Physical Therapy Majors

Students, who major in Physical Therapy can look forward to a bright future when they start practicing in their chosen profession since Physical therapy is considered to be one of the fastest growing professions in the United States. There has been a lot of growth in the profession since its inception during the end of World War I and with an abundance of employment opportunities along with lucrative starting salaries, a major in Physical Therapy is well worth the investment.

The main role of a physical therapist is that of rehabilitation. Therapists work with physicians and other therapists to rehabilitate people with injuries, those with impairments and those afflicted with diseases to improve motor functions, stimulate muscles and relieve pain. Many therapists focus on rehabilitation following injury although there are Board-certified specializations available in various areas like sports-related physical therapy, pediatrics and orthopedics.

Physical therapists are trained to rehabilitate people through a variety of mediums. They may use heat, electricity, cold, sound and water during treatment sessions depending on the patient's problems. After the clinic session, they prescribe exercise schedules to help condition and strengthen the problem areas to allow for continuous healing in between clinic visits.

Part of a therapist's training includes mastering and passing a national, standardized test before they can get out there and try to establish a practice. In order to practice, a therapist may also need a master's degree or an advanced degree that is beyond a bachelor's degree. Therefore, majoring in PT will definitely require you to stay longer in school.

A master's degree in PT takes at least six years to complete. The programs are split into two parts. The first part consists of a traditional undergraduate program that takes 3-4 years to complete. The second part consists of the Physical Therapy graduate program, which takes three years to complete and includes participating and completing practicum training, which is where you will receive a lot of your first-time exposure to the actual practice of PT.

The training you receive as a Physical Therapy major may take a little more longer than the other degree programs being offered today, however, the resulting career you can build can be extremely rewarding, not just compensation-wise, but also profession-wise.