Physical Therapy : A Physical Therapist

Ever since I was a kid, it has been my life goal to help as many people I can. I have moved around in many different areas of the medical field, but no career had caught my eye as much as physical therapy. As an athlete, I have been in and out of the physical therapist’s office for a majority of my life. Each time I have went I could not help but be beyond grateful for what these people have done for me; they have given me the ability to play the sport I love despite all the hiccups. Physical therapy is a dynamic field within the field of medicine because as a physical therapist one can make a difference in the lives of his or her patients, enjoy job security, and enjoy a rewarding and personally satisfying career.

Congratulations on making it to week eight of PTA 324 Physical Therapy Across Practice Settings! We end this course with a look at professional development of the PTA. We will be discussing ideas for lifelong learning and maintaining clinical competence. By being in this course, you have already shown a commitment to professional development and lifelong learning. As we come to the end of this class, reflect on the self-directed learning that you have achieved and how your professional development has been affected by your research and the interactions with your classmates.

In fact, as suspected over the next 10 year span (2008-2018) the demand and popularity will continue to grow by at least 35%. In the past there have been more jobs than graduates (“PTA Career”). According to Dawn Parker, a Physical Therapist Assistant and one of the MCC PTA professors, this is partially because insurance companies are finding it cheaper to rehabilitate patients as opposed to paying for surgery (“Dawn Parker”). There are already over 65,000 licensed and practicing Physical Therapist Assistants in the United States. The median income for the Physical Therapist Assistant depends on many different factors which include but are not limited to: educational background (certifications, trainings, other degrees), geographic location and the setting (clinic, hospital, extended care facility, etc.) (“PTA Career Overview”). The average income of a Physical Therapist Assistant in a clinical or hospital setting in eastern North Carolina is around $18.00 an hour. Nursing homes do tend offer more incentive being there is a much greater need of Physical Therapist Assistants. According to research Physical Therapist and Physical Therapist Assistants are among some of the happiest professionals

The average pay for a physical therapist in 2015 was $84,020 annually and $40.40 per hour (“Summary”). Initial pay as a physical therapist could be around $67,000. With about 5-9 years of experience you could make about $80.000, and with 10-19 years you can make over $100,000. Occupational therapy makes about $80,000 annually, and a PT assistant makes about $46,000 annually. (“Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Degree Average Salary”) Some other similar jobs would be an audiologist which they make about $74,890 annually, and a recreational therapist makes about $45,890 annually

As a PTA I have been given a breath of knowledge in regard to the profession of physical therapy. However, I am not satisfied with this breath of knowledge. I yearn for the opportunity to gain a further understanding in terms of “how and why” physical therapy is successful at restoring function to individuals seeking

As a Physical Therapist Assistant on average they make $18.00 a hour. This is averaged out between beginners and those who have been working for long periods of time at the same location. As a full time employee the salary yearly is $37,000. However in many cases after being in the same job the hourly rate can go up to $34.00 a hour which is a huge increase in the yearly salary making it $72,000. However

“Advancement prospects are excellent for Physical Therapy Assistants. Individuals can advance their career by becoming full-fledged physical therapists” (“Physical Therapy Assistant”) so it’s simple as that the advancement is just becoming a physical therapist. A physical therapist is pretty much the highest level in that specific area in the medical field they do everything for patients and the assistants just reinforce what their orders are. There are some extra things necessary to become a physical therapist though “in order to climb the career ladder, however, the Physical Therapy Assistant must take additional training. This usually includes at least another two years of schooling in an institution that has an accredited program in physical therapy” (“Physical Therapy

In addition, most PT education programs require applicants to earn a bachelor’s degree prior to admission into the professional DPT program. “A few programs recruit all or a portion of students directly from high school into a guaranteed admissions program.” The top 10% of physical therapists make an estimated $116,090, while the bottom 10% makes an estimated $56,800. Furthermore, an average PT salary is about $82,390. The Responsibilities of a PT are to be able to examine (test muscle function, strength, joints, flexibility, range of motion, balance/coordination, posture, etc.), diagnose, and create a plan of care. There are many job opportunities in schools (pre, high, college), at wellness centers, rehabilitation centers, and private

Other duties Physical Therapist perform include diagnosing the patient, restoring physical functions, preventing further symptoms, taking patient history, setting up a plan for their patients, using exercises or exercise machines to limit pain and increase flexibility, evaluate a patient's progress, and educate patients and their families on how to cope with the disabilities. The initial pay for a Physical Therapist starts out at around $69,220 a year. Physical Therapist with an higher education receive around $80,242. Some similar careers to a physical therapist would be an athletic trainer, chiropractor, occupational therapist and an athletic trainer.

