Research on Career- Physical Therapy

By Amanda Todd

What is a Physical Therapist?A physical therapist is a licensed health care professional who help to restore mobility or reduce pain for patients who have undergone some sort of trauma. They evaluate a patient and then plan a rehabilitative program to improve mobility and strength and reduce pain.

To become a physical therapist, you must first earn a bachelor’s degree, then go to 3 years at a Doctorate of Physical Therapy program, and pass the licensure exam.

● 460 B.C. - Variations of physical therapy (PT) techniques noted● Hippocrates advocated massage and Hector

performed hydrotherapy● 1813 - the first official “physical therapy” clinic called

the Royal Central Institute of Gymnastics (RCIG) in Sweden opened

● 1865- RCIG renamed “Medical Gymnastics” ● Focused on manipulative therapy with exercise to help

patients overcome their physical injuries and problems● During this time, physicians opposed the upcoming

profession and it phased out until 1894 when a new group was founded in England

History of the Profession

History Continued● 1913- New Zealand starts formal PT training● 1914- First PT training program at a prestigious military

hospital in Washington D.C.●Created to help with the aftermath of WW1

● 1921- Founding of the American Physical Therapy Association

●Created educational standards for PT programs and started accreditation of programs

● 1950’s- PT moved from outside of hospitals to a wide variety of settings

● 1974- Specializations in PT ● 1980- Technical advances in techniques due to new

technology● 1990’s- new focus on manual therapy

Growth Potential●According to Forbes, Physical Therapy is ranked

#8 on the Top 20 fastest growing jobs list●According to U.S. News, of the Best 100 jobs, PT

was ranked 14th●Growth rate is projected at 34% through 2024

due to aging Baby Boomer population●Over 71,800 new PT’s will be needed

Salary Range● Median salary: $82,390

● 75th percentile- $96,060

● 25th percentile- $68,690

● Highest salaries earned in schools, home health care and nursing home facilities

Job Satisfaction●According to U.S. News, job satisfaction

can be determined by upward mobility, stress level, and flexibility

●Upward Mobility: average●Stress Level: above average●Flexibility: average

●Forbes ranked physical therapy as one of “The Ten Happiest Jobs” in articles published in 2013 and 2011

●According to a 2007 survey published by The Washington Post, 3/4ths of physical therapists reported being “very satisfied” with their job

Skills Needed To Succeed● Interpersonal skills● Science skills● Motor skills● Observational skills

● Compassion● Flexibility● Adaptability● Physical stamina

Requirements for Physical Therapy School

●Bachelor’s Degree●Observation hours (amount varies by school)●Prerequisites

●Biology 1 & 2●Chemistry 1 & 2●Physics 1 & 2●Statistics●Psychology (typically Lifespan Developmental &

Abnormal Psych)●Occassionaly Exercise Physiology or Medical

Terminology

My O’Net Profile Results●TOP SCORE: Social - 35

● Like working with others to help them learn and grow● Like teaching, giving advice, and helping people

●Investigative - 16● Like searching for facts and figuring out problems

●Artistic - 14● Like creativity in work, and work that can be done without

following a set of rules ●Enterprising - 7

● Like persuading and leading people, making decisions●LOWEST SCORE: Realistic/Conventional - 1

● Realistic- Enjoy outside work and real world materials● Conventional- like following a strong leader, working with clear

rules

Why I am a great candidate for graduate school for my DPT degree

● Interpersonal Skills: As the results of my O’Net profile show, I am an extremely social person, and I want to help others learn, grow, and get better

●I have had a lot of experience in teaching, helping, and motivating others through jobs like tutoring, teaching fitness classes, and being a lab teaching assistant; my interpersonal skills have been honed through these jobs and my waitressing job

● Science skills: I have completed all of the prerequisites I need to apply to PT school, and therefore I have an extensive knowledge in the multiple areas of science that I need to apply● This probably explains my investigative nature that I have and

why I love science

Why I am a great candidate for graduate school for my DPT degree

● Motor skills: through the many sports activities I do, I have developed my motor skills over time and built up my physical stamina

● Observational skills: I am very observant and pay close attention to detail in everything I do. This is highlighted by my investigative nature shown by my O’Net results. Not only that, but I have shadowed over 200 hours of physical therapy and have first hand knowledge in the field from myself and my father going through physical therapy

● Flexibility/Adaptability: As shown by my score on the category “artistic”- I like to be creative in my work and try new techniques and strategies. Through the many trials of life, I have learned to be flexible and adapt to new challenges I face

Why I am a great candidate for graduate school for my DPT degree

●Compassion: Lastly and most importantly, I want to do everything in my power to help others get better and give them the treatment they deserve regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, or mental capability

●I have known since I was very little that I wanted to help people, and this has been shown in my O’Net results in the social category

DPT Programs I have applied to:

●The Medical University of South Carolina

●The University of St. Augustine ●Emory University●The University of Tennessee

Chattanooga●The University of Miami●The University of Pittsburgh●Western Carolina University ●Slippery Rock University

Summary● In conclusion, physical therapy is a growing field that will have an increasingly high demand as the population ages

● It is a great career to help others get their mobility, independence, and lives back

● I can’t wait to see where I end up in physical therapy school and can’t wait to start my next chapter!

ResourcesAlyson, Jennifer. "What Skills Are Needed to Be a Physical Therapist?"Work.

Studio D, 2016. Web. 28 Aug. 2016. <http://work.chron.com/skills-needed-physical-therapist-11034.html>.

"History of Physical Therapy." Eugene Physical Therapy. N.p., 2016. Web. 28 Aug. 2016. <http://www.eugenept.com/history.html>.

Jobs, U.S. News Best. "Physical Therapist Ranks Among Best Jobs of 2016." Physical Therapist. U.S. News and World Report, 2016. Web. 28 Aug. 2016. <http://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/physical-therapist>.

"The 20 Fastest Growing Jobs in America." Forbes. Forbes Magazine, n.d. Web. 28 Aug. 2016. <http://www.forbes.com/pictures/hdgi45egje/8-tie-physical-therap/#51b955686780>.

"Who Are Physical Therapists?" Who Are Physical Therapists? APTA, 2016. Web. 28 Aug. 2016. <http://www.apta.org/AboutPTs/>.