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Physical Therapy Career Paper

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Imagine that you have torn your ACL, or your anterior crucial element ligament. An athletic trainer will help you until a doctor can be seen for X-rays. A surgeon will repair the injury. An anesthesiologist will keep you pain free throughout a procedure. After this, somebody is needed to assist in improving movement. That is what a physical therapist is for. Physical therapists, or PTs, are a crucial part of rehabilitation, treatment and prevention for patients with physical ailments. Individualized programs are developed by PTs that may follow a doctor’s referral, as well as a patient’s concerns and physical evaluation. Treatment plans can be made for individuals with sprained ankles to arthritis to neurological disorders. Physical therapy varies from patient to patient, as no two injuries are exactly the same, but the goal is always the same: a completely recovered patient. In order to become a physical therapist, one must obtain a bachelor’s degree, usually related to anatomy, physiology, biology, chemistry, or physics. This typically takes four years to complete. After undergraduate coursework, a DPT, or Doctor of Physical Therapy, program must be pursued. These programs last three years, for a total of seven years between undergraduate and graduate work. Some programs …show more content…

On top of this, PTs must pass any licensing exams that a particular state may have, as well as continue their education in order to keep their license. Sometimes, a criminal background check is necessary. “After gaining work experience, some physical herbalists choose to become a board-certified specialist” (Occupational Outlook Handbook). There are eight clinical specialty areas, including geriatrics, pediatrics, and orthopedics. Certification requires 2,000 hours of clinical work, as well as a residency

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