Physical Therapist Job Analysis

The medical field will always continue to grow and so will the demand for those types of careers. According to AOL Jobs, a highly researched source for advice on careers, “Driven primarily by aging baby boomers and technology advances that improve survival rates for trauma victims and children with birth defects, the demand for physical therapy is forecast to continue to grow” (Schepp). AOL Jobs also listed physical therapy as the third most secure career choice. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “the demand for physical therapists is expected to spike upward by an astonishing 30% between 2008 and 2018—a much quicker rate than average… there are approximately 185,500 licensed physical therapists in the United States, and that number is expected to jump to 241,700 over the next 10 years” (qtd. In Benefits of a Physical Therapist Career). Physical therapy will continue to grow exponentially as the population continues to age. Figure 1: Projected employment and growth of physical therapy and its related

In fact, as suspected over the next 10 year span (2008-2018) the demand and popularity will continue to grow by at least 35%. In the past there have been more jobs than graduates (“PTA Career”). According to Dawn Parker, a Physical Therapist Assistant and one of the MCC PTA professors, this is partially because insurance companies are finding it cheaper to rehabilitate patients as opposed to paying for surgery (“Dawn Parker”). There are already over 65,000 licensed and practicing Physical Therapist Assistants in the United States. The median income for the Physical Therapist Assistant depends on many different factors which include but are not limited to: educational background (certifications, trainings, other degrees), geographic location and the setting (clinic, hospital, extended care facility, etc.) (“PTA Career Overview”). The average income of a Physical Therapist Assistant in a clinical or hospital setting in eastern North Carolina is around $18.00 an hour. Nursing homes do tend offer more incentive being there is a much greater need of Physical Therapist Assistants. According to research Physical Therapist and Physical Therapist Assistants are among some of the happiest professionals

I believe that I have significantly strengthened my application since the last PTCAS cycle. In August of 2014, I gained admittance into Delgado Community College’s physical therapist assistant (PTA ) program. I completed the program in July of 2015. Over the course of eleven months, I excelled academically and maintained a 4.0 GPA. Prior to attending DCC, the only observation hours I had completed were in two different out-patient clinics. During my time in DCC’s PTA program, I was assigned to four different clinical rotations. Three of my rotations granted me the opportunity to observe the practice of physical therapy in a skilled nursing facility and in two different acute care hospital settings. My fourth clinical rotation was an out-patient

When I broke my Tibia and Fibula playing football my sophomore year of high school, I started to really think about what I wanted to do with my life. I had a lot of love for playing football, and I knew that I did not want to stray too far away from the sport. It wasn’t until I started going to physical therapy that I realized that I didn’t have to, so I decided that I wanted to be a physical therapist, to help other people get back on their feet. However, my junior year, we got a new athletic trainer at my high school. So, I decided to ask Mrs. Pam if she would mind if I shadowed her, to learn more about what she did, and how to help other players with their injuries. She agreed, and I spent my junior and seniors years shadowing her. I learned

The outlook for a Physical Therapist would be that it is going to to increase but by very little. The average increase is 2.00% each year. So if there is a 2.00% increase each year there is a 2.00% chance that someone will get a career as a Physical Therapist. People need to think of the location when finding a career. Which is the geographic location of where a person would like to live to be able to commute back and forth from work. Working as a physical therapist means working with all kinds of people so various amounts of people might not be every ones type.Working as a Physical Therapist gives the option of working in an office with patients, working at a high school with injured athletes or working with major sports team. Last is how far someone wants to travel. What that means is if someone is living in a small town like Knox Pennsylvania and they want to work with the Pittsburgh Steelers that would mean traveling 2 hours to work everyday. Not everybody wants to travel that far so keep that in

This career is correct to me because it puts emphasis on many of my skills. Physical Therapist career is something that I love and because it is a very rewarding endeavor where you try directly with patients. The most emotional and say the best reward that we have, in addition to the monetary stance that although is not much nor is it very little, is that we link a lot with the patient. Little by little we note their progress, as is excited to see its improvement, starting from scratch since this depressed and sad not to be able to move until we see his smile and his joy to see the progress. I produce a great satisfaction to get the relief of a physical discomfort (and sometimes psychological) to someone using the hands.

Also, a PTOT has the assurance of guaranteed job security and great salaries. For instance, PTOT’s have more job security more so than other jobs in today’s society, because of a major contributing factor; people are living longer. Apta claims, “the soaring demand for physical therapists can be attributed to the aging American population, particularly baby boomers which are more vulnerable to chronic and debilitating conditions that require physical therapist services” (“Apta”). The job of a PTOT is very secure. In addition, salaries for PTOT’s are very impressive, according to the US Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, “a PTOT’s salary compared to related occupations . . . physical therapists receives leading pay at all levels. The average starting salary of a PT is $57,220 at the beginning of their careers, and progresses to $105,900” depending on their worksite” (“Labor Bureau”). PTOT’s are compensated very well for their hard work.

