Career In Physical Therapy

Starting A Career In Physical Therapy

If you are looking for a career in the health care industry, you might want to look into a career in physical therapy. This is a growing field, with almost no unemployment. The pay is pretty high with average starting salaries in the $50,000 range. There is also a lot of flexibility in the hours and the chance to have your own business. Here's some information about physical therapist careers you can use to get started.

Getting Your Degree In Physical Therapy

The first step toward beginning a physical therapy career is to get a degree in Physical Therapy. There are many schools offering masters and/or doctoral degrees in physical therapy, so the programs are widely available. After you get a degree you need to take the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) administered by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy and get licenses to practice as a PT in the states where you are interested in working.

A career in physical therapy gives you so many options. The practice of physical therapy covers a wide range of conditions, so many people who wish to have a career in this field specialize in one aspect or another of this broad field, and you might be interested in doing the same.

Areas of Specialization

There are five areas of specialization that are most commonly chosen by people with a physical therapist career: cardiopulmonary, geriatric, neurological, orthopedic and pediatric physical therapy. You can tailor your practice to specialize in any of these areas if you so desire.

Type of Employer

You also have a choice in the type of employer you choose for your career in physical therapy once you have your license. You can work for a school district helping out kids with sports injuries, you can work for a hospital, you can work for yourself in private practice, you can work for the government, or you could even work for a sports team. There are opportunities to work in nursing homes, in home health care, and for insurance companies as well.

Since there are so many job openings for people with a degree in physical therapy you will probably have no problem finding a position wherever you decide to live, making this a very stable career choice. As the population ages there will probably be an even higher demand for physical therapists.

Therefore, if you are interested in a career in physical therapy, start looking into degree programs. Once you find and get accepted into a program you are on the road to a fulfilling career. You can decide from there which of the many options for a career in in this field is most appealing to you and take the necessary steps to accomplish your goal and get your dream job.

Average Salary Of A Physical Therapist