IntroductionBecoming a physical therapist requires a passion for—and quite a bit of schooling in—subjects like anatomy, biology, kinesiology, biomechanics, neuroscience, and exercise physiology (as well as a love of working with people). Though the cost of PT education continues to rise, the rewards of helping people improve function, mobility, and overall well-being are vast. If you’ve got questions about this career path, then we’ve got answers. Read on to learn everything you need to know about becoming a physical therapist. Show
What do physical therapists do?A physical therapist is an expert in treating patients with neuromusculoskeletal conditions—anything from low back pain and joint injuries to post-stroke symptoms and cerebral palsy. As a physical therapist, you could work with patients of any age to help them:
To accomplish this for a patient, you would:
Where do physical therapists work?Physical therapists may see patients in private clinics, patient homes, hospitals, nursing facilities, schools, or sports arenas. They can work one-on-one with patients or serve as members of a larger care team. Some physical therapists oversee physical therapist assistants or physical therapist technicians (techs). Physical therapists may work for one clinic in one location—or they may travel to different clinics around the country (travel PTs) or different clinics in a particular region (registry PTs). Physical therapists may also work in non-clinical roles (e.g., as executives in healthcare companies, researchers, directors, teachers, writers, or consultants).
You got it! The download you requested will be sent to you in a few minutes. How do physical therapists find patients?Traditionally, physical therapists have largely relied on physician referrals to keep their treatment schedules full. In other words, physicians determine which patients are good candidates for physical therapy—and send those patients to a specific physical therapist. Today, however, some form of direct access exists in all 50 states, making it possible for most therapists to—at the very least—perform an initial evaluation without needing a physician referral first. Thus, many providers are expanding their marketing initiatives to reach patients directly. Given that patients are now responsible for a greater portion of their healthcare costs, many are conducting their own research—specifically, online research—about providers and treatment options instead of relying on a referral from their primary care provider (PCP). That’s why it’s important for physical therapists to have an optimized online presence that includes a professional website, positive online reviews, and an active social media presence. That said, most physical therapists still maintain good relationships with physicians and surgeons and obtain many of their patients through the traditional referral process. How much money do physical therapists make?According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median pay for physical therapists in May of 2020 was $91,010 per year and $43.75 per hour—with the lowest 10% earning less than $63,530 and the highest bracket earning more than $126,780. The industries that hire the most physical therapists are:
*According to the Department of Labor, this category includes offices of chiropractors; optometrists; mental health practitioners (except physicians); physical, occupational, and speech therapists as well as audiologists; and all other health practitioners. The top-paying industries for physical therapists are:
Location MattersKeep in mind that the above-noted numbers are national averages. These stats will differ depending on where you live. The states with the highest number of employed physical therapists are:
The top-paying states for physical therapists are:
You got it! The download you requested will be sent to you in a few minutes. What kind of a job outlook do physical therapists have?The demand for physical therapy is growing—and will continue to grow—as more people recognize the need for safe, cost-effective, conservative, and long-term treatment options to address neuromusculoskeletal and chronic conditions such as diabetes and obesity. With the opioid crisis falling under the national spotlight, payers and legislators are feeling the pressure to find and deliver alternative treatment options—like physical therapy—to their patients. If that’s not enough, according to BLS, many baby boomers are staying active later in life and thus, require the regular attention of a physical therapist. To that end, physical therapist employment is expected to grow 21% from 2020 to 2030, which is “much faster than the average for all occupations.” So, what does that mean for you? If you pursue a career in physical therapy, you’ll likely land a job right out of school given that “job opportunities are expected to be good for licensed physical therapists in all settings,” and are “particularly good in acute-care hospitals, skilled-nursing facilities, and orthopedic settings, where the elderly are most often treated.” The outlook is even better if you want to work in a rural area, because most practicing physical therapists already work in “highly populated urban and suburban areas.” What kind of software do physical therapists use?To ensure that patient documentation is defensible and compliant with insurance and state regulations, most physical therapists use an electronic medical record (EMR) to record and store patient health information. Ideally, physical therapists will choose an always-up-to-date, cloud-based EMR and practice management platform that’s designed for physical therapists and provides not only defensible documentation, compliance alerts, and a streamlined workflow, but also:
