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Holding treatment in OncoPT can feel deeply uncomfortable...

...not because you don’t understand safety, but because your professional identity is tied to helping.

In this episode, we explore why deciding not to treat can feel like failure, how your clinical judgment matures over time, and why early-career OncoPTs often measure value by how much they do in a session.

We discuss the shift toward measuring value by the quality of your judgment - and how restraint, when appropriate, truly reflects specialist-level thinking.

Later this week on YouTube, I’ll walk through the clinical thresholds I use to help clarify when to proceed, modify, or hold treatment in advanced-stage cancer.

This episode continues our clinical reasoning series focused on navigating complex oncology decisions with clarity and confidence.

If you want a structured way to get started on your ABPTS oncology case report, I'm hosting a LIVE writing sprint later this month where we'll work through this together.

You can find the details here: https://TheOncoPT.com/sprint

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Treating patients with bone metastases carries a unique mental weight in OncoPT.

In this episode, we unpack why these decisions often linger long after your patient session ends - and why second-guessing doesn’t necessarily mean you lack competence.

We explore the psychological load of fracture risk, the discomfort of uncertainty, and why comfort with uncertainty is a learned skill in oncology practice.

Later this week on YouTube, I’ll walk through the structured framework I use when deciding whether bone metastases are safe to load - so you can hear how that reasoning sounds step-by-step.

This episode is part of a 4-episode clinical reasoning series designed to help oncology PTs think more clearly in complex cases.

If you want a structured way to get started on your ABPTS oncology case report, I'm hosting a LIVE writing sprint later this month where we'll work through this together.

You can find the details here: https://TheOncoPT.com/sprint

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The final weeks before the ABPTS Oncology Exam can feel emotionally intense, even when preparation has been solid. Anxiety often increases, and it’s tempting to change everything at the last minute.

In this episode, we talk about how to approach the final stretch with focus and restraint, why last-minute overhauls increase stress, and how confidence comes from execution — not cramming.

In this episode, we cover:
• Why anxiety spikes close to exam day
• How last-minute overcorrections undermine confidence
• The role of containment and focus
• What finishing well actually looks like

Looking for more structure and clarity?
You can watch the full YouTube playlist that supports this stage of exam prep here:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZrwPMnzMtblj9rgmUIw7PJCQ8yGJ9IFX&si=-FMqrrcXf9QU2DQ7

If you want a structured way to get started on your ABPTS oncology case report, I'm hosting a LIVE writing sprint later this month where we'll work through this together.

You can find the details here: https://TheOncoPT.com/sprint

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At this point in exam prep, many oncology physical therapists find themselves asking, “Is it too late?”

And this LOADED question often comes with fear, pressure, and self-doubt.

In this episode, we talk through how to think about this question honestly and calmly, how fear distorts decision-making, and why discernment is a critical professional skill.

We cover:
• Why this question shows up late in exam prep
• The difference between panic-based and clarity-based decisions
• Why pausing is not the same as quitting
• How honest decisions protect long-term confidence

Looking for more structure and clarity?
You can find a visual walkthrough of this decision point in the YouTube playlist here:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZrwPMnzMtblj9rgmUIw7PJCQ8yGJ9IFX&si=-FMqrrcXf9QU2DQ7

If you want a structured way to get started on your ABPTS oncology case report, I'm hosting a LIVE writing sprint later this month where we'll work through this together.

You can find the details here: https://TheOncoPT.com/sprint

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Studying for the ABPTS Oncology Exam while working full-time can make it feel like you’re never doing enough. When time is limited, HOW you study matters more than how long you study.

You'll hear why busy clinicians often default to passive studying, how time pressure increases second-guessing, and what actually helps when your schedule is full.

In this episode, we cover:
• Why time scarcity increases decision fatigue
• The difference between familiarity and confidence
• Why longer study sessions aren’t always more effective
• How structure reduces mental load

Looking for more structure and clarity?
If visual guidance would be helpful, you can find related videos in this YouTube playlist:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZrwPMnzMtblj9rgmUIw7PJCQ8yGJ9IFX&si=-FMqrrcXf9QU2DQ7

If you want a structured way to get started on your ABPTS oncology case report, I'm hosting a LIVE writing sprint later this month where we'll work through this together.

You can find the details here: https://TheOncoPT.com/sprint

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Many oncology physical therapists default to studying EVERYTHING when preparing for the ABPTS Oncology Exam. It feels responsible...but this often leads to overstudying, decision fatigue, and unnecessary stress.

