You will see visible signs of success working as a physical therapist, one of the most in-demand positions in the health care sector. The role of a physical therapist is vital in the recovery and rehabilitation of patients who have suffered from diseases and injuries or in helping them prevent or lessen the chance of having a permanent physical disability. Those victories will happen in the lives of those impacted by accidents, diseases, injuries, and chronic health conditions such as heart disease, cerebral palsy, and arthritis that limit their ability to move and function on a daily basis. It could be something as simple as the ability to get out of bed to completely restoring an individual’s physical function.

All around the country, hospitals and clinics are seeking physical therapists, driven by the growth in the elderly population, which has caused people to seek the training offered by physical therapy schools. Job growth is expected to increase by 27 percent by 2016, much faster than other occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau for Labor Statistics. The BLS also expects job opportunities to be the best in acute hospital, rehabilitation, and orthopedic facilities, while physical therapists also work in schools, sports and fitness facilities, outpatient clinics, hospices, nursing homes, and workplaces. Some even provide treatment at patients’ homes. About six in 10 physical therapists worked in hospitals or in offices of physical therapists, according to the U.S. Bureau for Labor Statistics. Most jobs are 40-hour-a-week positions, and some physical therapists also work on nights and weekends, depending on patients’ schedules.

You must be licensed to work as a physical therapist, and more than 172,000 of physical therapy professionals are licensed in the U.S., according to the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). The organization’s surveys have found the median salary to be $75,000, which varies depending on experience, education, position, and work setting.

Work directly with patients to see results
Nearly 200 colleges and universities offer accredited physical therapist schools, according to the APTA, providing education and training to professionals seeking post-baccalaureate degrees. You can earn a master’s degree (typically a two-year program) or a doctor of physical therapy degree (typically a three-year program), which the APTA says more programs offer. The coursework covers everything from the sciences to supervised experience working with patients in a clinic, and a strong background in biology, chemistry, physics, and other math and science courses is a plus.

Once earning your state license through examinations, you will work with patients to test aspects such as balance and coordination, range of motion, strength, muscle performance, and motor function, according to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics. A crucial role is determining a strategy for treatment (inside and outside the clinic) and what outcome a patient can expect. Some visits to physical therapists include heating up or cooling down the muscle or body parts in pain through hot packs, water tanks, ultrasound, and electrical stimulation.

Physical therapists can find constant satisfaction in helping patients overcome disabilities and injuries and improve their health and fitness regimens, which can lead to a longer life span.