Physical therapists are medical professionals who specialize in helping patients both recover from and manage immobility that result from injuries, illnesses, or surgeries.
Physical therapy can be a very rewarding career, as it involves improving the overall quality of life for patients.
If you want to follow this rewarding career path, just follow these steps.
Obtaining Licensure
Make sure you have what it takes to be a physical therapist
Before you jump into the educational program that is required for you to be a physical therapist, you should have a clear sense of what this career entails. If you want to obtain licensure and enjoy a career as a physical therapist, you should be prepared to do the following tasks:
Diagnose your patients’ dysfunctional movements by watching them move around and listening to their complaints and concerns.
Use hands-on therapy, stretches, and exercises to help ease the pain of your patients and improve their mobility.
Evaluate the progress of your patients and modify their treatment plans as needed.
Provide emotional support to your patients as you help them deal with their injuries.
Get a bachelor’s degree from university
While you don’t necessarily have to obtain a BS (Bachelor of Science), the post-graduate program you apply to may have prerequisites in biology, chemistry, anatomy, or physiology.
Common undergraduate majors for physical therapists include biology, psychology, and exercise science.
Obtain a post-graduate professional degree
Some post-graduate physical therapy programs offer a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree, while others offer a Master of Physical Therapy (MPT) degree, though the DPT is far more common. Doctoral programs typically last for 3 years, while Master’s programs last 2-3 years. The coursework covered includes anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, and neuroscience.
Obtain a license to practice physical therapy
Specific license requirements vary between states, but most states require that prospective candidates pass the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE). Determine your state’s requirements for physical therapy licenses.
Succeeding in Your Career
Consider applying to a clinical residency program. After you graduate from your program, you may consider applying to a residency program to gain additional training and as well as experience in specialized area of care. This will help improve your job prospects as well as give you more advancement in your field.
Find a job as a physical therapist
There are a variety of potential job settings for a physical therapist, including hospitals, clinics, outpatient facilities, homes, schools, and fitness centers. Check your local job listings to find availabilities in your area.
Get a board certification in a clinical specialty after you gain some work experience.
Getting a board certification in a clinical specialty can help you gain expertise in a chosen field and will make you a more desirable job candidate and physical therapist. There are a variety of certifications that you can get, and you are not limited to choosing just one.
Having the Qualities of a Physical Therapist
Be compassionate
It is important that physical therapists be warm, friendly individuals with strong communication skills, as the job requires constantly dealing with sick or injured patients. As a physical therapist, you will work with many people who suffer emotionally as well as physically because of their pain, and you will need to have a lot of empathy to help them heal and understand their injuries.
Have dexterity
Since physical therapy requires working with your hands, it is important to have strong manual dexterity. Physical therapists should also have strong enough arms to apply resistance to patients’ limbs and help lift them up if necessary.
Be prepared to spend most of your time on your feet
Most physical therapists spent much of their time on their feet, not sitting in a chair. As a physical therapist, you’ll need to move around to work with your patients and help them complete a variety of exercises.
You should also be physically fit not only to be able to work with your patients more easily, but also to inspire confidence in your patients.
Source: https://www.wikihow.com
