How a Physical Therapist Built a Remote Academic Career While Raising 5 Kids - with Cody Thompson

What happens when a physical therapist tells their spouse, "I just have this itch—I need to share what I know with somebody else"? For Cody Thompson, that dining table moment sparked a 15-year journey from home health practice to remote PhD faculty.Cody's evolution challenges every assumption about linear healthcare careers. From driving two hours each way to teach as a lab assistant, to strategically leveraging market needs for program director roles, his story reveals how curiosity and opportunity can reshape your entire trajectory. This conversation explores practical realities of transitioning into healthcare education, financial calculations most clinicians get wrong, and why we're missing countless career branches by staying in our comfortable scope of practice lanes.We ExploreHow do you recognise when professional restlessness points toward something new?What does it mean to trade unmotivated patients for hungry students?When is uncertainty worth sacrificing familiar comfort?How can you leverage organisational needs with existing skills?What financial calculations do healthcare professionals get wrong about education roles?How do you maintain professional identity while expanding into unexpected territories?About Cody ThompsonCody Thompson is a physical therapist and Associate Professor with over 20 years of experience who transitioned into healthcare education. He currently runs a health science PhD program at a university in Alabama and helps healthcare professionals navigate career transitions into academic roles. Cody is also a father of five and advocates for building career flexibility that aligns with personal values and life circumstances.Guest LinksConnect with Cody on LinkedInNon-Clinical Gig Job Board (US-based)Career Cliniq ResourcesInspired by Cody's journey? The ⁠StreamAhead Assessment⁠ helps health professionals discover which of eight healthcare workstreams align with your current interests and life circumstances.  Find out more ⁠HERE.Join the ConversationLinkedIn: @DrRuthVo @CareerCliniq | Instagram: @drruthvo