Physical Therapist Career Guide

Physical therapists help people with illnesses and injuries to cope with their physical limitations so they can get back to their daily routines. This career requires compassion, patience, and the ability to work well with people. So, if you’re interested in helping others learn how to handle physical challenges, this career may be great for you.

Physical therapists play a huge role in society by helping us recover from injury and illness. They can work in a variety of different settings, including hospitals, clinics, nursing homes or at a patient’s residence. To become a physical therapist, you will need to complete a bachelors degree and prerequisite courses in anatomy, biology, chemistry, physics and physiology. After this, physical therapists need a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree from a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE).

I get the opportunity to see multitudes of patients every day and they are coming to me to get themselves better. How cool is that? Whether post-surgical, acute injury, even falling from a two-story building, these patients are here to use my expertise to get better and seeing the milestones they hit throughout their plan of care are some of the most internally rewarding things I can think of. It makes the job worth doing.

Tanner Neuberger

Physical Therapist Career Ratings

(What these ratings mean)

Income

Career
Growth

Personal Growth

Contribution

Influence

Job Profiles

Real-Life Physical Therapist Job Profiles

Below is a list of links to anonymous job profiles of REAL PEOPLE who have filled out our survey and offered to share their insights with our users about their job in the Physical Therapist field.

ID	Job Title	Gender	Age	Earnings	City & State	Date
33025	Physical Therapist	Female	45	$90,000	Tacoma, WA	01/01/2010
32558	Staff Physical Therapist	Female	32	$65,000	High Point, NC	01/01/2010

Overview

What a physical therapist does

Physical therapists help people with illnesses and injuries to cope with their physical limitations so they can get back to their daily routines. As a physical therapist, you can find work in a variety of different settings. Some physical therapists work in hospitals in a rehab facility. Or, they can also work in clinics, nursing homes, or at a patient’s residence. During an average day, you’ll work with patients suffering from limited mobility caused by a variety of conditions, such as arthritis, osteoporosis, or a traumatic injury.

Regardless of where they work, the typical responsibilities and duties of physical therapists includes:

Review a patients’ medical history and referral notes from doctors, surgeons, or other healthcare workers
Diagnosing a patients’ functions and movements by observing them stand or walk
Listening to a patients’ concerns
Developing individualized plans of care for patients
Outlining the patients’ goals and the expected outcomes of the plans
Using exercises, stretching maneuvers, hands-on therapy, and equipment to ease patients’ pain
Evaluating and recording a patients’ progress and modifying the plan or trying new treatments as needed
Educating patients and their families about what to expect from the recovery process and how to cope with challenges throughout the process

Why they are needed

Physical therapists are essential part of injury and illness recovery. They help patients in numerous ways, such as:

Removing or reducing pain caused by an injury or illness
Avoiding invasive surgery
Enhancing mobility
Improving recovery from a stroke
Recovering or preventing sports injuries
Improving balance and preventing falls at a later stage
Managing age-related issues
Managing heart and lung disease by conducting strength, conditioning and breathing exercises
Managing women’s health and other conditions

Pros and cons of a career as a physical therapist:

Pros:

Physical therapists have the opportunity to earn a high salary
Physical therapists have to opportunity to be self employed, meaning that can be in charge of their schedule and clients
Physical therapists are in demand
Physical therapists can work in a variety of environments, such as hospitals, rehabilitation centers, clinics, schools, gyms or nursing homes
It is an incredibly rewarding job
Physical therapists get to meet lots of different types of people
No two days are the same when working as a physical therapist

Cons:

The education can be extensive as physical therapist are required to know about anatomy, biology, chemistry, physics and physiology
The workload can be demanding and the hours can be long
It can be a physically demanding job, as physical therapists may have to lift or manoeuvre patients
Physical therapists need to constantly renew their license
They may have to work with difficult patients who are aggressive, stubborn or confrontational

Employability

Job market

The Bureau of labor statistics predicts that the employment of physicals therapists is projected to grow 18 percent from 2018 to 2028, which is much faster than the average for all occupations.

This employment growth is expected because the demand for physical therapists will increase because the large number of aging baby boomers are staying more active later in life than their counterparts of previous generations. However, these older people are more likely to experience heart attacks, strokes, and mobility-related injuries that require physical therapy for rehabilitation.

