Physical Therapists
Additional Information
Duties
These are some of the common duties of physical therapists:
- Look over a patient's medical history and any notes from doctors, surgeons, or other healthcare professionals.
- Determine patients' abilities and motions by seeing them stand or walk and by listening to their worries.
- Create patient-specific care plans that detail their objectives and the expected outcomes of those plans.
- Reduce pain, improve mobility, avoid future damage, and promote health and well-being in patients via the use of exercises, stretching techniques, hands-on treatment, and equipment.
- Maintain a patient's progress by documenting their progress and adjusting their treatment plan as necessary.
There are many different types of physical therapists, but they are all trained to treat patients of all ages who have functional issues as a consequence of injuries to the back and neck, as well as other joints and musculoskeletal illnesses.
Many different methods are employed by physical therapists in order to treat their patients. Incorporating these approaches into your daily routine will help increase mobility and reduce discomfort. They include exercises, functional movement training, and the use of equipment such as canes, crutches, or wheelchairs.
Depending on the patient, a physical therapist's job description might be rather diverse. Different types of treatment are needed depending on a patient's specific demands, such as a stroke patient's recovery from a sports-related injury. One sort of treatment may be the specialty of some physical therapists: orthopedics or geriatric care. The development of fitness and wellness programs that promote an active and healthy lifestyle is another common way that physical therapists assist their patients in maintaining or improving their mobility.
Doctors, surgeons, and other experts interact with physical therapists as part of a healthcare team. They supervise the work of physical therapist assistants and aides.
Education
A Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) from a CAPPE-accredited institution is required for entry into the profession as a physical therapist (CAPTE).
The majority of DPT programs run three years. A bachelor's degree in a health-related or recreation-related discipline, as well as preparatory coursework in anatomy, chemistry, and physics, are usually required for entry into a physical therapy program.
Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service is the preferred method of application for the vast majority of DPT programs in the United States (PTCAS).
Courses in biomechanics, neurology, and pharmacology are common in physical therapist training programs. Students pursuing a career in physical therapy must also undergo clinical rotations, which allow them to obtain hands-on experience in specialty areas including orthopedics and acute care.
Upon graduation, physical therapists are eligible to apply for a clinical residency program. Additional training and experience in specific areas of care are provided through one-year residency programs. Residency programs in physical therapy can be followed by advanced clinical fellowships, which allow therapists to deepen their expertise. Physical therapy residency and fellowship programs may be found in the directories maintained by the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education.
Registration, Licenses, and Certifications
This involves passing the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy's National Physical Therapy Examination, which is required for licensing in all jurisdictions. Other state-specific rules and regulations may also apply. A criminal background check and a legal test may also be required in some areas. Physical therapists are expected to maintain a certain level of continuing education in order to practice their profession. Check with your state's licensing board for specifics.
A few physical therapists opt to become board-certified specialists after accumulating expertise in the field. Orthopedics, sports, and geriatrics are just a few of the clinical specialties available via the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties. Obtaining accreditation as a board-certified specialist entail passing an examination and completing a clinical internship in the field.
Characteristics of Critical Importance
Skills in verbal and non-verbal communication. A physical therapist's ability to deliver successful therapy is dependent on their ability to accurately communicate treatment plans, inspire patients, and listen to patients' concerns.
Compassion. Because they spend so much time with patients, physical therapists should have a strong desire to serve others. They must be empathetic since they work with people who are in agony.
Dedicated to accuracy. For physical therapists to identify a patient's condition, assess therapies, and offer safe, effective therapy, they must have good analytic and observational abilities.
Dexterity. In order to conduct manual treatment and therapeutic activities, physical therapists must utilize their hands. They should be able to aid patients physically, such as massaging them.
Power and endurance. Physical therapists spend a lot of time on their feet, moving around to show patients how to do exercises correctly and to guide them through the process. Physical activity should be something they like.
Resourcefulness. Patients' treatment programs are tailored by physical therapists. Each patient's demands must be taken into consideration while formulating a care plan for them.
The ability to effectively manage one's time. On an average day, physical therapists see a number of patients. To be effective, they must be able to both treat patients and do administrative duties like keeping track of their progress.
Pay
The median annual wage for physical therapists was $101,020 in May 2024. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $74,420, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $132,500.
Job Projections
Employment of physical therapists is projected to grow 14 percent from 2023 to 2033, much faster than the average for all occupations.