You'll hear why overstudying is so common, how it undermines your confidence, and why prioritization is a skill that matters more than volume.

In this episode, we cover:
• Why “studying everything” feels safe but actually backfires
• How decision fatigue affects confidence
• The difference between responsibility and prioritization
• Why clarity beats volume during exam prep

Looking for more structure and clarity?
I’ve shared a visual breakdown of this topic in my YouTube playlist for oncology PTs preparing for the ABPTS exam:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZrwPMnzMtblj9rgmUIw7PJCQ8yGJ9IFX&si=-FMqrrcXf9QU2DQ7

If you want a structured way to get started on your ABPTS oncology case report, I'm hosting a LIVE writing sprint later this month where we'll work through this together.

You can find the details here: https://TheOncoPT.com/sprint

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If you’re preparing for the ABPTS Oncology Specialty Exam and feeling overwhelmed or unsure whether you’re studying the right things, you’re not alone. This stage of exam prep often brings more anxiety — not because you’re failing, but because clarity matters more than effort.

You'll hear why overwhelm is so common at this point, what actually increases stress during studying, and how clearer prioritization can restore your confidence.

In this episode, we cover:
• Why overwhelm often peaks late in exam prep
• How random studying increases anxiety
• The difference between effort and clarity
• Why confidence drops without prioritization

Looking for more structure and clarity?
If you’d like a more structured, visual walkthrough on this topic, you can watch the full YouTube playlist here:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZrwPMnzMtblj9rgmUIw7PJCQ8yGJ9IFX&si=-FMqrrcXf9QU2DQ7

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What happens when we know exercise improves outcomes for cancer survivors…but most patients still can’t access it? 

In this episode, I sit down with the guest speakers behind the upcoming APTA CSM session “Mind the Gaps: Advancing Equitable Implementation of Evidence-Based Exercise Programs for Survivors of Cancer” to unpack the real-world barriers between evidence and practice in exercise oncology.

We dig into what it actually takes to implement evidence-based programs like Strength After Breast Cancer in clinical settings—and why equity has to be designed into the process from the start. 

From pre-implementation planning and adapting programs on the fly, to building community partnerships that expand access for under-resourced and minority survivors, this conversation moves beyond theory into actionable strategies clinicians can use now.

If you care about closing research-to-practice gaps, advancing health equity, and delivering better rehab outcomes for cancer survivors, this one’s for you. 🎧

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You’ve probably heard that “the soft skills are actually the hardest skills.” But what happens when your interpersonal skills are put to the test in the most chaotic and emotionally charged moments of patient care?

In this episode, we unpack why so-called “difficult” patients behave the way they do, how fear and loss of control drive conflict, and why oncology physical therapists are uniquely equipped to navigate these moments with clarity and confidence.

You’ll hear practical strategies for anticipating patient needs, managing escalating situations, collaborating across disciplines, and checking your own bias before it checks you.

This conversation goes beyond protocols and productivity metrics to focus on what actually determines success in high-stress encounters: trauma-informed care, de-escalation, emotional intelligence, ethical boundaries, and clinical communication.

This episode will challenge how you think about conflict, remind you that human connection is a clinical skill, and leave you with tools to turn tension into therapeutic opportunity.

🎧 Listen in, and if you’ll be at CSM, add this session to your schedule:
AC-24501 - Managing the Unmanageable, the a-Holes of the Emergency Department

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OncoPTs are part of a patient’s oncology team during the most vulnerable moments of life, including the end of life. However, many clinicians feel unprepared to hold conversations about death and dying and manage the emotional toll that comes with this work.

In this APTA CSM Preview episode, I’m joined by Drs. Adam Matichak and Lori Boright for a grounded, compassionate conversation about what PTs need to know to show up confidently in hospice and palliative care settings.

We talk about:

• The OncoPT’s role when the goal is no longer “getting better,” but living fully
• How to navigate difficult conversations about functional decline, goals of care, and quality of life
• Why “Death is not a dirty word”… and how normalizing these conversations can transform patient care
  
  

No matter your previous experience, this episode will help you understand the landscape, communicate more clearly, and care for yourself as you care for others.

If you’re headed to CSM 2026, add this session to your schedule:
Death Is Not a Dirty Word: The What’s What of Hospice and Palliative Care

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