Steps To Take To Become A Physical Therapist
Choosing a physical therapy program is probably the biggest decision a potential student will make before he enters college. There are well over 100 programs in the United States alone to choose from, and each program offers potential upsides and downsides. These include admission policies, location, duration, degrees offered, and class types.
Admission policies for physical therapy programs will vary greatly from college to college. One university will only accept Bachelor’s degree holders, while the next university might take incoming freshmen. In this case, choosing a program will depend on the student’s career plans and degree path. If you are just starting out in physical therapy, then you will have to choose a school that has an established and accredited Bachelor’s degree program, or at least one that is accredited by association with other related programs, such as medicine.
Location is probably the biggest factor when choosing a college, and choosing a college with a physical therapy degree program is somewhat more complicated, as admission policies will limit the universities available to the student. Make sure when you check out local colleges that there is a degree program you can get into, and that the program follows your career path.
Duration is a measurement on how long it takes to procure a degree in physical therapy. If you are trying to get a master’s year degree in two years, some programs offer accelerated degree programs for specialty majors such as physical therapy. A Master’s degree program can also be flexible if the student will commit to a Bachelor’s plus 1 program, where the coursework is geared specifically towards physical therapy.
Some people prefer to remain at one university for the entire duration of their degree paths. This can include Bachelor’s, Master’s and even Doctorate degrees. Make sure the school you choose has all of the requisite degree pathways available. This is a great idea if you are going to school close to home, and it beats moving out of an apartment every couple of years. Going to a local university saves you money in both the short term and long term.
As a rule, most students work while they are in college. As the collegiate population ages, more students are working on degrees from a part time position while working full time. Finding a degree program that provides enough flexibility in scheduling is a key to being successful in completing a degree program. Class availability for non-traditional students is something else to look for when choosing a physical therapy program.
Once you have winnowed out the bad schools and found universities that correspond to your needs based on the data above, it is time to go out and apply to these universities for admission. Make sure you have picked two or three programs that fit what you need, just in case you do not get accepted at the one you want. University physical therapy programs are fairly competitive, and having a plan before you begin the application process is always a good idea. Once you get accepted into the program of your choice, you will be thankful you took the time to think of all of the options.
Physical Therapist Training
Physical therapist training is a multilevel process that takes a few years to complete. One of the best ways to become a licensed physical therapist is to have a solid combination of education (a Master’s degree in Physical Therapy is required for licensure in most states) and work experience. The work experience can usually be found working as a physical therapist aide or assistant, and as part of the internship requirement for an accredited degree program.
Physical therapy training from the work standpoint is the most valuable experience a potential physical therapist can receive. This is hands-on training on patient care, and people in the medical field always benefit from this on-the-job training. The training can begin as working as a physical therapist aide, which provides basic training for the physical therapist in an environment that is suitable for learning the fundamental parts of the job.
Physical therapy aides organize and set up the therapy area and specific equipment involved with the various physical therapies. They also help patients with getting to and from the office, helping them in and out of cars and conveyances, and generally provide a helping hand to the physical therapist. As an aide, patient interaction can be limited, but the training here is paramount, because it helps the potential physical therapist learn about the practices and equipment on a first-hand basis.
The educational requirement for becoming a physical therapist is a strong curriculum that requires a solid foundation. There are usually some prerequisites necessary before being admitted into a Master’s level physical therapist degree program. General Biology, Physics, Human Anatomy, Statistics, Calculus, Physiology, and Organic Chemistry along with the corresponding laboratories provide a framework in which a potential physical therapist can use to advance his degree. The more of these classes available in a student’s CV, the better the students chance of success.
Once a student has moved into a Master’s program, there is an internship process that usually takes a year. This internship will introduce the student to the job, as well as gives the student constructive feedback on opportunities for improvement in the handling and treatment of physical therapy patients. The year internship is mandatory in almost every Master’s degree path, and the student should not be working at another job during this period, as the internship also coincides with additional coursework.
The training for physical therapist can be intense and emotional. The role of the physical therapist is a person who attempts to repair an injured person, and this can be a trying experience, because part of the job is to make people fight though pain. Patients are not usually inclined to suffer in silence, and they will also lash out at the therapist for the pain they are feeling. Being able to maintain a professional demeanor during these occurrences is part of the physical therapist job description, and a necessary part of being effective. The training the student receives during this process helps promote empathy with the patient, and provides the physical therapist with a strength they will need as they move on their own practice.