In addition, a number of chronic conditions, such as diabetes and obesity, have become more prevalent in recent years. More physical therapists will be needed to help these patients maintain their mobility and manage the effects of chronic conditions.

Finally, advances in medical technology has increased the use of outpatient surgery to treat a variety of injuries and illnesses. Medical and technological developments also are expected to permit survival of a greater number of trauma victims and newborns with birth defects, creating additional demand for rehabilitative and physical care.

Career paths

Generally, physical therapists will need a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree from a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). These programs typically last 3 years and often include courses in biomechanics, neuroscience, and pharmacology. Physical therapist students also complete clinical work, during which they gain supervised experience in areas such as acute care and orthopedic care.

To get accepted onto this program, you will need a bachelor’s degree and a prerequisite courses, such as anatomy, biology, chemistry, physics, and physiology. Some programs admit college freshmen into 6- or 7-year programs that allow students to graduate with both a bachelor’s degree and a DPT. Most DPT programs require candidates to apply through the Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS).

After graduating, physical therapists may apply to a clinical residency program after graduation. Residencies typically last about 1 year and provide additional training and experience in specialty areas of care. Physical therapists who have completed a residency program may choose to specialize further by participating in a fellowship in an advanced clinical area. The American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education has directories of physical therapist residency and fellowship programs.

After gaining work experience, some physical therapists choose to become a board-certified specialist. The American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties offers certification in clinical specialty areas of physical therapy, such as orthopedics, sports, and geriatrics. Board specialist certification requires passing an exam and completing clinical work in the specialty area.

Example Job Titles for Physical Therapist

Below is a list of common job titles in the Physical Therapist field. Click the links below for more information about these job titles, or view the next section for actual real-life job profiles.

Benefits & Conditions

Income and benefits

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for physical therapists was $89,440 in 2019. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $62,120 and the highest 10 percent earned more than $124,740.

The top paying industry was nursing and residential care facilities, where the median annual salary was $95,540. This is followed by home healthcare services, where the median annual salary was $94,080. Next was hospitals ($91,260) and then offices of physical, occupational and speech therapists ($85,130).

Autonomy and Flexibility

Physical therapists have a lot of control over the sessions they plan, and how they plan them. However, client autonomy is a key part of best practice in physical therapy and therefore, physical therapists must ensure that their clients remain in control of their decisions and always have the final say. Many physical therapists will become self-employed. Therefore, they will have control over their schedule, the clients they meet and how they plan their day.

Locations and commute

According to Zippia, the best states to be a physical therapist, based on salary and total number of jobs, were:

Alaska, where the average annual salary is $97,785
Nevada, where the average annual salary is $84,348
Wyoming, where the average annual salary is $76,754
New Mexico, where the average annual salary is $75,939
California, where the average annual salary is $99,800

The worst states for physical therapists were Colorado, Florida, Missouri, Rhode Island and Vermont.

Work environment

33% of physical therapists in the United States worked for offices of physical, occupational and speech therapists, and audiologists. 26% were employed by hospitals, 11% by home healthcare services, 8% were self-employed workers and 6% were employed by nursing and residential care services.

Physical therapists spend much of their time on their feet. They are vulnerable to injuries because physical therapists must lift and move patients. As part of their training, however, they will be taught proper lifting and body mechanic techniques.

Career Satisfaction

Common Matching Personality Types

Which personalities tend to succeed and thrive in Physical Therapist careers? Based on our research, there is a relatively strong positive correlation between the following personality types and Physical Therapist career satisfaction. This doesn’t mean that there aren’t many exceptions, of course, but if you fit into one of the following personality types then we suggest you give strong consideration to a career in Physical Therapist.

16 Types (Myers-Briggs)

ESFP
ISFJ

Big Five (OCEAN)

None

DISC

None

Enneagram

Type 2

Holland Codes (RIASEC)

Personality types

Physical therapists are likely to be an ESFP personality type. The ESFP is energetic and has the unique ability to raise the spirts of those around them. They like to socialize with different people, and often have friends who fall under several generations! This makes them great at interacting with the huge variety of people that physical therapists will need to. ESFPs tend to be talkative, enthusiastic and fun-loving, which are key skills for physical therapists.

