Physical Therapist is an expert medical specialize in helping patients both recover and manage immobilities that result from injuries, illnesses, or surgeries. Physical Therapist can be a very rewarding career, as it involves improving life quality for patients, as well as an average pay of $76,000 a year in the U.S.
The demand for physical therapists expect to increase by 39% from 2010 to 2020, making it one of the 30 fastest-growing careers in the United States. If you want to get this rewarding career path, just follow these steps. After reviewing this article, you can search on Amazon or Google for more e-book and paperback book that have even more tips, steps and suggestions to get best position to accepted into P.T. school.
The demand for physical therapists expect to increase by 39% from 2010 to 2020, making it one of the 30 fastest-growing careers in the United States. If you want to get this rewarding career path, just follow these steps. After reviewing this article, you can search on Amazon or Google for more e-book and paperback book that have even more tips, steps and suggestions to get best position to accepted into P.T. school.
Step 1 : Get Physical Therapist Licensure
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1. Ensure you have it to be a Physical Therapist. Before you jump into the educational program that require for you to be a Physical Therapist, you should have a clear sense this career entails. If you want to obtain licensure and enjoy a career as a Physical Therapist, you should be prepare to do the following tasks:
- Diagnose your patients' dysfunctional movements by watching them move and listening to their complaints and concerns.
- Devise an individualized plan for each patient, understanding the their goals.
- Use hands-on therapy, stretches, and exercises to ease the pain of your patients and improve their mobility.
- Evaluate the progress of your patients and modify their treatment plans as needed.
- Tell your patients and their families about they should expect as they recover from injuries.
- Provide emotional support to your patients as you help them deal with their injuries. Treatment plans as needed..
2. Get a bachelor's degree from a four-year university with a focus in science-based courses. While you don't necessarily have to obtain a BS (Bachelor of Science), the post-graduate program you apply may have prerequisites in biology, chemistry, anatomy, or physiology. If you are currently an undergraduate and plan on becoming a physical therapist, talk to a counselor at your school to determine the courses should you take and whether you have chosen the right major.
Also read : 2 Steps to Get Accepted Into Physical Therapy Schools
Also read : 2 Steps to Get Accepted Into Physical Therapy Schools
- Common undergraduate majors for Physical Therapists include biology, psychology, and exercise science.
- You don't have to major in a science-based field, but you have to take several courses that meet the standards prerequisite post-graduate program that you chosen. This means you could major in Art History, Spanish, or another unrelated field, while taking the required courses to become a Physical Therapist.
- The average GPA for students accepted to Physical Therapy programs in 2011-2012 was 3.52, so be prepare to study rigorously during your time as an undergraduate.
- If you'd like to be a Physical Therapist's assistant, then you can earn an associates degree.
- There a few Physical Therapy programs allow students to enter directly after they graduate from high school. If you interest in one of these freshman entry programs, you should explore them while you're still in high school.
3. Obtain a post-graduate professional degree. Some post-graduate Physical Therapy programs offer a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree, while others offer a Master of Physical Therapy (MPT) degree, though the DPT is far more common. Doctoral programs typically last for 3 years, while Master's programs last 2-3 years. The coursework covered includes anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, and neuroscience.
- The program you choose may also involve completing a clinical rotation, where you will gain hands-on experience working in the field.
- You may need to complete the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) to be accept to the institute of your choice.
- The application process is competitive. To help your chances of acceptance, you should gain experience as a volunteer or a worker in a physical-therapy setting.
- You should provide 1-4 letters of reference when you apply to physical therapy programs, so try to build meaningful connections with your teachers and mentors before you apply.
- Ensure you choose the right PT program. Compare the programs based on their locations, specialty areas, licensure passing rate, and financial aid packages.
4. Obtain a license to practice Physical Therapy. Specific license requirements vary between states, but most states require that prospective candidates pass the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE). Determine your state's requirements for physical therapy licenses.
Step 2 : Grow Your Career
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1. Consider applying to a clinical residency program. After you graduate from your program, you may consider applying to a residency program to gain additional training and experience in specialize care area. This will improve your job prospects as well as give you more advancement in your field.
Also read : 10 Steps To Start Your Physical Therapy Business
2. Consider applying for a clinical fellowship. A clinical fellowship will allow you to encourage your education in a specialized field and will offer a focused curriculum with advanced clinical and didactic instruction which can help you gain a better understanding of a subspecialty practice area. You will have a mentor and will gain additional clinical experience and will work with enough patients to build your skills.
3. Find a job as a physical therapist. There many variety of potential job settings for a physical therapist, including hospitals, clinics, outpatient facilities, homes, schools, and fitness centers. Check your local job listings to find availabilities in your area. Send your resume, cover letter, and whatever other information that your potential employer requests.
- Though not required, you will benefit from completing an internship or job working as a physical therapist's assistant (PAT) prior to becoming a physical therapist yourself. While working in this position, you will perform physical therapy on patients under professional certified supervision.
4. Get a board certification in a clinical specialty after you gain some work experience. Getting a board certification in a clinical specialty can help you gain expertise in a chosen field and will make you a more desirable job candidate and Physical Therapist. There many variety of certifications you can get, and you are not limit to choosing just one. Though Physical Therapists aren't require to get board certification in a clinical specialty, this is a useful way to improve your education and skill set. Here some common Physical Therapy certifications that may appeal to you:
- Cardiovascular and pulmonary therapy
- Clinical electrophysiology
- Geriatrics
- Neurology
- Orthopedics
- Pediatrics
- Sports
- Women's health
Having Qualities of a Physical Therapist
1. Be compassionate. It is important that physical therapists be warm, friendly individuals with strong communication skills, as the job requires constantly dealing with sick or injured patients. As a physical therapist, you will work with many people who suffer emotionally as well as physically because of their pain, and you should have a lot of empathy to help them heal and understand their injuries.
- It is important to also be patient, as many patients do not see immediate results and may require years of therapy.
2. Have dexterity. Since physical therapy requires working with your hands, it is important to have strong manual dexterity. Physical therapists should also have strong enough arms to apply resistance to patients' limbs and lift them up if necessary. You should be comfortable using your hands to help your patients do physical exercises as well as giving them manual therapy.
- Manual dexterity can be improve by activities such as writing, sewing, knitting, and using a stress ball to strengthen hand muscles.
3. Be prepare to spend most of your time on your feet. Most physical therapists spent much of their time on their feet, not sitting in a chair. As a physical therapist, you'll need to move around to work with your patients and help them complete a variety of exercises. Therefore, you shouldn't be the type of person who sits down every chance he gets and should actually enjoy physical activity.
- You should also be physically fit not only to be able to work with your patients more easily, but also to inspire confidence in your patients. Your patients will want to work with someone who cares about his own physical fitness, too.
4. Have strong people skills. You should not only know how to be compassionate toward your patients, but you should be "a people person," and should be comfortable interacting with your patients, making them laugh, and keeping up a good rapport as you work together. You should also be able to speak openly to your patients about their treatment programs and listen to their concerns about the therapy.
Source : Wikihow
