“I used to think the more initials the better — until all those letters didn’t protect me when it mattered most.”
As long as I can remember, I have loved studying.
Not only do I enjoy learning…
I have always wanted to be certified.
I chase the initials after my name.
I see instructors with long strings of credentials and I think:
I want to be one of them.
And over the years, I became exactly that.
A Physical Therapist.
A Doctor of Physical Therapy.
A Certified Hand Therapist.
An Enrolled Agent for the IRS.
I completed multiple NASM modules:
At one point, I was even in the middle of finishing the Certified Financial Planning program at NYU.
Learning was never the issue.
But life has a way of forcing you to pause.
While working on the CFP…
I found myself dealing with something I never expected.
I was answering a complaint against me from the Board of Physical Therapy.
That experience changed everything.
Because suddenly…
It didn’t matter how many degrees I had.
It didn’t matter how many certifications I earned.
People still viewed me however they wanted to view me.
Maybe because I don’t look like what a “typical” physical therapist is expected to look like.
Maybe for reasons I still don’t fully understand.
But it went on for four long years.
And during that same time…
I was also studying for the Orthopedic Certified Specialist (OCS).
It was exhausting.
Somewhere in those years, I realized something:
Education is meant to shorten the learning curve.
It exists so we don’t repeat mistakes.
It helps us become better clinicians.
Better decision-makers.
Better professionals.
I will always be grateful for what I learned.
Becoming a Certified Hand Therapist was a huge milestone.
But eventually, the question became less about learning…
…and more about what comes after.
Every credential comes with maintenance.
Renewal fees.
Continuing education requirements.
Recertification deadlines.
And for foreign-trained clinicians…
The burden can be even heavier.
Licensing reciprocity is not always simple.
Even if you have a DPT and twenty years of experience…
Some states will still make you go through the process again.
In my case, I maintain four state licenses.
That means:
Four renewal cycles.
Four sets of fees.
Then NASM continuing education is due.
Then IRS Enrolled Agent continuing education is due.
Then everything else comes back around again.
It becomes a constant cycle.
That’s when I started thinking:
Why add more?
Why pursue the OCS?
Why finish the CFP?
Not because I don’t value knowledge.
But because every new set of initials adds another obligation.
Another payment.
Another deadline.
At some point, you start to wonder:
Is this helping my patients?
Is this helping my career?
Or am I just collecting credentials to prove something?
Let me be clear:
I am not against education.
I will always be someone who studies.
I plan to complete a dry needling course in the next few months.
And honestly…
I might even study gardening guides from Floret Flower Farm just because I enjoy learning.
But I am starting to see the difference between:
Learning for growth…
And collecting certifications out of pressure.
If you are early in your career, here is what I would say:
Certifications look impressive.
But they don’t automatically make you a better clinician.
Choose education that truly improves your practice.
Ask yourself:
If not, it may just become another renewal fee.
Every certification comes with:
Think beyond the exam.
Think about maintenance.
You can have ten certifications…
And people may still judge you unfairly.
Focus on integrity, competence, and consistency.
Those matter more than initials.
Education is powerful.
Just make sure it serves you…
Not just your resume.
Maybe the real question isn’t:
“How many certifications can I earn?”
Maybe it’s:
What knowledge actually serves my life, my patients, and my purpose?
You can have a hundred degrees…
And people may still see you how they want.
So perhaps the goal isn’t endless initials.
Perhaps the goal is learning with intention.
Just a thought.
