Career Research: Physical Therapy

Carly Holthausen

Kathleen Meyer

HLTH 419 Clemson University

January 28th, 2015

A little overview.

Physical therapists play an important role in today’s healthcare system. They are recognized as vital providers of rehabilitation,

habilitation, prevention, and risk-reduction services. These health care professionals work with patients of all ages to maintain, restore, and improve movement, activity, and health, enabling these individuals to have optimal functioning and quality of life, all the while ensuring

their safety and applying scientific evidence to provide efficient and effective care. Physical therapy is often considered a safe, meaningful,

and positive alternative to surgery and pharmaceutical treatment. A career in this profession is increasingly one of the most desirable

careers in the health care field in the nation.

http://www.hindscc.edu/departments/health_related_professions/pta/default.aspx

https://www.actx.edu/phys_therapist/index.php?module=article&id=17

http://nau.edu/chhs/physical-therapy/

History of the profession.

The development and implementation of today’s common practices of using exercise, massage, heat, cold, water, and electricity, as means of rehabilitation date back to Greek culture and Hippocrates’ influence as the father of Western medicine

Between the 15 and 1700s in Europe, the use of exercise to treat bone and muscle diseases continued to evolve and progress. By the 1800s, exercise and muscle ‘re-education’ were being used to treat all sorts of orthopedic diseases and injuries.

The polio epidemic in the United States (1916) played a crucial role in the evolution of the profession. The need for restoring muscle function and muscle re-education and grew dramatically.

After World War I, there was an increased demand for health professionals who could help rehabilitate wounded and injured soldiers

History continued.

The year 1917 marks the official beginning of the profession. After entering WWI, the Army recognized the need to rehabilitate injured soldiers. Thus, a special unit of the Army Medical Department, the “Division of Special Hospitals and Physical Reconstruction,” developed 15 “reconstruction aide” training programs to respond to the need for medical workers with expertise in physical rehabilitation.

Physical therapy education saw the continued development of educational programs from the initial programs at Reed College in Portland, Oregon, and Walter Reed Hospital. The graduates of these ‘reconstruction aide’ programs were graduate nurses and physical education persons. The development of these reconstruction during the period 1914 to 1917 laid the basis for the profession we now know as physical therapy.

The American Physical Therapy Association was then established in 1921.

The profession gained more and more recognition and professionals thrived continuing to treat polio patients as well as injured WWII soldiers.

Physical therapy education saw the development of the first standards for accreditation for physical therapy education programs in 1928.

More recently.

With a continuous increased need for physical therapy, the APTA recognized the need to educate more physical therapists. The ‘schools section’ of the APTA made recommendations about admissions, curricula, education, and administration of physical therapy programs, and encouraged more universities and medical schools to create programs and expand existing programs, including creating opportunities for graduate-level education. By 1950 there were 31 accredited schools, 19 offering bachelor’s degree programs

and 8 offering post-baccalaureate certification

Licensure and the first national examination were established by the end of the 1950s

Numerous developments and improvements in schooling and accreditation programs as well as technological advances and new methodologies in treatment took place between the 1950s and the 2000s.

In the midst of the 21st century, regardless of complications with health care policy changes and fluctuations in the economy and job market and such, the role of the physical therapist in contributing to the health and well-being of members of society remains vital. The profession has continued to grow substantially and has become one of the most desired occupations in the nation.

What is physical therapy ?

Wrist/hand conditions

Hip problems

Postsurgical rehabilitation

Injury rehabilitation

Stroke rehabilitation

Balance issues

Burn rehabilitation

Physical therapy can defined as ‘ the treatment or management of physical disabilities, malfunction, or pain by exercise, massage, hydrotherapy, etc., without the use of surgery or pharmaceuticals.”

Physical therapy is generally provided by therapists and therapist assistants.

Depending on the clinical setting, PTs

can offer treatment for the following:

Back conditions

Knee problems

Shoulder/arm conditions

Neck problems

Sprains and muscle strains

Ankle/foot problems

http://risewellnesscenter.com/services/physical-therapy.html

http://www.fusionbodybuilding.eu/

Growth potential. Based on a recent study by Career Builder and Economic Modeling

Specialists Inc., physical therapists are the fifth strongest-growth professionals in the United States.

