What to Expect as a Physical Therapist
Making the decision to become a physical therapist is an excellent career move. With a salary hovering just under $100,000 per year and the knowledge that you’re changing someone’s life, the extrinsic and intrinsic rewards are great. However, the career—or certain fields—aren’t for everyone. Some things to consider before becoming a physical therapist include:
· Different fields
· Different environments
· A day on the job
· Required skills
Different Areas of Study
This list is not extensive, but some of the most common types of physical therapist are:
Geriatric
As baby boomers age into their golden years, there is a stick uptick in the need for physical therapists. Therapists in this field will help their patients with issues that come with old age, including arthritis and osteoporosis.
Neurology
Focusing on the nervous and spinal systems, neurological physical therapists will help patients with brain and spinal cord injuries as well as conditions affecting those areas of the body. Most patients will work towards improving motor defects.
Oncology
Cancer patients face unique issues relating to their experience, and oncology physical therapy will work with them to help patients feel relief during and after treatment.
Orthopedics
This is the most common type of physical therapy because it’s kind of a catch-all. Joint pain, broken bones and sprains for people off all ages and walks of life can utilize the services of an orthopedic physical therapist.
Pediatric
Pediatric physical therapists work with patients ranging from newborns to teenagers. They may treat developmental delays and physical impairments as well as damage resulting from accidents.
Sports
When many people think of physical therapy, they think of sports. Sports physical therapists will help injured or recovering athletes get back into top form. Unlike other specialties on our list, sports therapists tend to see a lot of the same injuries, including tennis elbow, ACL tears and tearing of the rotator cuff.
Women’s Health
From post-menopausal osteoporosis to prenatal and postnatal care, women’s health physical therapists treat women in every stage of life. Because women have a slightly different musculoskeletal structure than men, specialized therapists are dedicated to providing them with ideal care.
Different Environments
Before going into PT school, you need to take the time to explore different settings. Some settings you should explore before making the decision to go into the field are:
Skilled Nursing
More commonly known as nursing homes or long-term care facilities, skilled nursing facilities commonly offer physical therapy and rehabilitation services. By exploring these centers, you’ll see what it’s like if you decide to work with geriatric patients.
Hospitals
Also known as acute care, hospitals frequently host orthopedic physical therapists as they’ll need therapists who can work with everyone. However, specialized hospitals will likely host specialized physical therapists as well—pediatric, oncology—so take the time to explore your options when looking at hospitals to visit.
Inpatient Rehabilitation
Inpatient rehabilitation helps patients start to see results much quicker than other types of physical therapy by having patients stay in a facility for a few weeks. These facilities offer intense care that’s not for everyone, but the results are astounding.
Outpatient Orthopedics
Offering services for a variety of people, outpatient orthopedics are physical therapists who have their own offices. These offices tend to be fast-paced and help numerous people each day; however, some therapists will limit how many patients they’ll book in a day.
A Day on the Job
When you get up, you go in knowing that each day can bring something new and exciting. However, most days will follow the same pattern with each patient. Your day will likely look a cycle of something like this:
· Evaluation – Evaluate patient to see where they are in the recovery process and what they need to do for the day.
· Begin the session – From leading exercises and stretches to looking for treatment options such as dry cupping and blood flow restriction, a physical therapist constantly looks for tweaks to get the patient where they need to go.
· Discuss the session – Most physical therapists will take the time to discuss progress with their patients, what went well that day and what may need improvement. They’ll then have the patient schedule another appointment.
· Repeat the cycle
Required Skills
Each specialty requires a different knowledge base, but all rely on a certain set of skills, including:
· Communication – You will need to clearly communicate with patients and healthcare professionals alike both with written and verbal communication.
· Physical stamina – Physical therapy is hard work, and you need to be able to keep up with your patients.
· Patience – Physical therapy is very difficult to undertake for the patient. You will need to be able to remain patient with them as they continue their path to recovery.
Becoming a physical therapist is an excellent career choice if you know about PT expectations. To learn more about becoming a PT, check out job listing expectations. For a list of openings, both for the aspiring physical therapist and the established, click here.