“Physical therapists (PTs) are highly-educated, licensed health care professionals who can help patients reduce pain and improve or restore mobility – in many cases without expensive surgery and often reducing the need for long-term use of prescription medications and their side effects.”
– The American Physical Therapy Association
The physical therapy profession welcomes compassionate individuals who have a strong desire to help other people. Practitioners also need to possess good interpersonal skills, be able to communicate effectively, and have an affinity for science. Physical therapists (also known as PTs) work with accident victims and with people who are disabled by illness or a physical condition (such as arthritis or cerebral palsy). They test and measure function and mobility, and develop a treatment plan to restore patients to health or to improve their ability to function independently. Some PTs provide services for athletes to screen for potential problems and to devise preventative exercise regimens. Still others are employed as consultants by industry to help reduce injuries to employees, or work with fitness centers in developing effective and safe exercise routines. A major part of the job focuses on preventing injuries and loss of mobility. The goal of all physical therapy is to restore function, and to maintain and increase overall fitness and health.
Physical therapists work with people across their lifespan; some may specialize in infants and children while others work mainly with the elderly. While most are employed by hospitals and clinics, others work at rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, and at physicians’ offices. Some establish their own private practice, or may teach and/or conduct research. Physical therapy is a rapidly growing field and the demand for these services is expected to continue to grow over the next decade. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects a 30% increase in jobs for physical therapists through 2018.
A career as a physical therapist requires a minimum of master’s degree in physical therapy from an accredited physical therapy program. A growing majority of programs now offer the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree, and the few which don’t are expected to change to this degree soon. Admission to physical therapy programs is quite competitive, and a strong science background, including classes in anatomy, biology, chemistry, math and physics, is required. In addition, many programs also require that applicants have had volunteer experience in a hospital or clinic physical therapy department.
PTs must understand all of the factors that can affect movement and function, so physical therapy training programs include both basic science courses as well as specialized courses in areas like biomechanics, neuroanatomy, and human growth and development. A significant part of the training involves supervised clinical experience. Upon graduation from one of the 199 accredited U.S. programs, therapists must pass a state-administered National Licensure exam before they can practice. Many states also require continuing education to maintain licensure. To get a list of accredited physical therapy programs as well as more information about this rewarding career, log on to the American Physical Therapy Association’s website at http://www.apta.org/AboutPTs/