Physical Therapist Salary
Physical therapist salaries are on par with the rest of the medical industry. Salaries depend on the specialty of the physical therapist, the market, and personal factors such as work load, private practice, and home based physical therapy. Once a physical therapist receives a Master’s degree from an accredited institution, the salary is going to depend primarily on the choices he makes upon graduation.
Physical therapist average salaries are around $90,000 per year. This is up almost $20,000 from 2007, and the average salary is expected to increase over the next 12 years. This is an average, of course, and should not be used as a specific starting point for a physical therapist fresh out of school. A physical therapist can be expected to make about $60,000 their first year. The differences in salaries can be attributed to the specialization that the physical therapist chooses to perform.
Occupational therapists are the best paid of the specialty physical therapists, with an average of $112,000 per year while physical therapists working for correctional institutions make a little more than half as much, or around $60,000. As a starting salary, this is above the median average of the average college graduate of $37,000, and is well worth the investment in education. By comparison, a teacher with a Master’s degree can expect to earn about $40,000. This can be attributed to the nature of the medical industry to reward a person who can make it through a challenging degree program. With the differences between the specialties of physical therapy providing such a large salary gap, it is a good idea to pick a specialty early, and work specifically towards that niche.
The three tier job salaries of the aide, assistant, and therapist show a natural progression towards a continual upgrade in salary as education and experience increase. An aide can be expected to make around $10 an hour. A physical therapy assistant averages around $35,000 with an associate degree, with a top out around $48,000, which is a great investment on a 2 year associate degree. But for the maximum earning potential, the Master’s degree licensed physical therapist will have the best earnings over time.
As an average salary, this is a good beginning, but when the data is analyzed further, the news gets even better. Some physical therapists in private practice make over $600,000 per year, depending on the market. Physical therapists in California and Florida generally make the most money, followed by New York, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts. Big states mean a larger market, and more competition is possible, but the fee potential is greater. South Dakota pays the least, because of the small market and population.
In short, physical therapists can make a great starting salary, and have huge earning potential. Some surveys have different specialties making more money than the median, while other data disagrees, so the ideal way to decide on a specialty is for the student to do the research and find the answers. Physical therapists are well-compensated and have the chance to work in a challenging environment.
Physical Therapy Schools: Do’s and Don’ts
Physical therapy is a growing sector of the health care industry. As the population ages, more people require physical therapy to recover from physical damage. Today marks a great time for people to go into physical therapy, as the market for these skills is not expected to peak any time soon. There are literally hundreds of physical therapy schools in the United States, and choosing one close to home should be fairly easy.
Choosing a physical therapy school entails a little homework on the part of the potential student. Location is always a prime motivator for choosing a school, as is price and reputation. If someone is looking for a school near a center that is known for physical therapy, then this is also another consideration. In addition, some physical therapy programs are limited to Bachelor’s degree admission, some are private admission, and other programs are not available at a convenient time for some students.
While all of this sounds a little restrictive, it will depend on the student to make the choices necessary to join a physical therapy program. This decision is not something to be taken lightly: graduating from a good program can literally add thousands of dollars to a starting salary. Grades matter as well, and doing very well in a respected program is better than being at the top of the class in one that is not accredited.
Another good rule of thumb for looking for a physical therapy program is to find one located at a college with a well-regarded medical school. Med schools are great, because the physical therapy plant is usually adjacent to the med school, and this gives the student a chance to participate in a busier learning environment. Another thing to look for is a sports medicine program, which is similar to physical therapy, but deals more with athletic injuries. A Division 1 school usually has both of these programs as part of its curriculum.
There are plenty of web sites that delineate physical therapy programs across the country, and some even rank them. While this is a great idea and puts the information right at the student’s fingertips, it is usually best to do your own research before you commit to going to a particular school. Physical therapy is a fairly new branch of medical science, and some programs are fairly new as well.
College costs money, be it from student grants and loans, the parents, or a student working to pay his way through college. Keep in mind that the goal for choosing a physical therapy school is to get the best possible degree as inexpensively as possible, so the student loans can get paid back in a timely manner. But be careful not to sacrifice quality for price: the top physical therapy schools will be more expensive, but the degree will be worth more in the marketplace. Make sure you take everything into account when you are figuring up expenses. The college closest to you might have the best deal after all.
Physical Therapy Equipment
Most physical therapy equipment can be found in a well-stocked gym, but some equipment is very specialized for certain treatments and injuries. Physical therapy equipment is used to exercise a muscle set to regain use and strength. Most of the time, a physical therapist tries to get the injury rehabilitated back to the original flexibility and strength, but sometimes the damage is too great, and the patient has to be content with regaining partial use.
