Working as a physical therapist is the perfect way to start a rewarding career in rehabilitative health. This branch of physical therapy encompasses the use of exercises as well as equipment in order to improve patient mobility. If you are considering a career in this field, there are many facilities looking for qualified staff. You can specialize in a certain field such as orthopedics or sports medicine. This gives you the ability to use your skills to help patients with specific mobility issues. The following guide will take you through daily activities, training, employment opportunities, and earnings information.
Job Description
A physical therapist works with patients suffering from different conditions such as sports injuries, accident injuries, fractures, arthritis, and cerebral palsy. The focus is to help patients regain physical functions after suffering impairment or conditions leading to disability. To achieve this goal, you will have to study a patient's medical history. This will help you to come up with a plan to treat the patient's physical disabilities. The therapy regimen must take into consideration the patient's coordination, strength, posture, and motor balance. Your work involves encouraging patients to take up exercise in order to speed up the healing process.
It is impossible to enhance strength and flexibility without exercise. The first step involves improving motion. Patients can then attempt exercises to improve balance, muscle strength, and coordination stop. Physical therapists also use electrical stimulation, massages, prostheses, and wheelchairs to help patients improve traction. It is also important to liaise with the patient's family to ensure the recovery period is as smooth as possible. You will also work as part of a healthcare team. This includes physical therapy assistants and specialists.
Important Attributes
A physical therapist must exhibit certain characteristics in order to excel at work. You must be compassionate and have a strong desire to help patients. Most of your patients will include people experiencing different states of physical pain. It is vital to empathize with these patients during the long recovery periods. Attention to detail in the healthcare industry is a standard benchmark. The same applies to physical therapists. Great analytical skills will enable you to evaluate and implement effective therapies. You should be comfortable using hands to provide manual therapeutic exercises. Strong interpersonal skills will enable you to interact with patients and colleagues in the work environment. Physical stamina cannot be over emphasized since you will spend a lot of time standing, lifting patients, or moving around. All of these attributes play an important role in ensuring physical therapists can provide the best treatment possible.
Work Environment
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are roughly 200,000 physical therapy jobs in the US. Most of the trained professionals work in hospitals, private clinics, and nursing homes. Up to 71 percent of professionals in this field work full time while 29 percent work part-time. At 37%, health practitioners take up the largest share of employees. Hospitals and healthcare services employ 28 percent and 10 percent of the workforce respectively. The remaining 14 percent of employees are split evenly between self-employment and residential care facilities.
Physical Therapist Training
All practicing physical therapists must have a postgraduate degree. A bachelor's degree is the minimum admission requirement for Master of Physical Therapy (MPT) degree or Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree programs. Some of the courses you will take include neuroscience, biomechanics, pharmacology, and human anatomy. Students with a good background in biology, physics, anatomy, mathematics and chemistry will find the programs easy. After graduation, you can apply for a residency program lasting anywhere from one year to three years. This will enable you to gain the necessary experience and hone physical therapy skills. You should expect to study for about 2 to 3 years before graduating.
The cost of studying will range from $13,000 for in-state students to $42,000 for out-of-state students. These tuition fee estimates and do not take into account additional expenses. It is advisable to factor in educational costs such as liability insurance and lab fees into your budget. The rule of thumb is to allocate an extra $5,000 towards these expenses. After graduation, you must take at least two state licensing exams. The National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE) alone costs $370. The cost of other state licensing exams varies from state to state. Licensing is mandatory for everyone involved in the physical therapy field. Some states also acquire physical therapists to undertake continuous education in order to be allowed to practice. You should pursue certification after gaining considerable work experience.
Salary and Job Prospects
According to data published by the Bureau of labor statistics, employment opportunities will grow by 39% through 2020. This is a significantly higher average than all the other occupations combined. Growth is fueled by an aging population as well as many patients who require therapy during rehabilitation. The median salary in the United States is $74,986. The lowest 10% will usually take home $64,193 every year. Those on the upper rungs of the pay scale can take home up to $107,920 per year. Your annual pay will also be determined by factors such as experience, education, employer, and location. Physical therapists working in California earn anything between $52,649 and $67,441 per year. The situation in Chicago is a bit different. Annual pay ranges from $58,685-$73,155. If you manage to get a position in New York, your pay will lie between $57,265 and $68,682.
Those working in Illinois will earn from $57,752-$72,496. Florida has an annual salary ranging from $56,992-$72,515. If you are lucky to land in Philadelphia, the pay will be anywhere from $57,856-$72,774. These salary ranges show that a physical therapist earns 29% more than the average for all other occupations. Projections from the Bureau of labor statistics indicate that the average salary will still be 20% higher in 2020. This is in comparison to the national average for all other occupations. The highest earners in the profession, 10%, have several things in common. These include higher levels of training and education, experience, specialization, and certification. It is also wise to consider Job opportunities in rural areas since urban and suburban areas have been saturated with physical therapists.
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