What does it take to become a physical therapist?EducationStudents who are interested in becoming physical therapists must first earn a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university. Then, they’ll go on to earn a doctorate of physical therapy (DPT) from the graduate school of their choice. Most institutions no longer offer a master of physical therapy degree (MPT). A small number of schools accept students directly out of high school for three years of undergraduate coursework plus three years of graduate-level education. While you don’t have to select a pre-physical therapy or pre-med major, most graduate schools require students to have a significant number of applicable prerequisite courses in subjects like chemistry, physics, biology, anatomy, psychology, statistics, mathematics, and English writing. Thus, selecting a major with a heavy emphasis in science would be a wise choice (though certainly not mandatory). If you complete, say, a fine arts degree, you may still be able to attend PT school; you might just have to take additional courses to meet the prerequisite course requirements before matriculation. (To learn what your school-of-choice requires, check out its admissions page; for the top-ranked PT programs in the country, scroll to the next section of this page and click the link in the prereqs section of each school.) PrerequisitesOther prerequisites often include:
So, if you plan to pursue a career as a physical therapist, you’ll want to keep your grades up in college and practice for the GRE—and you may want to begin applying for physical therapy internships early in your undergraduate career to ensure you can demonstrate a wealth of experience once it comes time to apply to grad school. (To learn more about getting accepted to PT school, check out this resource.) Traditional Residency Programs vs. Alternative Hybrid (Online) ModelsMost physical therapy programs are full-time, three-year residency programs—which means you must attend class at the university campus. There are, however, some accelerated two-year DPT programs with hybrid learning models that have helped expand accessibility. These include:
You can expect to see more alternative education options become available as educators and administrators search for ways to reduce student debt and improve the diversity of the profession. CourseworkEach school has its own requirements regarding the coursework you must complete to graduate. For instance, here is the University of Southern California’s (USC’s) curriculum (for class descriptions, please refer to this page on the USC website):
LicensingOnce you receive your DPT, you’ll be ready to sit for your multiple-choice licensing exam: the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE). According to the NPTE website, “the NPTE is only one part of the evaluation process used by licensing authorities to assess your competence. Contact your jurisdiction to find out what additional requirements there are, such as taking the jurisprudence exam.” In other words, be sure to review the requirements for licensure in your state, so you know what to expect before it comes time to graduate as a DPT. CredentialingIf you’re opting to go in-network with insurance companies, then you’ll need to receive credentials from those payers. As explained here, “Some payers—like Medicare—do not allow non-credentialed providers to treat or collect payment from patients for any covered services.” To apply for credentials, you’ll need:
If you join an in-network practice, that company may already have an established credentialing process that will help you get credentialed with the right insurance companies. Post-Graduate StudyIf you choose to further your education beyond your doctorate degree through clinical fellowships or residency programs, you may do so. According to the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), these are great ways for “licensed physical therapists to enhance their knowledge and practice.” ResidencyPer the APTA, a clinical residency program is “designed to significantly advance a physical therapist resident’s preparation as a provider of patient care services in a defined area of clinical practice. It combines opportunities for ongoing clinical supervision and mentoring with a theoretical basis for advanced practice and scientific inquiry.” FellowshipOn the other hand, clinical fellowships are offered to physical therapists “who demonstrate clinical expertise in an area of clinical practice related to the practice focus of the fellowship. (Fellows are frequently post-residency prepared or board-certified specialists.)” Board CertificationIf you wish to “build on a broad base of professional education and practice to develop a greater depth of knowledge and skills related to a particular area of practice,” then you may want to consider becoming a board-certified specialist through the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS) in one of the following areas:
