What happens when physical therapists decide the clinic isn’t the finish line — it’s the starting point? In this roundtable discussion, Lindsay, Kelly, and Todd dive into how PTs can lead from any position — whether you’re a student, a staff clinician, or in the C-suite.

They get real about imposter syndrome, leadership guilt, CSM session picks, and why bringing your own chair to the table might be the most powerful move of your career.

In This Episode:

• 3 signs you’re ready for a leadership role
• When guilt hits after leaving the clinic — and what to do with it
• How the Army fast-tracks growth in PTs
• Tips for picking the right CSM sessions
• Why you’re more ready than you think to lead

Sponsors:

• ???? Pre-Roll: Brooks IHL – brooksihl.org
• ⚙️ Mid-Roll: Empower EMR – empoweremr.com
• ???? End-Roll: U.S. Physical Therapy – usph.com

Larry Benz, John Childs, and Tim Flynn join Jimmy to tackle some of the most urgent—and uncomfortable—questions in physical therapy. Are we educating students into a broken system?

LINK TO THEIR LATEST ARTICLE

LINK TO LARRY'S SUBSTACK

Why do most PTs say they wouldn't want their kids to become PTs?

And what would it take to fix this before the next generation gives up?

From the burden of tuition to the unintended consequences of accreditation rigidity, this episode pulls no punches. It's a high-stakes conversation with voices that have shaped PT education, and who believe it's time to reshape it again.

Topics Discussed:

• The unsustainable cost of DPT education
• Why hybrid programs faced institutional resistance
• What accreditation bodies are getting wrong
• How young entrepreneurs might save the profession
• The question every PT should ask: "Would I want my kids to do this?"

Featured Guests:

• Larry Benz — Confluent Health
• Dr. John Childs — South College
• Dr. Tim Flynn — Evidence in Motion

Physical therapists are short on time, long on complaints, and totally missing the point: we're in an attention economy. In this episode, Jimmy and the crew dive into:

• How RTM is "free money" and still ignored
• What ESPN's ridiculous programming can teach PT clinics
• CrossFit, Peloton, and OrangeTheory as models for gamifying outcomes
• Why most CSM booths are $20,000 toilets
• Clinic competition, trivia-style leaderboards, and The Floor is Lava: Medicare Edition

This isn't about hype. It's about attention, strategy, and clinical creativity. Want to build the PT profession's Savannah Bananas? This episode's your blueprint.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Intro: The Attention Economy in PT

04:22 RTM Is Free Money (But No One Uses It)

09:45 What We Can Steal From ESPN 8: The Ocho

14:36 Clinic Games & CrossFit Leaderboards

19:52 The Real ROI of CSM Booths

26:11 Medicare Edition: The Floor is Lava

31:22 Alternative Halftime Shows & Fake Game Testing

36:44 Clinic vs Clinic: Building a PT Leaderboard

43:00 Final Thoughts: Outrun the Bear, Not the Pack

LINKS & RESOURCES:

• Subscribe to the show: https://ptpintcast.com/subscribe
• Follow Jimmy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmymcpt/
• More episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@PTPintcast

This episode will challenge how you think about rehab, performance, and your role as a PT.

Vikash Sharma — founder of Perfect Stride Physical Therapy and Running for Life — lays out a powerful argument: PTs are perfectly positioned to lead the health ecosystem, but most are playing way too small. He explains why strength training is non-negotiable for runners (and humans), how to treat beyond the injury, and the mindset shift new grads need.

???? Hot topics:

• Rehab = Performance
• Why runners must lift (and how PTs are failing them)
• How to build client trust through adaptability
• The “hospitality” lens of patient care
• His go-to book recs for mindset + communication

???? Mentioned:

• Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara
• A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle

???? SPONSORS

???? PRE-ROLL: Brooks IHL – world-class residencies & fellowships → https://brooksihl.org

????️ MID-ROLL: EMPOWER EMR – fast, flexible, PT-designed software → https://empoweremr.com

????️ END-ROLL: U.S. Physical Therapy – build your PT career → https://usph.com

Most clinics say they need "more marketing."