With the job outlook of the physical therapy field being expected to grow by 34 percent by 2024, faster than the average occupation, the average annual wage at a whopping $84,020, paid sick and vacation days and the flexible work environment, this seems like the perfect profession to enter. Having a career in physical therapy can be very rewarding because a physical therapist gets to watch as his or her patients improve every appointment through treatment. Unfortunately, this is not always the case in this profession. There are many disadvantages, and knowing these will help anyone interested in this field have a better understanding of how tough pursuing a career in this field can be. Being a physical therapist can be a rewarding experience and have amazing benefits. However, it is important to be aware of the disadvantages: the extreme amount of education, physical demands, emotional demands and the continuation of education requirements.

When thinking about what Occupational Therapists (OT’s) and what they write it is a lot of goal setting, documenting what they found, and writing a proper diagnosis analysis. . Elders and children that have suffered from things such as disease, surgery, or injury is the main market for OT’s because it is a motor system disease based job. Writing about goal setting and diagnosis; treatment OT’s are a very important to those in which diseased. There are multiple different types of writing in OT; the diagnosis paper is not going to be the same style as a function-bases goal writing assessment. It is very important that each paper that is written that it is full of vital information that will help not only you but the patient to properly grow and develop correctly.

When considering the physical therapy career field, I concluded that my interests and skills are compatible with the career requirements in this field. My sisters friend whom I chose to interview for this paper, contributed to my interest in physical therapy. By doing this research I would like to learn the average pay for a physical therapist. Also, what are suggested classes for a physical therapist while in college? This research will help me better understand what a physical therapist does and will either help me lean towards or away from a career in this field.

I interviewed a physical therapist in my hometown who has been working in this career for several years now. She gave me a great insight how physical therapy really works and all the small things you need to know for this career that wouldn’t necessarily need to have. First, the most interesting information she told me was when I asked her, where do you think the future of this occupation is going? Her answer was, physical therapists would soon be right hands to surgeons so the patient doesn’t have to keep going back to the doctor or the PT (Tronstad). Also, that PT will transition into becoming a PA, physician associate, who performs examinations or procedures, prescribe medication, get ahold of medical histories almost similar to what a physical therapist

Depending on a person’s experience and knowledge, annual salaries may differ. “The average starting salary for a physical therapist assistant is $27,000 but the average of all was $44,130 in 2007 with experienced assistants earning up to $61,340. The salary for an occupational therapist was $58,080 in 2006 but some made as much as $80,000”, according to the American Medical Association (Allied). These numbers will definitely be an improvement on salaries that I have had in the past. With the current unemployment rate one must be looking to get into a career field where there is employment as well as financial security. A salary of $40,000 or more will make a big change in my lifestyle. This will allow me to live the lifestyle I want by helping others and having the salary to vacation wherever I like. With the current lifestyle that I am living this will be a great financial boost for me and my family.

I am learning about the significance of being committed to patient care and dedicating your life's work to the betterment of every patient. I possess a strong academic history as well as a willingness to commit my time to uplifting of my community. Even as a student who has had some hiccups academically, I am proving that I can overcome adversity and "keep my eyes on prize". Furthermore, I am devoted to being the future of physical therapy and displaying selflessness, dedication, compassion, distinction and authenticity. I have learned to sympathize and empathize with patients, however, at the same time stand firm in the therapeutic methods that need to be implemented for the patient's

I didn’t know what I was going to study or what my plans for the future were. I began speaking with a variety of professionals in areas such as healthcare and business. During my pursuit of finding a career path I decided to observe a physical therapist as well as a physical therapist’s assistant at Northwest Ohio Orthopedics and Sports Medicine. While observing, I was able to view the physical therapist work with a diverse group of patients. One patient was a young athlete working towards rehabilitating a knee injury. Although this particular patient helped gain my interest in physical therapy, there was another patient that genuinely opened my eyes to the importance of physical therapy as a profession. This patient was a middle aged woman who had been in a car accident and had shattered multiple bones spanning from her foot up to her hip on one side of her body. When I met her, she had been working with physical therapists for months and was just beginning to get comfortable walking short distances. Meeting this woman changed my perception of the profession, and after these observations I decided physical therapy was what I ultimately wanted to do with my life. I began contemplating how I could use my strengths and make a difference in this career. Hopefully, from my knowledge of science obtained from the exercise science curriculum I would be able to develop new methods of

With every job comes different amounts of pay. In my opinion, PT’s are no downfall in the payroll. Another bonus to being a PT is that in a way, you determine your pay by how you treat your patients. If your patients are treated well you will have repeat business, and with repeat business comes more work, and more pay to follow. Physical therapists have a salary range between $54,000 and $110,000 according to 2011 statistics. That's more than registered nurses and occupational therapists. PT’s average $78,270.00, as occupational therapy averages $74,000 and massage therapists a whopping $36,000. The highest paid in the physical therapist profession work is in the metropolitan areas of Texas, in El Paso and McAllen pay well. and Fairbanks, AK. Fairbanks in Arkansas and Sioux City in Iowa are great paying cities too.