Depending on a person’s experience and knowledge, annual salaries may differ. “The average starting salary for a physical therapist assistant is $27,000 but the average of all was $44,130 in 2007 with experienced assistants earning up to $61,340. The salary for an occupational therapist was $58,080 in 2006 but some made as much as $80,000”, according to the American Medical Association (Allied). These numbers will definitely be an improvement on salaries that I have had in the past. With the current unemployment rate one must be looking to get into a career field where there is employment as well as financial security. A salary of $40,000 or more will make a big change in my lifestyle. This will allow me to live the lifestyle I want by helping others and having the salary to vacation wherever I like. With the current lifestyle that I am living this will be a great financial boost for me and my family.

The job I plan on pursuing with kinesiology as my major is to become a physical therapist, which is also known as PT. Their main duty is helping patients rehabilitate with disabling injuries such as fractures, arthritis and low-back pain. Their duty is to help patients their relieve pain, increase mobility, and decrease long-term physical disabilities. Physical therapists focus on the evaluation of strength, balance, range of motion, co-ordination, endurance, and posture of each individual patient. Their patients can range from different age groups from infants to grandparents. The age group would provide a variety of therapeutic exercises for each of the health issues they would have. Depending

I believe that my personal and professional growth and behavior as a physical therapist is of utmost importance. I base this firstly on my strong connection to those in society who are disadvantaged when it comes to physical therapy, and also on the movement system, movement being “the key to optimal living and quality of life for all people that extends beyond health to every person’s ability to participate in and contribute to society” (American Physical Therapy Association, 2013). This perspective, I believe, is aligned perfectly with the vision statement for the physical therapy profession – to transform society through optimization of movement to improve the human experience (APTA, 2013). After reviewing the vision statement, I strongly believe it will act as my guide by strengthening compassion, reinforcing advocacy, improving quality of service, and strengthening cohesion.

A physical therapist works with many different people to reduce pain and improve flexibility. PT’s first evaluate a patient based on what happened to them. Later, they create a personalized treatment for the patient based on what happened to them. They work in clinics, hospitals, sports facilities and many more locations. The average pay of a physical therapist is $80,000 dollars a year which depends on experience and location. To become a physical therapist, you must get a four year undergraduate degree. Then you must get a graduate degree from a physical therapy program. Finally a PT must pass a national licensure exam to be able to practice. This career relates to sports medicine because many PT’s work with athletes that have gotten injured

Ever since I was young my life goals were to help others when I grew up, however I wasn’t exactly sure how. Throughout the past couple years, with a wonderful support system; I have been able to make the decision about wanting to achieve the goal of becoming a physical therapist. It is my belief that I have a high spiritual calling to be a physical therapist, because I have the intention to be able to guide others. I gather that this can be spiritual, because helping others is what God’s intentions are, and would recommend others to follow in His footsteps. My mindset is indeed compassionate, empathetic, selfless, and strong with a thirst for knowledge. Being a physical therapist has many rewards such as happiness, equality, and a sense of accomplishment which can be very valuable and will affect my life in a positive manner.

With every job comes different amounts of pay. In my opinion, PT’s are no downfall in the payroll. Another bonus to being a PT is that in a way, you determine your pay by how you treat your patients. If your patients are treated well you will have repeat business, and with repeat business comes more work, and more pay to follow. Physical therapists have a salary range between $54,000 and $110,000 according to 2011 statistics. That's more than registered nurses and occupational therapists. PT’s average $78,270.00, as occupational therapy averages $74,000 and massage therapists a whopping $36,000. The highest paid in the physical therapist profession work is in the metropolitan areas of Texas, in El Paso and McAllen pay well. and Fairbanks, AK. Fairbanks in Arkansas and Sioux City in Iowa are great paying cities too.