Accomplishment and mastery

Firstly, as physical therapists must continue to develop their skills throughout their career, they will have a high sense of accomplishment and mastery for as long as they continue to work. On top of this, physical therapists will help people to have a better quality of life every single day. Each time one of their patients recovers from an injury or a disease, physical therapists will feel a huge sense of accomplishment and mastery.

Meaning and contribution

Physical therapists have the hugely important job of helping those with disabilities, injuries or illnesses. Their work is crucial, because they greatly improve the lives of their patients. Without physical therapists, many ill or disabled people would not have the help they need to get their life back.

Life fit

Most physical therapists will work normal full time hours. Some physical therapists will work evenings and weekends to meet the needs of their patients. However, as some physical therapists are self-employed, they can set their own schedule and get a great life fit!

Who will thrive in this career?

There are a few key qualities that physical therapists must have in order to thrive:

The desire to help others and improve their lives
The ability to communicate and empathize with lots of different people
The ability to be non-judgemental about people and their lifestyle choices
The ability to solve problems
Physical fitness
A naturally gentle personality to make patients’ feel safe and trusted

Who will struggle in this career?

Those who are seeking a desk job that doesn’t involve interacting with lots of people are likely to struggle as a physical therapist. If you are not physically fit then you may struggle to keep up with the demands of job, which involves lifting heavy things and standing up all day. Finally, those who are not naturally gentle and compassionate are likely to struggle with the social and caring demands of the job.

Requirements

Quick Glance

Skills

Degrees

Skills and talents

As well as being able to endure standing up all day and lifting patients, physical therapists need to have skills such as:

Problem solving skills, as physical therapists will have to find solutions to their patients problems
Patience, as working with illness and disease can be a slow and frustrating process
Compassion and empathy, as physical therapists need to be able to understand the pain and trauma of their patients
Communication skills, both written and verbal, as physical therapists will need to communicate with patients, their family and other healthcare providers. They must also keep written documents up to date
Time management skills, as physical therapists will treat several patients a day and must also be able to complete any administrative tasks
Dexterity, as physical therapists will have to use their hands to provide manual therapy and therapeutic exercises

Education

To become a physical therapists, you will firstly need to complete a bachelors degree and prerequisite courses in anatomy, biology, chemistry, physics and physiology. After this, physical therapists need a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree from a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). Some programs admit college freshmen into 6- or 7-year programs that allow students to graduate with both a bachelor’s degree and a DPT. Most DPT programs require candidates to apply through the Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS).

Certifications

All states require physical therapists to be licensed, which includes passing the National Physical Therapy Examination administered by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy. Other requirements vary by state. In some states, you are required to sit a law exam and a criminal background check. Continuing education is typically required for physical therapists to keep their license. Check with your state board for specific licensing requirements.

How to Become

Summary

Physical therapists play a huge role in society by helping us recover from injury and illness. They can work in a variety of different settings. Some physical therapists work in hospitals. Others, work in clinics, nursing homes, or at a patient’s residence. During an average day, physical therapist work with patients suffering from limited mobility caused by a variety of conditions, such as arthritis, osteoporosis, or a traumatic injury.

Immediate action

The best thing to do to kickstart any career is to gather some work experience. Related work experience could be working in a hospital or volunteering in a care home. To have the best chances of getting accepted onto degree programs, you should aim to have as many extracurricular activities as possible.

Education and learning

Physical therapists firstly need to complete a bachelors degree and prerequisite courses in anatomy, biology, chemistry, physics and physiology. After this, physical therapists need a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree from a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE).

Skill development

In most states, continuing education is typically required for physical therapists to keep their license. Therefore, skill development is high and continuous throughout the entire career of a physical therapist.

FAQs

Ask a Question

Have a question about Physical Therapist careers? If so, our mentors would love to help! Just click on a mentor’s profile below and then fill out the “Ask a Question” form on that page. Your question will then be emailed to the mentor, who can then email you a reply.

ID	Job Title	Gender	Age	Earnings	City & State	Date
33025	Physical Therapist	Female	45	$90,000	Tacoma, WA	01/01/2010
32558	Staff Physical Therapist	Female	32	$65,000	High Point, NC	01/01/2010

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