Physical Therapist Research Paper

A Physical therapist is a highly educated, licensed health care professional that can help patients reduce pain and improve or restore mobility. They can teach patients how to prevent or manage their condition so that they will achieve long-term health benefits. To become a physical therapist one must go through years of school and training. My goal of becoming a physical therapist has been my main goal ever since high school. Being in a swim team and helping others out as a lifeguard has motivated to into helping athletes and people with disabilities. To me, working with people would be a fantastic career field for me to pursue. Reaching this goal is harder than most career goals. I will have to go through a pool of candidates that are has motivated as me. This goal that I am trying to accomplish will need a hundred percent of my effort in school and the field itself. Finding “connections in the field of physical therapy will help you find a job faster. Many people will try to get a spot in the career that I want and for me to accomplish my goal, I must be a better candidate than the others.

In order to be successful in the profession as a physical therapist there are several prerequisites a person has to accomplish. One of the first prerequisites to become a physical therapist is you must graduate from a physical therapist educational program and obtain a master or doctoral degree. The master's degree programs for physical therapy typically are two to two and a half years in length, while doctoral degree programs usually last 3 years. In addition to classroom and laboratory instruction, students will complete supervised clinical experience to get a feel of the work environment. The coursework will include physics, biology and chemistry. Other additional coursework included during the physical therapy program is therapeutic procedures, biomechanics, examination techniques, human development, manifestations of disease, and neuroanatomy. You can specialize in one of those certain topics, which will concentrate more on a certain area. Students must also obtain a license in order to practice physical therapy. A license can be obtained by

Beyond the educational requirements for physical therapists are the many other attributes that are needed to be successful. A career as a physical therapist requires a lot of studied skills, personal characteristics and physical fitness. A physical therapist should enjoy working with people and helping others. An ability to listen to patients and understand is important to success. Patients are often a victim of a traumatic experience, injury or are afflicted by a debilitating disease. The emotional distress can often be as trying as the physical dysfunction. (Kottler 11) Communicating and teaching skills are needed to help patients learn new movements and exercises to practice on their own. Physical therapists help patients set goals, regain and strengthen muscles and flexibility. Helping a patient find confidence in the program helps them to

Physical therapists are required to complete at least six years or higher of education before work begins. This means that a master’s degree or a bachelor’s degree must be achieved. Only a few colleges or universities offer master’s programs, therefore a student must enter a doctoral program to attain this profession. Acquiring a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree requires three years of education only after receiving a bachelor’s degree. Most students join residency programs that can last anywhere from nine months to three years to

According to the Bureau of Labor and Statics, in 2008, there were about 185,000 practicing Physical Therapists. It is predicted that in year 2018, there will be 241,700 practicing Physical Therapists (Bureau…). A physical therapist is a healthcare professional that can diagnose and treat a person. Physical therapists work with people of all ages that have a problem or disease that limits their ability to perform daily tasks. To become a physical therapist, you need either a Masters of Physical Therapy or a Doctorate of Physical Therapy. There are 212 accredited physical therapist programs. Of those, 203 are doctorate programs and nine are masters. However, starting in the year 2016, The Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy

To be a physical therapist a person must have a desire to help people recover from injuries. Being physically active, having a positive attitude, and being able to communicate well with others are the basic skills a therapist needs. A physical therapist should be in great health and physical condition so that they are able to lift/push heavy equipment or people. This job is a very physical job so being in great health is a must.

With being a physical therapist, you will have to be more of a friendly person and have good communication skills. You will be working with people of all ages, so it would be good if you were nice and easy to talk to.

The average pay for a physical therapist in 2015 was $84,020 annually and $40.40 per hour (“Summary”). Initial pay as a physical therapist could be around $67,000. With about 5-9 years of experience you could make about $80.000, and with 10-19 years you can make over $100,000. Occupational therapy makes about $80,000 annually, and a PT assistant makes about $46,000 annually. (“Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Degree Average Salary”) Some other similar jobs would be an audiologist which they make about $74,890 annually, and a recreational therapist makes about $45,890 annually

The duties for a PTA are in charge of the treatment area , making sure the area it’s clean and ready for the patients. The job skills that a Physical Therapist should have are the following reading comprehension , active listening ,writing, speaking , science and critical thinking.

Physical Therapists have a very important job,to make sure that you recover faster from an injury/sickness.Being a PT (Physical Therapists) requires many skills in the education/training and important qualities to be successful at their job.When PTs go to college it's not all fun and games.A Physical

Physical therapists are members of a health care team, specially trained to improve movement and flinction, relieve pain, and expand movement potential. Through evaluation and individualized treatment programs, physical therapists can both treat existing problems and provide preventive health care for people with a variety of needs (Physical Therapy-Improving 1). Physical therapists are very knowledgeable and skillful concerning the human body. Physical therapy is a complex, but rewarding field to pursue as a career. Specialization, working conditions, job outlook, salaries, and education requirements need to be taken into consideration when contemplating a career as a physical therapist.

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

To be a Physical Therapist there are certains types of educational requirements that are needed to be in this type of career field. Those requirements include having a graduate degree that is from accredited academic programs. In order to complete this degree it will take about three years. Other requirements would be that you would have to be self-orientated, being adaptable and also being self-assured. In order to get this type of degree you would have to complete years of education such as anatomy, biology, kinesiology, and physical fitness. Some physical therapist get more training in patient psychology to help cope with the all the emotions that they will encounter with different patients.

Physical Therapists provide rehabilitation for injuries and help maintain stability. “Some history of Physical Therapist formed their first professional association in 1921 called the American Women’s physical therapeutic association. In the late 1940s, the association had changed its name to the American Physical Therapy Association. Physical Therapy was developed when the association’s membership swelled to 8,000 and the number of physical therapy education programs across the US increased from 16 to 39”(“APTA History”). Although many people may think being a physical therapist is hard because of the qualifications needed, the daily work, salary, and needs of the service have drawn my attention to the field.

Many times you are asked the question, what do you want to do in the future? The answer to this question varies depending on your age. When I was younger I would have said I wanted to be a teacher when I got older because my mom worked with kids. However now that I am a senior getting ready to make a real decision that will affect my future my answer has changed. In five years I plan to be in graduates school working towards my degree in physical therapy. Right after I complete high school I want to go straight into college. To become a physical therapist you need to get your doctorates degree which can take up to eight to ten years. You also have to attend an internship to get experience with the field. It is good to have multiple job shadows so you know what you are getting yourself into. In order to be a physical therapist you need patience but also need to know how to get people to listen to you.