THERAPY AND REHABILITATION
Physical Therapist
To be a successful Physical Therapist you should...
have strong interpersonal skills in order to successfully educate patients about their treatments; be compassionate and possess a desire to help patients and patient's family; enjoy applying movement science to every day tasks; have the ability to detect small changes in human movement or function; have the ability to use your body and hands skillfully.
What will my job be like?
Physical therapists, or PTs, are health care professionals who evaluate and treat people with health problems resulting from injury or disease. PTs assess joint motion, muscle strength and endurance, function of heart and lungs, and performance of activities required in daily living, among other responsibilities. Treatment includes therapeutic exercise, cardiovascular endurance training, and training in activities of daily living. More than 120,000 physical therapists are licensed in the U.S. today, treating nearly 1 million people every day.
Specialties
- Cardiopulmonary Disease
- Clinical Electrophysiology
- Geriatrics
- Neurology
- Orthopedics
- Pediatrics
- Sports
Where could I work?
Physical therapists own and manage their own clinics or are employed in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and extended care facilities such as nursing homes, home health agencies, public and private schools, and industry and private practices. Most physical therapists work a 40-hour week, which may include some evenings and weekends.
Other workplace settings:
- Physical Therapy Educational Programs
- Research Institutions
- Sports Facilities
Average Annual Salary
$99,710 per year
What is the future of this career?
Employment of physical therapists is projected to grow 14 percent from 2023 to 2033, much faster than the average for all occupations.
About 13,600 openings for physical therapists are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Type of Education/Training
The minimum educational requirement is a post-graduate (master’s or doctoral) degree in physical therapy from an accredited physical therapist educational program.
Where could I get the education/training?
- Quinnipiac University
- Sacred Heart University
- University of Connecticut
- University of Hartford
- University of Saint Joseph
Licensing/Certification
Licensure is required by the state of Connecticut. Prerequisites: An approved Physical Therapy Program; National Physical Therapy Examination or Current Certification by the American Registry of Physical Therapists.
More Information
American Physical Therapy Association
3030 Potomac Avenue, Suite 100
Alexandria, VA 22305
800-999-APTA
