Private practice physical therapy owners, staff PTs, and new grads: if you’re frustrated with reimbursement cuts, burnout, TRICARE rules, or feeling unheard — this MBA for the DPT episode is your playbook for advocacy that actually moves the needle.
Advocacy isn’t politics. It’s business strategy. It’s communication. It’s protecting patients, your license, your compensation, and the future of the profession.
In this lesson, Sean Bagby and Kristen Walls break down what advocacy really is (where thoughts meet action), why most PTs avoid it, and how to influence change without burning bridges. From clinician well-being to reimbursement battles that took fifteen years to win, this episode reframes advocacy as a leadership skill every PT needs.
If you own a clinic, lead a team, or plan to, this matters. The rules shaping your revenue and your career are being written somewhere. The question is whether you’re in the room.
00:00 Advocacy Defined
04:32 Why PTs Avoid Action
10:07 Self Advocacy First
21:14 Policy Change Reality
29:23 Influence Through Communication
37:26 Building Professional Legacy
Guest Mentions & Resources
• Healthy Practice Resource (HRRI – Ohio)
• APTA House of Delegates
• CSM (Combined Sections Meeting)
This episode is part of the MBA for the DPT series — business education PT school didn’t include.
