with myself, for myself with a sole goal to improve the condition of the patients I see. 

So, I am necessarily working same as BPT even if I get MPT.
Same 8 to 10 thousand salary for 8 hours of clinical duty, same giving 50-60% to the physiotherapists and the other medical professionals and getting the same “500 is too much” patients. 

So, what should I do?

My system 2 says: Don’t do it. Do it if you have enough money or someone showers you with free money. 

(The word “system 2” is being picked up from the book that I am currently reading– Thinking, fast and slow by Daniel Kahneman. More on that, in some other casual rants.)

So, what are my strongest arguments?
I want to improve my patients in such a way that they never have to go to another physiotherapist in their life. 

So, for that to happen, I must study hard and become extremely good (at list of things to check off which I am not sharing at the moment. Shhh! Secret.) which I could achieve through self learning with occasional guidance, if I find any. 

To get the patients, I have to market myself. Let’s be honest for a moment. Patient go to physios who are being referred by other medical professionals and patient goes to physio who are most visible on social media– which I am “non of the above” type of physio. I know for sure that I will not be referred by other medical professionals, so being on Social media is the best shot I have. 

Conclusion.

With all the thinking that I have been though, I have came to know one thing: my parents or even your parents are probably trying to help you get secured in my/your life, get the credentials for recognition and get any employment in the future. 

I, on the other hand, am obsessed with developing skills, independence and career growth independently. 

Both of the thinkings are directed towards stability.