Where should I go to school to become a physical therapist?While the PT school you choose to attend is ultimately up to you, the APTA urges anyone considering a career as a physical therapist to choose a Doctorate of Physical Therapy program that is accredited by CAPTE—otherwise, you may not be eligible to sit for your licensure exam, and only licensed PTs may practice. With that in mind, below are the US News and World Report’s top-ranked PT schools (all of which are accredited by CAPTE). That said, rankings aren’t everything, so be sure to do your own research on all schools you’re considering, including paying each one a visit and talking to real students about their experience. According to the Report, “each school’s score reflects its average rating on a scale from 1 (marginal) to 5 (outstanding), based on a survey of academics at peer institutions.” Below are eight schools that earned 4 points or more in 2020. (Additional details below were collected from each university, the CAPTE website, Peterson’s, and the PTCAS by the APTA. We make no guarantees as to the accuracy or currentness of this information.) 4.4 PointsUniversity of Delaware in Newark, DE
University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, PA
Washington University in St. Louis, MO
4.3 PointsNorthwestern University in Chicago, IL
University of Iowa in Iowa City, IA
University of Southern California in Los Angeles, CA
4.2 PointsDuke University in Durham, NC
4.1 PointsEmory University in Atlanta, GA
What does it take to remain a physical therapist?After you receive your physical therapist license, you’ll most likely be required to to maintain your license and keep up on the latest in physical therapy research. Now, depending on where you practice, your CEU requirements will vary, which is why we put together this handy list to get you started. Just be sure to check in with your state’s licensing board to ensure you know the most up-to-date and comprehensive rules for license renewal in your region. For example, some states require that you complete a certain number of mandatory courses during each renewal period. Alabama to Hawaii
Idaho to Mississippi
Missouri to Pennsylvania
Rhode Island to Wyoming
What other options are available to me in the PT field?If you decide not to become a physical therapist—but you enjoy the rehab therapy field—you can also become:
Or, if you’d rather forego clinical work altogether, you can choose to work in the front or back office of a clinic, performing administrative or billing tasks. Finally, you can apply to work for a leading technology company in the physical therapy space—like WebPT. Check out our careers page here. PT vs. PTA vs. TechWhile there is certainly overlap between physical therapists, physical therapist assistants (PTAs), and technicians (a.k.a. aides), there are some important distinctions. For example, in a clinical setting, all three roles work with patients; however, physical therapists are responsible for creating—and overseeing—patient plans of care. Thus, they are the ones who must:
Physical Therapist AssistantsAccording to the APTA, PTAs “implement selected components of patient/client interventions (treatment), obtain data related to the interventions provided, and make modifications in selected interventions either to progress the patient/client as directed by the physical therapist or to ensure patient/client safety and comfort.” In most cases, payers—including Medicare—will pay for PTA-provided services as long as they adhere to the established supervision and billing requirements; however, starting January 1, 2022, Medicare will only reimburse 85% of the usual rate for services provided in-part or in-full by a PTA or OTA. TechniciansFinally, as we explained here, “techs help keep the clinic running like a well-oiled machine by cleaning equipment, preparing treatment areas, and assisting patients in moving from room to room—as well as “assist[ing] with clerical duties and paperwork.” Technicians may not perform duties that require the clinical decision-making of the physical therapist or the clinical problem solving of the physical therapist assistant. That said, they’re still integral members of the physical therapy team and can have a huge impact on the patient experience—and thus, the practice’s reputation. To learn more about the differences between a physical therapist assistant and a technician—including job responsibilities, education requirements, and salary information—check out this post. To learn more about when a practice might hire a PT vs. PTA, check out this one. Curious to learn about the current state of the physical therapy industry—from physical therapists themselves?Check out our 2021 State of Rehab Therapy Report today to learn what PTs think and feel about the profession. Is becoming a physical therapist hard?Getting into PT school isn't easy. For the 50% of people who are accepted into Physical Therapy school, you're in for a challenging 3 years.
Is it a good idea to become a physical therapist?You will be in demand.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that jobs for physical therapists are expected to grow 21 percent from 2020 to 2030. This growth is much faster than the average for all occupations.
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