Build Your Career as Physical Therapist

In countries like USA, Canada and Australia, profession of physical therapy is included among hot careers. This healthcare profession promises lucrative career prospects and invites scores of young aspirants into its fold every year. Physical therapy is a related healthcare service that is availed by patients during rehabilitation process. It helps patients recover from surgery, injury, accident, stroke and other illness very effectively.

Required professional skills

There are several educational as well as training programs that can help you build your career as physical therapist. American Physical Therapy Association [APTA] has prescribed certain levels of skills that are minimum requirements for taking up entry level physical therapy jobs.

Some of these skills which an aspiring candidate must possess include abilities of reviewing and assessing entire body systems; performing different tests for measuring different ranges of sensory integrity, motion, reflexes and neuromotor; decision making as well as clinical reasoning to establish diagnosis and prognosis; conducting CPR and first-aid; using prosthetics, wheelchairs and walkers and conducting tissue massage, manipulation and traction.

Educational qualification

Career prospects in physical therapy are amazing for aspirants who possess university degrees in physical therapy. For an entry level physical therapy job, you should be at least a bachelor in physical therapy. Apart from university program, you are also required to qualify a certification exam for getting entry into active profession. Bachelor degree in physical therapy mainly concentrates on coursework that includes anatomy, biology and chemistry.

Masters degree and doctoral degree in physical therapy ensure more attractive positions. Whatever course you are pursuing, you must make it sure that the school you are studying in is accredited by Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education [CAPTE].

Career growth and earning

Since physical therapy is an in-demand job in USA, official estimation has projected wide level of career growth in this sector. Earning is also corresponding to its demand. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics, average annual earning of an entry level physical therapist in USA is about $53,000.