What to study to become a physical therapist

What does a physical therapist do?

Physical therapists diagnose and treat patients who have medical problems or injuries that limit their abilities to move or function in their daily lives. Patients will typically come to a physical therapist after being referred by their primary physician. Physical therapists work with people who have experienced an injury or disease that has affected their movement and range of motion.

A physical therapist will examine a patient then create a recovery plan. They often focus on treatments that reduce the need for surgery and prescriptive drugs. A physical therapist uses a combination of exercise, stretches, hands-on techniques, and equipment to restore function or relieve pain.

Scope of practice

Physical therapists work with physical therapy assistants, educators, social workers, nurses, doctors, and surgeons to treat patients of all ages, from infants to the elderly. Common tasks and duties include:

• Diagnosing patients to determine a level of function by observing them stand, walk, and perform tasks, as well as listening to their concerns
• Designing an individualized care plan based on their observations of the patient, the patient’s goals and expected outcomes, available research on the condition, and their medical expertise
• Evaluating the progress of the patient and adjusting care plans when necessary
• Developing and implementing plans to successfully discharge

Specializations

With certification, physical therapists can specialize in a particular area, including:

• Cardiovascular and pulmonary
• Clinical electrophysiology
• Geriatrics
• Neurology
• Oncology
• Orthopedics
• Pediatrics
• Sports

Work environment

Physical therapists work in hospitals, private practices, home health agencies, outpatient rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, schools, and medical clinics. They are on their feet for the majority of their working day, and often need to use their bodies to work with patients – including needing to lift or move them. A typical day shift, weekday work schedule can be expected, but some work settings may require evening or weekend hours.

Becoming a physical therapist

If you’re looking for a rewarding career and don’t mind six to seven years of higher education, becoming a physical therapist might be a great career choice for you; physical therapists report having a lot of personal fulfillment from their job.

Higher education requirements

To become a physical therapist, you’ll need to complete a physical therapy program. Specifically, you’ll need to either complete a bachelor's degree and then a doctoral program in physical therapy, or you might choose a 3+3 physical therapy program that combines the degrees into a total of six years of higher education.

Once a degree is achieved, some physical therapists choose to enroll in a residency or fellowship program after graduating from their doctoral program. This will provide the physical therapist with advanced training and mentorship; it will also allow them to specialize and develop expertise in a specific area.

Certification process

Certification is not required, but may provide additional opportunities for physical therapists. In order to become board certified, you must have a doctoral degree in physical therapy, must have completed at least 2,000 hours of clinical experience, and must pass a certification exam.

Career opportunities and outlook

Physical therapists can expect a median annual salary of $95,620.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of physical therapists in the U.S. is expected to grow much faster than average. This is due to the aging baby-boomer population who are staying active later in life and are more likely to deal with health conditions that can benefit from physical therapy. Secondly, there has been an increase in chronic conditions such as diabetes and obesity so physical therapists are needed to help these patients manage the effects of these conditions.

With additional training and experience, some physical therapists move into management roles with more responsibilities or start their own practices. Some therapists become professors while others earn specializations in areas such as pediatrics or sports medicine to increase career opportunities.

By the numbers

Join one of the fastest-growing health-care careers to help others get moving again.

Follow the path to becoming a physical therapist.

One of the hardest parts of recovery after an illness or injury is regaining your ability to move so you can take care of yourself, go back to work, enjoy the outdoors, and return to doing the things you love. When you learn how to become a physical therapist, you improve patients' lives as they recover from physically debilitating trauma. You work closely with them, using your skills and education to literally get them back on their feet.

The path to becoming a physical therapist includes education and field experience. It also requires compassion, stamina, and communication skills. The reward is an open job market—the physical therapist job outlook is excellent, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projecting employment to grow 18% over the next 10 years—combined with attractive pay.

What Is a Physical Therapist?

