by T.Yeap

Created on: September 09, 2009   Last Updated: September 10, 2009

So you have considered choosing a career in health-care and physical therapy might have crossed your mind? Physical Therapists (PTs) are health professionals that provide services that restore your motor function, improving mobility, alleviate pain and reducing the chances of immobility for individuals that has suffered motor vehicle accidents, stroke, spinal injuries, and/or just simply to maintain mobility and normal extremities function for elderly. PTs are important members of the health-care interdisciplinary team, especially during the rehabilitation phase.

EDUCATION REQUIREMENT

In order to qualify as a licensed Physical Therapist, one must obtained at least a master degree from an accredited physical therapy education program. After completion of a Master's degree, the graduates are required to pass a national and state licensing exam. After acquiring the state license, PT has to obtain continuing education credits to maintain their status. There's also a prerequisite for prospective students that wanted to become a PT. Although different schools have different requirement and their standards, but most require courses such as anatomy & physiology, biology, chemistry, physics, psychology and mathematics skills to be completed during the undergraduate degree. Top PT programs may also required you to have volunteer experience and show leadership potential before being considered as potentials students for their program.

According to American Physical Therapy Associations listed over 209 accredited master and doctor degree in Physical Therapy. A Master's degree usually takes 2 years, whereas a doctorate degree will takes 3 years. Besides the conventional classroom teaching, students will also have clinical experience through supervised practice at different clinical facilities.

JOB OUTLOOK

Employment for physical therapists is growing much faster than other average professions, about 27% through to 2016 according to the Bureau of Labor. Their career outlook is great and most job opportunities will be in acute health-care settings, rehabilitation center, nursing homes and retirement communities.

THEIR WORK

Physical therapists will review an individuals medical history and meet with their client and assess their suitability of different types of physical therapy to help them integrate their lifes back to normal community. They test their client's strength, balance and coordination, range of motion, and ability to perform activities of daily live (ADL). Some of the therapy that they peform may includes, walking steps, weight training, electric simulations, hot packs or cold compression, and massage.

EARNINGS POTENTIAL

Median annual earning and the industries largest employment of PTs in 2008:

Offices of Other Health Practitioners: $73,980
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals: $73,600
Home Health Care Services: $81,870
Nursing Care Facilities:$76,730
Offices of Physicians: $74,530


Sources:

1. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 Edition, Physical Therapists, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos080.htm

2. American Physical Therapy Association, Internet: http://www.apta.org

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