Why Pursue A Physical Therapist Career?

Physical therapists are important members of the health care services community, providing patients with the help and treatment they need in order to return to health after accidents, diseases, or injuries. They help restore function, improve mobility, relieve pain, and prevent or limit permanent physical disability as a result of injury or disease. They also help to restore and maintain overall fitness and health.

When starting a treatment program, a physical therapist will first examine their patient’s medical history. Following this, they will test the patient’s strength, range of motion, balance and coordination, muscle performance, respiration, posture, and motor function. Following this, they develop a treatment program that will help rehabilitate the patient. These treatments include exercises to increase flexibility and range of motion as well as strength training. Physical therapists may also use electrical stimulation, hot packs or cold compresses, ultrasound, traction, and deep-tissue massage. In addition to this, physical therapists also help patients adapt to prostheses, walkers, or wheelchairs. Physical therapists may treat a wide range of illnesses and injuries, or they may specialize in certain fields such as pediatrics, geriatrics, or sports medicine.

Physical therapists work in hospitals, clinics, private practices, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, adult daycare programs, or wellness centers, and may also treat patients in homes or schools. They most often work a regular 40 hour week, but may work some evenings and weekends in order to better care for their patients. Their salaries vary according to the capacity in which they are employed, ranging from $40,200 to $86,260, but the average is between $48,480 and $70,050.

Physical therapists must pass a licensure exam after graduating from an accredited physical therapy program before they can practice. In 2003 there were 203 schools offering physical therapy programs. Of those, 113 offered degrees at the master’s level, and 90 offered degrees at the doctorate level. Physical therapists usually continue their education after licensure, and are often required to do so to maintain their license.

Employment for physical therapists is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations. Growth in the number of people with disabilities or limited function, as well as an increase in the elderly population due to the aging of the nation’s largest population, the baby boom generation, will increase the demand for physical therapists. Growth will also increase because of the widespread interest in future health and maintaining current health.

Featured Physical Therapist Schools:

Florida
Keiser University (Ft.Lauderdale, Melbourne) - Occupational Therapy Assistant, Physical Therapist Assistant

New Hampshire
Hesser College* (Concord, Manchester, Nashua, Portsmouth, Salem) - Medical Assistant, Physical Therapy Assistant

Idaho