| Spa Wellness Articles :: Physical Therapy |
Physical Therapy |
| You want to make a difference in the world, but "helping people" is too vague a concept for you. If you'd like to assist others in practical, measurable ways, consider a physical therapy career.
Physical therapists help patients improve mobility, relieve pain, and prevent or limit permanent physical disabilities. Physical therapy may involve exercising for mobility, strength, and coordination; training for walking with crutches, canes, or walkers; massage; paraffin baths; and ultrasound and electrical stimulation.
To begin a physical therapy career, you'll need to enroll in an accredited degree program. According to the American Physical Therapy Association, there were 212 accredited physical therapist programs in January 2007
Once you earn a degree, you can apply for your physical therapy license. The Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy develops and administers the National Physical Therapy Examination to assess entry-level competence for first-time licensure as a physical therapist. The exam consists of 250 objective, multiple-choice questions covering the major areas of physical therapy.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, physical therapists held about 155,000 jobs in 2004. And, physical therapy employment is expected to grow much faster than the average -- that's a 27 percent increase or more -- for all occupations through 2014. Median annual earnings of physical therapists were $60,180 in May 2004, with the highest 10 percent earning more than $88,580.
When you choose a physical therapy career, you can make a measurable difference in the world. |
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