If you would enjoy helping people who have suffered a trauma or who have a debilitating disease become more physically independent, a career as a physical therapist might be the right move for you.
What They Do
Physical therapists (PTs) evaluate and diagnose patients with injuries, low back pain, cerebral palsy, disabilities, heart disease, arthritis, bone fractures and other bone and skeletal system disorders. They also prescribe and administer the patient's treatment. Treatments many include ultrasound, electrical stimulation, stretching, exercise, heat, cold compresses, bone manipulation and other therapies, with the goal of helping the patient gain or regain as much mobility and independence as possible to enjoy a better quality of life.
PTs may work in a team with other medical professionals such as doctors, nurses, social workers and speech-language pathologists who are also involved in the patient's care. Some PTs specialize in fields such as pediatrics, geriatrics, sports medicine and neurology, and teach in academic institutions or conduct research.
PTs may be employed by hospitals, private practice home health agencies, outpatient rehabilitation centers, physicians' offices, clinics and nursing homes. Or they may be self-employed, providing services to individual patients or contracting with hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, home health agencies, adult day care programs and schools.
Qualifications
A Masters or Doctoral degree in physical therapy and passing a state certification test are required.
The Demand
The aging population will continue drive the demand for physical therapists. According to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), physical therapist jobs will grow much faster than average, especially in acute hospital, rehabilitation, and orthopedic settings, because as people age they become more vulnerable to heart attacks, strokes, broken bones and other debilitating conditions.
The BLS reports that in 2008, the median annual salary for PTs was $72,790. Home health care physical therapists typically make higher salaries than physical therapists who work for health care facilities. To learn more about physical therapists visit the American Physical Therapy Association Web site at www.apta.org.
What They Do
PTs may work in a team with other medical professionals such as doctors, nurses, social workers and speech-language pathologists who are also involved in the patient's care. Some PTs specialize in fields such as pediatrics, geriatrics, sports medicine and neurology, and teach in academic institutions or conduct research.
PTs may be employed by hospitals, private practice home health agencies, outpatient rehabilitation centers, physicians' offices, clinics and nursing homes. Or they may be self-employed, providing services to individual patients or contracting with hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, home health agencies, adult day care programs and schools.
Qualifications
A Masters or Doctoral degree in physical therapy and passing a state certification test are required.
The Demand
The aging population will continue drive the demand for physical therapists. According to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), physical therapist jobs will grow much faster than average, especially in acute hospital, rehabilitation, and orthopedic settings, because as people age they become more vulnerable to heart attacks, strokes, broken bones and other debilitating conditions.
The BLS reports that in 2008, the median annual salary for PTs was $72,790. Home health care physical therapists typically make higher salaries than physical therapists who work for health care facilities. To learn more about physical therapists visit the American Physical Therapy Association Web site at www.apta.org.
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