A physical therapist is an expert in the science of movement and pain management. When you learn how to become a physical therapist, you work with patients to help them regain their ability to move following a stroke, back or neck injury, sprain, or fracture. Using the tools of your trade, like exercise and rehabilitation tools and equipment, strength-training devices, and movement aids like canes, crutches, wheelchairs, and walkers, you help prevent the progression of conditions like arthritis and manage the pain associated with them. You also teach patients how to function with neurological disorders such as cerebral palsy. You may even help get college and professional athletes back in the game.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

The first time you meet with a patient, your goal is to develop a personal treatment plan for their unique circumstance:

1. A thorough physical examination starts with lots of questions about the patient's medical history and condition. Along with taking their vitals like blood pressure and heart rate, you also test the person's strength, balance, coordination, posture, and the mobility of their joints and muscles.
2. Once you’ve completed a physical evaluation, you ask patients about their living and work conditions and what challenges they may face. You want to know all about their daily tasks and physical activities to understand what they’ll need to accomplish by the end of your time together.
3. Once you have a treatment plan, therapy can begin. This is where good communication skills come in. When you learn how to become a physical therapist, you study how to educate your patients. This includes teaching exercises, demonstrating new ways to perform home and work tasks, and checking on patients' progress.
4. Lastly, you'll need to make sure the referring physician and other health-care professionals and caretakers know your patient's diagnosis and treatment plan.

As a physical therapist, skills such as detail orientation, compassion, dexterity, physical stamina, resourcefulness, and time-management skills will also be crucial.

Read more about typical, on-the-job physical therapist responsibilities in this sample physical therapist job listing from Monster.

Where Do Physical Therapists Work?

About one-quarter of all physical therapists work in a clinic or hospital. Some PTs work in offices with other physical, occupational, and speech therapists. But a physical therapist's work environment doesn't have to be in an office. You may work with patients in their homes or in nursing facilities. Or you may even find yourself in locker rooms and on the sidelines, helping athletes who get injured. Most PTs have normal work hours but may work evenings and weekends to accommodate patients' schedules.

How to Become a Physical Therapist

To become a physical therapist, you'll need to muscle through a few years of education, practical experience, and licensing. There are a couple paths you can choose.

Physical Therapist Education Requirements

Most physical therapists have a bachelor’s degree that includes courses such as anatomy, biology, chemistry, physics, and physiology. Examples of college majors leading to a physical therapist career include exercise science, kinesiology, biology, and health science.

The next step is to earn a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree from a school accredited by theCommission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). Most DPT programs require candidates to apply through the Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS).

Physical Therapist Residency

After graduating with a diploma from a DPT program, you'll do a clinical residency to get hands-on experience in a hospital, clinic, or other health-care facility. Residencies typically last about one year.

Physical Therapist Licensing

All states require physical therapists to be licensed by passing the National Physical Therapy Examination administered by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy. There may be additional requirements in the state where you want to work, such as a law exam and a criminal background check. Each state sets its own schedule for how often you must renew your license and what continuing education classes you'll need to renew.

Physical Therapist Specialty Fellowships

After you've completed a residency program and passed a license exam, you may choose to specialize in an advanced clinical area by doing a fellowship. Fellowships are available in critical care, neonatology, orthopedic manual physical therapy, and more. The American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education has directories of physical therapist residency and fellowship programs.

Physical Therapist Board Certification

While it's not mandatory, you can also become a board-certified physical therapy specialist. You can choose the area you'd like to specialize in from the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties. Popular specializations include orthopedics, sports, and geriatrics. You will need to complete 2,000 hours of clinical practice in your area of choice and then pass an exam. Board certification is the gold standard for physical therapy specialists and can increase your chances for employment and advancement.

How Long Does It Take to Become a Physical Therapist?

It takes about eight years to become a physical therapist, 10 if you specialize. An undergraduate degree usually takes four years while the DPT program takes three. However, some programs allow students to begin their PT education as freshmen, taking classes for six years and graduating with both a bachelor's degree and a DPT. Residency then takes another year.

How Much Do Physical Therapists Make?

Monster data shows the median physical therapist salary is $37.34 per hour. It can range from $21.54 to more than $44 per hour. The highest physical therapist salaries are in nursing and residential care facilities, followed by home health-care services, and then hospitals, according to the BLS.

You can look up the average salary for physical therapists in your location by using the Monster Salary Guide.

How to Find Physical Therapist Jobs

Physical therapist jobs are projected to be plentiful for years to come as you need to get your physical therapist resume into shape to put your best foot forward in your job search. Once you’ve knocked your resume and cover letter out of the park, take a look at the physical therapist jobs on Monster.

The BLS has identified the following as the top five states and areas with the highest physical therapist employment levels:

• California
• New York
• Texas
• Florida
• Pennsylvania

These are the top five areas:

• New York City
• Los Angeles
• Chicago
• Philadelphia
• Boston

Make a Move Toward Your Physical Therapy Career

Learning how to become a physical therapist is your first step toward a great career with outstanding room for growth and income. Ready to make get a move on? Get the attention of recruiters, hospitals, and other health-care employers by uploading you resume for free on Monster.