Physical Therapist Career
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What a Physical Therapist does:
A Physical Therapist works to improve mobility, prevent injury and relieve pain for patients with injuries or disease.
Patients of a Physical Therapist suffer from such conditions as arthritis, fractures, heart disease, lower back pain, cerebral palsy and head injuries.
Physical Therapists can choose to specialize in an area such as pediatrics, orthopedics, sports medicine, geriatrics or neurology.
The main duties of a Physical Therapist include:
- Examining the patients medical history
- Testing a patients balance, coordination, muscle performance, motor function, respiration and strength
- Developing treatment plans
- Exercising patients who have been immobilized
- Massaging patients to improve circulation and relieve pain
- Using electrical stimulation, cold compresses and hot packs
- Conducting examinations and documenting the patient's progress
- Working with other healthcare professionals i.e. physicians, dentists, nurses, occupational therapists, audiologists.
Qualifications & Education:
To become a Physical Therapist you will need to graduate with a Master's Degree from an accredited physical therapy program and obtain a state license. The Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) is the accreditation body for physical Therapy Master's and Doctoral Degree programs.
Master's Degree programs usually last two years and Doctoral Degree programs last for three years. Having a Bachelor's Degree in a related discipline such as Biology, Social Science, Anatomy, Biology, Physics and Mathematics, is a prerequisite for most programs.
Having completed some voluntary experience will help gain admittance to Physical Therapy programs. Licensure requirements vary by state. For most states you are required to pass a National or State examination.
Salary & Job Prospects:
Physical Therapists earn between $50,000.00 and $80,000.00 per year. Employment for Physical Therapists is expected to grow faster than the average job. Physical Therapists specializing in Rehabilitation, Geriatrics and Orthopedics are expected to have the best job opportunities.
Below is a list of some of the various types of allied health careers / professions: