A Career in Physical Therapy - How to Become a Physical Therapist

Overview

Physical therapy is an awesome career and is full of great opportunities for people to make a difference in the lives of patients. There are several things about physical therapy that can make it very appealing. Some of these include:

• Great salary (avg. $75,000)


• Professional interaction with all members of the health care team


• Really make a difference in people's lives

As a practicing physical therapist, I get great satisfaction out of helping my clients reach their former glory. Most of my time is spent working with clients that have just completed surgery of some sort, and it's my job to help them get back to doing what they love.

So what does it take to become a physical therapist?

1-You must complete an undergraduate degree. The degree does not have to be related to health care, however you must take a number of anatomy and physiology classes relating to health professions. The prerequisite courses vary slightly from university to university, but they generally include anatomy, physiology, physics, chemistry, trigonometry, psychology, and statistics. Check with the university of your choice for specific requirements of courses and GPA.

2-Most universities require that you take the GRE. There are no specific guidelines for what score will get you into PT school, but it does play a part in the application process.

3-You must complete a number of observation hours. This requirement varies with each school, but generally you need over 100 hours. It definitely helps to have the hours in a variety of settings, including orthopaedics, geriatrics, pediatrics, and home health.

4-In your senior year of your undergraduate degree, apply to PT school using the Physical Therapy Centralized Application Service (PTCAS) and obtain the required transcripts, letters of recommendation, and forms.

5-Complete 3 years of PT school and graduate with your Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree.

6-Pass the National Physical Therapy Licensure Exam. Don't forget to study!

What can I expect for a career?

Many students get their first thoughts of what field they will focus on while they are in their first internship in school. There are so many different possible combinations of settings that the sky is the limit. I currently work at a rural hospital and am involved in inpatient, outpatient, orthopaedic, geriatric, pediatric, and home health. I really enjoy the variability, but I do know some that prefer only seeing patients with total knee replacements or some other specific condition. Whatever your choice, physical therapy is an exciting career where you can have tons of fun and truly make a difference.