"Real, candid, intelligent conversations about PT … over a beer": That's the irresistible mantra of PT Pintcast, owned and operated by the charismatic Jimmy McKay. His casual and conversational approach to working as a physical therapist has garnered him a devoted audience of listeners around the world, and with good reason. As a sponsor, Aureus Medical is proud to support PT Pintcast. We were honored to sit down with Jimmy and learn his thoughts on the mission behind his podcast and his opinions on physical therapy jobs today.
From an idea to a global sensation
The seeds of PT Pintcast were first planted in 2014, when McKay was a first-year PT student. The idea was initially developed when Jimmy was attending the NEXT conference in Charlotte, North Carolina. He checked out a session on training tactical athletes and while he found the subject incredibly interesting, many aspects of the presentation such as the jargon went over his head. He later approached the presenter at a PT happy hour and confessed he didn't understand a lot of his talk, despite finding it fascinating. The presenter, passionate about the field, talked level-to-level with Jimmy, an approach he viewed as incredibly impactful – "real, candid, intelligent conversations," instead of canned lines and complicated technical speech. It was this experience that inspired him to start his similarly relaxed PT Pintcast, calling on his previous experience as a rock radio DJ prior to enrolling in PT school.
Jimmy thought: "What if we could talk to the leading minds in PT, in a relaxed and conversational format like we were sharing a pint of beer with them?", and this thought led to the creation of the podcast. He was correct in his anticipation of what PTs wanted to hear – his podcast has been downloaded more than 615,000 times and counts listeners in 125 countries.
We sat down with Jimmy to learn more about the brains behind the operation and his thoughts on physical therapy jobs today:
Aureus: What are your goals for the program? What do you aim to accomplish and share?
Jimmy: I don't learn from a lecture, and believe me we had a LOT of lectures in PT school … I learned better after class. When everyone else was packing up, I'd rush to the front of the room to ask questions to the professor or speaker. It's one of the things I realized about myself, that I prefer conversations to presentations.
What will a new PT gain from following your program? And what about an experienced PT?
You know, I really thought that our show would be heard by students and that's it, but we get emails regularly from seasoned clinicians about things they've learned from the show. I think you can learn at the very least ONE thing from having a conversation with someone. Everyone has had a life experience that's different from yours. I apply my experience as an interviewer to get those stories out, and I try to make it fun in the meantime. Our goal from the start has been 1. Have Fun; 2. Learn Something. And I can honestly say 200+ episodes in, we haven't missed yet.
How is the program satisfying for you on a personal level?
Selfishly, I get to talk to so many amazing people, one-on-one, and ask them anything I want, and they answer me! It's like having a backstage pass to PT. If I want to know more about a topic, instead of reading a book, I call the author for an interview. Now, that helps me immensely, but I hope the audience knows that ultimately, I'm doing it so they get just as much out of it.
Why is there a need for a style of education like what you provide in the PT environment?
I think you get something that you can't pick up in a book, no matter how well written. You gain something in HOW the person I'm talking to says something, you can hear what is important in how they respond. It's more human than reading it. Look, podcasting is not an advanced form of technology, it's spoken word that happens to be sent further than around a campfire.
Has your impression of the field and the profession changed at all since you launched the program?
I think it has. Honestly, I used to think I wasn't prepared for it. Now, I'm not saying that I don't need to learn anything; in fact the more I learn the more I realize how much I don't know. But what I mean by that is, the top PTs, top educators, top researchers all say the same thing. 'Do the basics, don't stop learning, listen, pay attention and care.' The more people I talk to, the more it shows me how amazing and caring this profession is.
In the years that PT Pintcast has been running, are there things you've learned that have surprised you or enlightened you?
How giving people are continues to pleasantly surprise me. In terms of their time, their knowledge, donating to causes we support. It makes me feel really excited to see where PT will continue to go.
What's the most inspirational story you've heard/told through PT Pintcast?
Oh … well by far the story of G. If you want to cry take a listen. You can read the story too. If the podcast crashes and burns down tomorrow, I still got to do that. I'd rest easy.
You provide a valuable service to new PTs as well as more experienced PTs, including travel physical therapists. Are there differences in how these two groups view the field and what drives them?
I think they're more similar than different. Since tech is allowing access to free information in ways that never existed before, I think that both groups are just getting warmed up using it to learn. Video, podcast, webinar, blog – this stuff is just starting to really be user-friendly enough to be widespread. I think what drives them is the same: caring individuals trying to figure out how to help people. And learning from others is a great way to do that.
What are some of the common themes you notice from those you interview and your listeners?
Willingness to learn, on both accounts. I've seen the leaders in specific areas of PT, people at the TOP of the profession, ask questions and try to understand more. It's a testament to why they're at the top of the field, their willingness and desire to continue to learn. And look, if you're spending your free time listening to people drink beer and talk PT, you're obviously invested in the profession and how you can improve yourself.
Are there any misconceptions about the field that through your program you feel you've helped PTs overcome?
That the field is both very large or small. Yes it's worldwide, but small enough that you can reach out to your PT colleagues and they'll likely respond.
What's on the horizon for PT Pintcast in the next five years, 10 years?
Oh I have a macro/micro gameplan. Micro, keep talking to smart/fun people as long as its fun and I learn something. Macro, see where that takes me. So I just put one beer in front of another and see where that gets me … It's been a fun ride so far. But I don't see myself stepping away anytime soon, it's too fun and I learn too much. The show is growing (in terms of listeners per month as well as where they're from – 131 countries … which is still hard to contemplate) so as long as people are learning, and having as much fun as I am, I'll keep talking.
Thanks, Jimmy, for taking the time to talk with us! We'll be tuning into your next episode for some inspiring conversation and honest insights!