But what they actually need is a plan that works.

Andrea Cheney is a healthcare strategist who’s spent 20 years leading in-house teams and advising growth-stage companies. In this episode, she teams up with Jimmy to break down what doesn’t work in healthcare marketing—and what actually moves the needle.

???? Key Moments:

• The real job of marketing (hint: it's not social media)
• How to build a message that lands with patients AND hires
• What C-suite leaders get wrong about digital strategy
• The trap of thinking marketing = content
• Why most email campaigns fail before they even send

Andrea also shares:

• How to audit your clinic’s brand signals in under 5 minutes
• When to bring in creative help vs in-house
• How clinics should (and shouldn’t) think about AI in 2026

???? Mic Drop Moment: "Don’t send an email just to send an email."

Dr. Lisa Flexner — educator, leader, and founder of Flex Health Consulting. Catch her at CSM 2026 delivering three sessions on workplace culture, substance use in patients, and weight bias in PT.

This episode covers:

• Why clinic culture is the #1 retention tool
• How to stop blaming clinicians for system problems
• What PTs must understand about patients using cannabis, opioids, and psilocybin
• How weight stigma harms health outcomes — and how to have the conversation right

Guest Info:

• Website: FlexHealthConsulting.com
• LinkedIn: Lisa Flexner

CSM 2026 Sessions:

1. OK Boomer, Meet Gen Z – Generational culture clash in PT teams
2. All Your Patients Are on Drugs – TED-style session on patient substance use
3. A Weighty Matter – How weight stigma affects outcomes and clinicians

Sponsor Shoutouts:

• Pre-Roll: Brooks IHL — Turn good clinicians into great ones: brooksihl.org
• Mid-Roll: Empower EMR — AI-powered workflows to give you time back: empoweremr.com
• Pre-Parting Shot: US Physical Therapy — Practice with purpose: usph.com

Scott Chesney’s life changed forever at 15 when a spinal stroke left him paralyzed. But that was only the beginning of his journey. In this inspiring episode, Scott joins Jimmy to share:

• How he navigated grief, anger, and acceptance
• The transformational power of physical therapy
• Why permission to feel is a crucial healing step
• What happened the day he walked across burning coals at a Tony Robbins seminar—on his hands
• How Deepak Chopra helped him look inward, while Robbins pushed him outward
• Why he believes he’s not done walking—literally

Scott’s story isn’t just about disability—it’s about rediscovering your purpose, trusting your heart, and refusing to be defined by limits.

???? Listen now and be prepared to rethink resilience.

Connect with Scott Here: https://scottchesney.com/

Former Top 10 Pro Athlete → Neuroscientist → Startup Founder

Dr. Jo Shattuck’s journey is wild: from cleaning carpets while living in a camper… to becoming a world-ranked athlete, then a neuroscience PhD, and now the founder of PantherTec. In this episode, Jo breaks down how we’ve been teaching movement wrong — and what proprioception, kinesthetic dissonance, and wearable tech have to do with fixing it.

???? Learn how PantherTec’s CAT device is helping athletes, patients, and clinicians unlock real body awareness — not just motion but meaning.

???? Topics Covered:

• What proprioception really is (and why most people don’t train it)
• Why your “internal body model” determines performance and safety
• How kinesthetic dissonance is changing rehab and movement coaching
• The limits of verbal cues and video — and why “feel” matters more
• How PantherTec’s tech is creating ah-ha moments in just minutes
• The true cost of wasted reps — and how to eliminate them
• Plus: chainsaw stories, social proprioception, black panthers, and one killer parting shot

???? Clinicians, athletes, coaches — if you've ever said "they just don’t get it" during a session, this episode is your wake-up call.