Did you know that physical therapists are now a type of doctor?
The profession of physical therapy (PT) and the role of physical therapists in the healthcare system has grown over the past century and especially in the past two decades.
In the past, all you had to earn was a two-year degree to become a physical therapist, but now you must earn a clinical doctoral degree.
Before you can earn a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree, which takes about three years, you'll need to complete a four-year bachelor's degree. Afterwards, you'll also need to become licensed in your state of practice.
What Do Physical Therapists Do?
First and foremost, physical therapists help patients manage pain and improve their movement, focusing primarily on the musculoskeletal system, to help enhance their quality of life.
In addition, they treat orthopedic, neurologic, cardiac, and athletic injuries and conditions. Sports medicine and chronic pain management are very popular areas of PT practice.
In recent years, the scope of physical therapy has broadened to include pediatrics, geriatrics, acute care, pelvic health, and oncology.
How Do Physical Therapists Treat Patients?
While many medical professionals such as orthopedists refer their patients for physical therapy, today in all 50 states, patients can seek treatment directly from a physical therapist without a physician's referral.
Physical therapists will first examine and assess a patient to develop a customized treatment plan to address the patient's particular needs to improve movement, manage pain, and restore function.
Then the therapist will utilize any combination of treatment methods or modalities to achieve the treatment goals.
Modalities may include passive or active exercises to stretch or strengthen a patient's muscles. In addition, many traditional as well as hands-on methods are in their toolkit.
Such methods might include:
- ultrasound heat
- electrical stimulation (such as transcutaneous electrical neuromuscular stimulation, or TENS)
- lumbar, cervical, or supine traction
- joint mobilization
- therapeutic massage
- instrument-assisted soft-tissue mobilization (IASTM)
- hot or cold packs
- kinesiology taping
- laser or light therapy
- cupping
- dry needling
- whirlpool hydrotherapy
What Is the Career Outlook for Physical Therapists?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the need for physical therapists is increasing at a much higher rate than for many professions, with expected growth of 17% from 2021 to 2031.
The average base salary for physical therapists in the United States is $85,000 to $95,000 per year, with Alaska, California, and Connecticut being the highest-paying states, according to Indeed.com.
Steps to Becoming a Physical Therapist
Read below for a step-by-step process about how to become a physical therapist.
Step 1: Earn Your Bachelor's Degree
Complete your bachelor's degree in a health- or science-related major from an accredited university. You should have high grades in your science courses.
Students in physical therapy programs typically study topics like anatomy, physiology, pathology, biomechanics, musculoskeletal system, and neurological dysfunction management.
However, you'll also need strong interpersonal skills, so be sure to take courses in areas like psychology and communication (such as interpersonal communication).
It is also extremely helpful to gain volunteer or observational experience in physical therapy, perhaps through a clinical internship. These provide training in screening and assessing as well as treating patients.
Step 2: Apply for a Physical Therapy Program
Take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), then you can apply for a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree program that's accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE).
DPT applicants at most universities will apply through Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS), enabling you to complete a single online application to apply to multiple programs.
Step 3: Earn a Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree
Next, you need to complete your DPT degree program. You will take a wide range of courses in medicine as well as a few other disciplines.
At Emory University, for example, students in the DPT program spend their first year learning about the following:
- the structure and function of the human body
- principles of body movement throughout a lifespan
- skills such as interpersonal communication and teaching-learning
- general medical conditions
The second-year curriculum includes the following:
- understanding pathophysiology and disease processes
- taking clinical problem-solving and clinical science courses
- learning about musculoskeletal rehabilitation
- learning about adult and pediatric neurorehabilitation
- completing a 10- to 20-week full-time internship
In their third year, Emory University DPT students complete the required clinical internship hours at clinical education sites, then return to the university to complete advanced coursework and research projects.
Step 4: Become Licensed
After graduation with a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree, you must take a state licensure examination and pass the National Physical Therapist Examination (NPTE).
The next step is to apply to a clinical residency program, where you will receive additional training and gain on-the-ground experience under the supervision of a more experienced physical therapist.
Step 5: Become Board Certified
After getting licensed and as your career begins, you should consider applying to become a board-certified specialist.
You can choose from among any of the 10 physical therapy clinical specialty areas that the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS) offers:
- cardiovascular and pulmonary
- geriatric
- neurologic
- oncologic
- orthopedic
- pediatric
- sports
- women's health
- wound management
To be eligible for certification, you must have completed at least 2,000 clinical practice hours (direct patient care) in your desired specialty area or completed a post-professional clinical residency.
Eligible candidates must then sit for and pass an exam to receive specialty certification. While you may earn more than one specialist certification, each one requires a separate 2000-hour or residency experience.
Learn More about How to Become a Physical Therapist
Our team at Best Accredited Colleges is ready to assist you in finding degree programs both at the undergraduate and graduate levels that will help you achieve your dream of becoming a physical therapist. Contact us today.
