One of the many careers in health care is Physical Therapy. Physical Therapists help their patients in a number of settings to improve mobility, increase strength, and reduce pain. They help to prevent disability after disease, injury, or loss of a body part. It is considered one of the most rewarding jobs in health care and is one that I am personally interested in. Physical Therapy is a significant career in the healthcare field which is seen through the steps it takes to become one, the responsibilities of the job, and the challenges involved in pursuing the career. Like any career in healthcare, there are many steps and schooling required to become a Physical Therapist. The first step after graduating high school, the minimum is to get an associate’s degree, but a bachelor’s degree, ideally in a relevant field such as kinesiology, is recommended. Then, you must pursue a Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree. According to the American Physical Therapy Association, after graduation from an accredited physical therapy education …show more content…
The average Physical Therapist earns about $87,220 a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It is a rewarding field to go into considering, “The BLS projects the physical therapy field will grow 25 percent by 2026, with 60,000 jobs added by that time.” (US News). However, there also some challenges to pursuing this career. The career is physically demanding as you have to spend long hours on your feet, carry the weight of your patients, and use your hands all day to massage and apply treatments, therefore you must be physically fit. Furthermore, it can also be emotionally demanding due to patients not recovering as quickly as you’d thought. Patients can become frustrated and depressed with their lack of progress which can further take a toll on emotional stress. All inclusive, a career in physical therapy can be rewarding despite its
As a physical therapist, one is able to make a difference in the lives of the patients he or she encounters. Whether they have a minor injury, such as a broken
Physical therapists also can consult and practice with other professionals, such as physicians, dentists, nurses, educators, social workers, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, and audiologists to help them with their treatment to a patient. Conducting research or teaching is another job option for physical therapists.
With the job outlook of the physical therapy field being expected to grow by 34 percent by 2024, faster than the average occupation, the average annual wage at a whopping $84,020, paid sick and vacation days and the flexible work environment, this seems like the perfect profession to enter. Having a career in physical therapy can be very rewarding because a physical therapist gets to watch as his or her patients improve every appointment through treatment. Unfortunately, this is not always the case in this profession. There are many disadvantages, and knowing these will help anyone interested in this field have a better understanding of how tough pursuing a career in this field can be. Being a physical therapist can be a rewarding experience and have amazing benefits. However, it is important to be aware of the disadvantages: the extreme amount of education, physical demands, emotional demands and the continuation of education requirements.
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.
Physical therapists are members of a health care team, specially trained to improve movement and flinction, relieve pain, and expand movement potential. Through evaluation and individualized treatment programs, physical therapists can both treat existing problems and provide preventive health care for people with a variety of needs (Physical Therapy-Improving 1). Physical therapists are very knowledgeable and skillful concerning the human body. Physical therapy is a complex, but rewarding field to pursue as a career. Specialization, working conditions, job outlook, salaries, and education requirements need to be taken into consideration when contemplating a career as a physical therapist.
You can complete a bachelor’s degree, which will help you for graduate study in physical therapy, and also a doctor of physical therapy, which is required to become a licensed physical
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
To become a physical therapist you will need an either a master’s at the time of this paper, but it is becoming phased out. A doctoral in physical therapy is going to be the standard to become a physical therapy. Before you can enroll in either a masters or a doctoral program you must have a bachelor degree first. The typical degrees are either physical therapy or pre-health services (cite work).
For example, the job is meant to help improve physical function through treatment therapy (learn.org). After an injury a PT (Physical Therapist) is supposed to be there to help the improvement of how the person functions physically. Also, you’ll be certified in Cardiovascular, Pulmonary, Clinical Electrophysiology, Geriatrics, Neurology, Orthopedics, Pediatrics, Sports Physical Therapy, and Women’s Health (apta.org). You will acquire a lot of knowledge in many different fields. This will benefit you in the setting that you work in.
Physical therapists make about $82,390 a year. But to do this you need the experience. Most of the experiences come from internships and course works. Advancement opportunities start with getting as much experience as possible. For example, if someone decides to work in a hospital, they could possible move there way up and then are able to lead people and set policies.
As said by South Dakota My Life, before you can apply to the physical therapy program, you need a bachelor’s degree. It suggests that a person interested in this career focuses on taking classes in anatomy, biology, chemistry, and statistics. When becoming a physical therapist, there are two different programs. A person can obtain a Master’s or enter the Doctor of Physical Therapist Program. Both programs include supervised clinical hours and prepare you for the job.
Physical Therapist As a physical therapist one will evaluate, diagnose, and treat patients of all ages with disorders in order to help them move or function in their daily lives. A physical therapist will restore, maintain, and promote the physical well-being of an individual as well as prevent onset symptoms and progression of impairments, functional limitations, and disabilities that may result from disease, disorders, conditions, or injuries. Educational Requirements To become a physical therapist you must attend pre-physical therapist school and obtain an undergraduate baccalaureate accredited degree. This usually takes a maximum of four years.
There are quite a lot of settings that a PT can work in including nursing homes, schools, hospitals, private clinics, homes. To be good at this profession you have to be a good problem solver, analytical, critical, passion to help and work with people, have an interest in medical field, are physically active, are analytical thinker, do well in science classes and have a passion for the human body as this is what you will be working on. Their main purpose is to ensure the maximization of the patients’ functionality. They do this by making patients practice things they’ve been working on in real life situations so that they improve. Physical therapists are motivators, coaches, and they advocate and educate.
Physical therapist generally start out with a salary of 60 K while experience therapist can make around 110 K, but the
Working conditions for physical therapy are its inside, it’s usually a wide open area , and has a spacey gym. The working environment for physical therapist is “ physical therapist spend much of their time on their feet, working with patients. Because they must often lift and move patients, they are vulnerable to back injuries. Therapist can limit these risk by using proper body mechanics and lifting techniques when assisting patients.”(Summary.) The standard beginning wage for physical therapy is 72,000-80,000 per year. The maximum salary you can expect is 111,000-115,000 per year. The benefits for physical therapy include Monday- Friday, day starting at seven and ending at seven, very good pay, having holidays off, and having benefits for health, dentists, and vision insurance.