Physical Therapy Schools: A Road to Recovery

A career in physical therapy is all about getting people back on their feet, and physical therapy schools are the place to start. Whether you're rehabilitating people to go back to work, return to a sports competition, or recover from surgery, physical therapy schools will help you become well-versed in the body's many complexities and the specific methodologies that facilitate its rebound from injury.

And here's a great reason to consider a physical therapy career: According to a 2008 survey conducted by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago, physical therapy ranked second highest in job satisfaction. In a similar survey by the Wall Street Journal's Career Journal, physical therapy was rated one of the eight best careers.

Physical therapy degrees
To become a physical therapist, you must earn a graduate degree from a physical therapy education program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education. While some programs offer a master's degree in physical therapy, the majority offer the doctor of physical therapy degree. According to the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), 199 colleges and universities nationwide currently offer professional physical therapy education programs; 92 percent offer the doctor of physical therapy degree and the remaining programs are planning to convert.

After graduation, you must pass a state-administered national licensure exam in order to practice physical therapy. More than 172,000 physical therapists are licensed in the U.S. today, reports the APTA, and the median salary for a physical therapist is $75,000. With just a 0.2 percent unemployment rate, physical therapists are experiencing the best employment conditions since enactment of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997.

Physical therapy courses
The scope of education at physical therapy schools is no small matter. Coursework includes subjects like anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, and even some physics. Clinical classes teach physical therapy students how to perform treatments, tests, examination techniques, and various protocols.

Not only do physical therapy schools instruct students how to heal the body after trauma, they teach ways to prevent future injuries as well. The ability to script exercise regimens, predict possible future relapses, and accurately diagnose the source of pain and discomfort are regular components of any physical therapy education. Techniques involving electrical stimulation, hot and cold compresses, and ultrasound are also part of the curriculum at physical therapy schools.

Physical therapy careers
Graduates of physical therapy schools tend to work in hospitals or clinics, though the potential for self-employment or private practice is an alluring factor for some. A 40-hour week is standard, but it is not uncommon for physical therapists to work evenings or weekends, and travel to provide on-site care is often worked into their schedules. Though many physical therapists maintain a general practice, there is also the potential to specialize in niches like pediatrics, sports medicine, or geriatrics.

Ultimately, you've got to love helping others to become a successful physical therapist. Most interaction is one-on-one and extends over a period of months of routine visits. If you're not comfortable with an intimate clinic or outpatient facility setting, no amount of training from physical therapy schools is going to prepare you for that necessary connection you'll need to successfully help your patients. That education has to come from inside.

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