I haven't figured out an easy-to-remember shortcut system for these similar terms that crop up semi-regularly in my reports: physiotherapy, physiotherapist, physical therapy. The way I'm currently doing it I'd be quicker to type out the whole thing coz I guess at my shortcut and usually end up going through at least two of them if not all three before I get the right one.

Any ideas on how to reliably shorten this type of thing? There are others as well that share similar beginnings. Is there a system to deal with these?

Good evening, Squirrel!

Here's what I would do:

pthey = physiotherapy
phth = physical therapy

That's because I take almost any word that I consider to have a "prefix" and take the first letter of the word, the first three letters of the root word, and the last letter. And I primarily use the first two letters of each word for two-word phrases such as physical therapy.

Speaking of "ists," there is a wonderful system for most all of them that I swiped ages ago. It's simply the first three letters of the word and a T at the end. So you have:

gast = gastroenterologist
ortt = orthopedist
endt = endocrinologist
cart = cardiologist
onct = oncologist
radt = radiologist
otot = otolaryngologist

Etc. So if you used that, you'd have phyt for physiotherapist.

Just to show a different approach, I have tpy = therapy, tpst = therapist

pty=physiotherapy
ptst=physiotherapist
plty=physical therapy
cty=chemotherapy
rty=radiotherapy
oty=occupational therapy
raty=radiation therapy

switching the y to st for the person who does it, adding an s to get the plurals, etc.