The Career Builder study projects that the U.S. workforce will grow by 4.4% from 2013-2017, and estimates that the PT workforce will increase by 13% during that time.

The demand for physical therapists should continue to rise as a result of growth in the number of individuals with disabilities or limited function. 

The rapidly growing elderly population is particularly vulnerable to chronic and debilitating conditions that require therapeutic services.

For example, the ‘baby boomer’ generation is entering the prime age for heart attacks and strokes, increasing the need for cardiac and physical rehabilitation. http://imgarcade.com/1/physical-therapy-elderly/

Salary range. This chart provides a comparison between average salaries of professions similar to physical therapy. An individual’s salary in this

profession (or really any profession) is going to vary based on a few things:

Geographical region

Education status

Years of experience

Area of specialty

The average annual salary for an individual in this field in the United States is somewhere around $70,000.

Best paid employees making closer to $90-95,000 annually

According to US News, the highest paying salaries went to PTs working in schools, home care, and nursing home facilities

Lower paid employees making somewhere closer $60-65,000 annually

http://www1.salary.com/Physical-Therapist-Salary.html

This website allows for a search of average salary ranges in the physical therapy profession with

options to narrow the search down based on some of the criteria previously listed.

http://www.onwardhealthcare.com/Physical-Therapy-Jobs/Is-Physical-Therapy-A-Good-Career/

Getting there:Relevant academics and experience According to the American Physical Therapy Association, there are a

number of steps one must consider when thinking about pursuing a career in physical therapy regarding education and experience .

College majorIn order to be eligible for

admission to a PT program, individuals are not required to select any specific major. That being said, it is important to

consider how one will satisfactorily complete the

prerequisite courses for his/her anticipated PT programs in

addition to the college/university's degree and major requirements. The most common undergraduate majors among PT students include

exercise science, biology, kinesiology, and psychology.

Prerequisites

The course prerequisites for admission vary significantly across PT education programs. It is important to research such requirements

early in the college student career to allow for adequate time for their successful

completion. The most commonly required course prerequisites are below:

Anatomy and Physiology I & II (with labs)

Biology I & II (with labs)

Advanced Biology (cell, genetics, histology, immunology, etc.)

Chemistry I & II (with labs)

Physics I & II (with labs)

Psychology

Statistics

Advanced Psychology

(developmental, abnormal, etc.)

English Composition

Getting there:Other requirements

Minimum GPA: Most PT programs have minimum grade point average (GPA) requirements that vary by institution.

The average overall undergraduate GPA for accepted PTCAS applicants in 2011-12 was a 3.52

GRE - Most PT programs require applicants to complete the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Programs may have minimum acceptable scores and last acceptable test dates. Policies regarding the consideration of multiple sets of GRE scores vary by institution.

Physical Therapy Volunteer Experience - Many programs require applicants to have a certain number of volunteer or paid PT experiences working with patients under the supervision of a licensed physical therapist. 

Applicants may also be required to have a licensed physical therapist verify the hours.

References - Many physical therapist programs require 1-4 letters of reference (also known as "letters of evaluation" or "recommendations") as part of the admissions process. 

Interviews - PT programs may require competitive applicants to visit the campus for an interview. The interview format varies by institution. Applicants may be required to speak with a single faculty member, a student, a physical therapist, or a panel of interviewers; or participate in an orientation program.

A helpful tool.

The Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS) allows PT applicants to use a single web-based application and one set of materials to apply to multiple PT education programs. The link is provided below.

http://www.ptcas.org/home.aspx

About myself.In 2007, I injured my left knee in a soccer game and as a result, had to attend six months of physical therapy. I received my care at Moore’s Orthopedic, an amazing orthopedic clinic outside of Columbia, SC. Being in such a helpful, uplifting, and encouraging medical environment for half a year sparked my interest in the field of physical therapy. My senior year of high school, I returned to Moore’s to take part in an internship program. I worked mainly in the pediatric therapy department, but also got some experience working in casting and the adult departments. After a semester at Moore’s, I knew that that was what I wanted to do with my life.

