Careers In Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is the field in health care which focuses on helping individuals regain and maintain maximum functionality. Functionality is a very important aspect of health and hence the field of physical therapy is vital. Physical therapy helps people regain their movement and functionality which has been impaired or is at a risk due to aging, injury, disease or environmental factors. Individuals who have joint, muscular or skeletal problems due to lower back pain, arthritis or heart disease need the help of physical therapists to improve their quality of life.
Those who are trained and practice within the field of physical therapy are known as Physical Therapists. Physical therapists work on movement potential within the spheres of promotion, prevention, treatment, intervention, habilitation and rehabilitation. This includes physical, psychological, emotional, and social well being.
A career in physical therapy can be very rewarding, not only is it a thriving field making remarkable advancements in research. Not only that, with focus turning from pure medication to prevention and treatment that helps patients become independent and live as normal a life as possible, the jobs for physical therapists are on the rise. Only in the year 2006 did physical therapists hold about 173,000 jobs in the United States.
The educational requirements for becoming a physical therapist vary from country to country. Some countries don't require proper institutional education; rather prefer therapists who have greater years of experience under their belt. But with the passage of time, this trend is declining. Now most of the countries and are encouraging formal education in the area of physical therapy to align it with the other certified fields of practice in medicine.
In the United States, you must have graduated a physical therapists educational program. This could be a master's degree or even a doctor's degree. Although each institute offers course work that to some extent focuses on a certain area of specialization but a standard or basic course outline includes instruction in the areas of biology, chemistry, and physics, as well as specialized courses such as biomechanics, neuroanatomy, human growth and development, manifestations of disease, examination techniques, and therapeutic procedures.
Physical therapists must also pass national and state licensure exams before they can begin practice. In many states, physical therapists have to take continuing classes to retain their practitioner's license. Even if this isn't the requirement in your state, taking continuing classes is vital to excel in your profession because, like the other healthcare disciplines, physical therapy also has ongoing research that is constantly bringing forth new developments. Being acquainted with these developments enables you to provide the best health care to your patients. It also adds to your credibility as a professional.
If you're wondering how much a physical therapist earns, here's an extract from Median Annual Earnings taken from the Industries Employing the Largest Numbers of Physical Therapists (U.S., 2006)
1. Home health care services: $70,920
2. Nursing care facilities: $68,650
3. General medical and surgical hospitals: $66,630
4. Offices of physicians: $65,900
5. Offices of physical, occupational and speech therapists, and audiologists: $65,150
As you can see, physical therapists are compensated well for their effort and the care they provide. Combine this with the non-monetary rewards of helping people, and you have a very lucrative career.
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