Physical Therapists

The profession of physical therapy is set in a hands-on environment that allows you to work with individuals who have been in an accident, who have severe chronic pain, who are handicapped or disabled, or who are in need of knowledge in preventative medicine. A physical therapist does not require a medical degree, however, the educational requirements are extensive. Any institution that offers a degree in Physical Therapy is also required to provide a masters and doctorate program to follow the initial degree. Some of the classes that are required for a physical therapy degree are biology, physics, anatomy, neuroanatomy, and human growth and development. The program will require lab courses as well as in the field experience.  The demand for physical therapy is rapidly increasing because of increasing elderly populations, war veterans, disabled persons, and increasing professional sports teams. Therefore, the higher you choose to go in your educational endeavors, the more likely you will be able to land just the job that you want.

Physical therapy is a desired profession because of the pay and the hours. Most physical therapists will only work a 40-hour week and start with an annual salary of around $40,000. Many physical therapists work for a specialized doctor, but there are many who develop a clientele, or network enough individuals in order to work on a contractual basis. Some physical therapist may work with a professional sports team and find themselves making close to $100,000 a year. However, the possibilities are endless for this profession. Unlike physicians, physical therapists are not always on and on-call basis and their schedule is very much like any other white-collar professional job.

Physical therapists will work with patients to help develop their muscles, diet, and overall physical health to increase from its current state. There is an expectation that comes with physical therapy and that is improvement. Patients are expected to show progress through the efforts of their selves and their therapist. The competition in physical therapy is on the rise, so the level of work is raised and can cause a higher level of stress. A physical therapist not only has to develop the ability to educate their patients, but also the ability to motivate their patients to do better and to make the effort to get well. Many patients will get frustrated, agitated, or depressed, so interpersonal skills are also a must for this profession.