My interest in this career path was furthered when it was my father who had to receive treatment. He broke his neck when he was 26, and as he grew older, his mild handicap began taking a bigger and bigger toll on his body. In 2009, he fractured his hip which essentially led to countless leg, hip, and spinal issues. He has been in and out of PT treatments ever since. In the last four to five years, I have seen not only physical improvements in my fathers health, but psychological improvements as well. Not only is he feeling better physically, but his attitude about life is much more positive. I can’t help but attribute these improvements to the amazing PT treatment he is receiving.

While working in the pediatric department at Moore’s, part of my duty was to sit in on diagnostic appointments and then work with the patients throughout their treatment. It’s hard to explain the amazing rewarding feeling that comes with seeing improvements in the patient’s health – I got to see it in my patients and in my father.

I know that this is what I want to do with my life. I want to help people.

http://www.gmka.com/pages/portfolio/detail.aspx?id=165

What makes me a good candidate:O*NET Profile

The Program The O*NET Interest Profiler is a

tool used to discover personal interests as they relate to the world of work.

It involves a series of question s that represent specific interest areas.

Based on my scores, my strongest work-related interest areas are as follows:

Investigative (23)

Social (22)

Artistic (6)

My interests Explained Investigative occupations frequently involve

working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

What makes me a good candidate:Interests applied

Investigative.Occupations in this interest area tend to require coming up with and working with new ideas. Critical thinking and problem solving are also integral aspects. This interest area can easily be applied to the field of physical therapy. Understanding normal body movements and motions, as well as coming up with treatment plans in order to rehabilitate disturbed normal functioning of the body, are what physical therapy is all about. The way the body works is incredibly interesting to me, and I look forward to furthering my knowledge base in that area as I continue my pre-professional education.

Social.Occupations in this interest area have to do with working and interacting with people on a regular basis. This area can also e easily applied to the field of physical therapy because it is exactly that – working with and alongside people of all ages with all kinds of injuries, conditions, and issues regarding normal bodily functioning. I enjoy working with people, but more importantly, as far as my career aspirations, I want to help people. Physical therapy would be the perfect occupation for me to fully engage in a field I am interested in, as well as help others improve their quality of life through rehabilitation.

What’s next for me?

Some of the PT programs I am interested in:

Dream programs:

UNC Chapel Hill

University of Southern California

NYU

University of Iowa

More realistic:

University of South Carolina

MUSC

University of Kentucky

University of Tennessee

Below is a link to the US News’ top rated PT program schools

http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-health-schools/physical-therapy-rankings

Conclusion.

The practice of physical therapy (while it has not always been called by that name) has been around for ages. Humans have been and always will be in need of rehabilitation care because, well, we are humans – accidents, injuries, medical conditions…they happen.

Most peoples’ aspirations for their dream career often have to do with the money, the salary, and while that does play an important part in my career choice, it is certainly not the most important part.

Anatomy, kinesiology, exercise physiology – really anything regarding the human body – has always been fascinating to me. A career that allows me to study, learn, and eventually teach and help others understand their body and how it’s supposed to work is really what is winning me over.

My short experience actually working in the field as well as witnessing the success my father has had with rehabilitation treatment has made me realize how badly I really do want to pursue a career as a physical therapist. I want to help people!

As for now, I am actively looking into PT programs and working hard to finish up my education here at Clemson so I can take that next step towards succeeding in this profession!

Sources. History

http://www.network-synergy.com/news/the-history-of-physical-therapy.aspx

http://www.apta.org/uploadedFiles/APTAorg/Practice_and_Patient_Care/PR_and_Marketing/Market_to_Professionals/TodaysPhysicalTherapist.pdf

http://www.ncope.org/summit/pdf/PTEducationTimeLine.pdf

Salary

http://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/physical-therapist

http://www1.salary.com/Physical-Therapist-Salary.html

http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Physical_Therapist_%28PT%29/Salary

http://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/physical-therapist/salary Definition

http://www.jblearning.com/samples/0763740691/40691_CH01_FINAL.pdf

http://www.studentscholarships.org/salary/359/physical_therapists.php

Growth potential http://www.apta.org/PTinMotion/NewsNow/2

013/12/17/ForbesMagPTJobs/

https://www.riapta.com/content/job_prospects_and_future_growth.asp PT Schools and Application

Process

http://www.apta.org/ProspectiveStudents/Admissions/PTProcess/