Physical therapy equipment is use-specific equipment that is designed to help a patient recover from an injury. This equipment includes parallel bars, weights, and portable staircases that look like the average equipment, and then there is an entire range of specialized equipment for injuries that require certain therapies. This equipment is custom-made for the rehabilitation of hands, for example, or even fingers.
Physical therapy equipment comes in two primary types. The first type is general equipment, which is multi-functional in purpose and use. This includes walkers, weights, exercise balls, and other general equipment that can be used for stretching and strength training. The second type of equipment is unique to physical therapy. Equipment such as finger ladders, balance platforms, ramp and curb training sets and other training room furnishings are for specific physical therapy needs.
The challenge of the physical therapist is to match the injury with the proper rehabilitation equipment. For example, someone relearning to walk will probably start with a walker and parallel bars; at some point in the therapy, the patient will graduate to more specific challenges, such as walking up curbs and ramps. There is a therapy side to a patient, which entails rehabilitating the injury, and there is also a practical side to the therapy, which is to make sure the patient can begin to function in real life situations. The physical therapist does both the therapy and practical sides of the equation.
Physical therapy equipment is made to be adjustable, portable, and sturdy. Other physical therapy equipment includes pieces to relax tired muscles, such as hot tubs, massage tables, and whirlpools. Part of physical therapy is a holistic approach to the human body, and sometimes the body that needs specific therapy also requires general therapy from overexertion of the muscles to overcompensate for the injured muscle set.
One of the challenges of recovering from an injury is overcoming the pain of rehabilitation. Some injuries take months or even years to recover from fully; other injuries can be rehabilitated in as little as 6 weeks. The pain involved with retraining muscles to stretch and flex the way they did before being injured can be intense, but it is the job of the physical therapist to differentiate between pain and injury. Finally, physical therapy equipment is primarily used by licensed therapists. Only a physical therapist has the physiological training to coordinate an exercise program for injury rehabilitation. Although most of the equipment is fairly straightforward, it does require some supervision to ensure that the proper use and duration is followed in rehabilitation.
Physical Therapy Aide Jobs
Physical therapy aides are at the starting point of a great career in physical therapy. There are three tiers of physical therapy jobs: the aide, assistant, and the therapist. Each one of these careers is rewarding, and the upward mobility of the job is directly proportionate to the amount of work a person puts into it. Physical therapy aide is only the beginning.
Physical therapy aides require a high school diploma or equivalent, depending on the employer. These jobs are pretty competitive, and most employers are looking for employees with potential to move up in the ranks. Physical therapy aides function under the supervision of a licensed physical therapist, and provide basic services to the patient. The starting pay is usually around $10.00 per hour, but can be higher or lower depending on the job market and competition.
The next job tier up from aide is physical therapy assistant. This job requires an associate’s degree in physical therapy, as there is more hands-on patient contact. While the assistant is more qualified than the aide, both of them are still working under the supervision of a licensed physical therapist. Assistants provide the basic care for a patient, usually under orders of the physical therapist. These jobs pay quite a bit more than an aide, usually around $40,000 a year, depending on market and competition.
At the top of the ladder is the licensed physical therapist. This person has a Bachelor’s degree or higher in physical therapy, and is qualified to diagnose and treat physical ailments, or delegate the treatment to assistants. The licensed physical therapist usually has a degree from an accredited university, and either has a private practice or is affiliated with a medical group or a hospital. The position usually starts out around $60,000, depending on degree, school attended, and practical experience.
Physical therapist aides have varied job duties depending on the employer and the job market, but as a rule, they are responsible for three basic things. First of all, the aide is usually in charge of setting up the therapy center and equipment. Then the aide assists the therapist and assistant with the physical therapy, and generally cleans and organizes the work area. The aide is also responsible for getting the patients to and from the rehabilitation office.
Physical therapists aides are an important part of running a successful practice. Most aides usually work their way up to assistant within a couple of years, and may even move on to a Bachelor’s degree in physical therapy. This particular job is one that some people really enjoy when they get involved early on.
Physical therapy aides are a growing segment of the job market for the next eight years, and this growth is expected to continue all over the United States. As more of the population ages, this job’s prospects fall in line with the rest of the health care industry. With the growth potential of the industry, and the possible upward mobility of the position, becoming a physical therapist aide is an excellent selection for a career path.