All About Physical Therapists
Career Description Assess, plan, organize, and participate in rehabilitative programs that improve mobility, relieve pain, increase strength, and improve or correct disabling conditions resulting from disease or injury.
A Day in the Life of a Physical Therapist (PT)
- Test and measure patient’s strength, motor development and function, sensory perception, functional capacity, or respiratory or circulatory efficiency and record data.
- Direct, supervise, assess, and communicate with supportive personnel.
- Evaluate effects of treatment at various stages and adjust treatments to achieve maximum benefit.
- Teach physical therapy students or those in other health professions.
- Obtain patients’ informed consent to proposed interventions.
- Confer with the patient, medical practitioners, or appropriate others to plan, implement, or assess the intervention program.
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Physical Therapist (PT) Skills
These are the skills Physical Therapists say are the most useful in their careers:
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Related Job Titles
- Orthopedic Physical Therapist
- Geriatric Physical Therapist
- Physical Therapist (PT)
- Sports Physical Therapist
- Treatment Coordinator
Physical Therapist (PT) Job Outlook
In the United States, there were 239,800 jobs for Physical Therapist in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 28% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 67,100 new jobs for Physical Therapist by 2026. The BLS estimates 17,700 yearly job openings in this field.
The states with the most job growth for Physical Therapist (PT) are Utah, Arizona, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Rhode Island, Kansas, or Maine. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
What is the Average Salary of a Physical Therapist (PT)
The typical yearly salary for Physical Therapists is somewhere between $60,390 and $123,350.
Physical Therapists who work in Nevada, California, or Alaska, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Physical Therapists in different U.S. states.
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $90,620 |
| Alaska | $99,180 |
| Arizona | $88,800 |
| Arkansas | $81,430 |
| California | $97,110 |
| Colorado | $82,560 |
| Connecticut | $96,010 |
| Delaware | $93,880 |
| District of Columbia | $89,750 |
| Florida | $87,410 |
| Georgia | $86,320 |
| Hawaii | $90,540 |
| Idaho | $77,700 |
| Illinois | $90,690 |
| Indiana | $83,680 |
| Iowa | $82,960 |
| Kansas | $85,250 |
| Kentucky | $84,630 |
| Louisiana | $89,860 |
| Maine | $76,910 |
| Maryland | $85,170 |
| Massachusetts | $91,750 |
| Michigan | $91,160 |
| Minnesota | $83,750 |
| Mississippi | $89,720 |
| Missouri | $81,330 |
| Montana | $79,050 |
| Nebraska | $80,130 |
| Nevada | $107,920 |
| New Hampshire | $82,880 |
| New Jersey | $97,770 |
| New Mexico | $97,210 |
| New York | $87,470 |
| North Carolina | $87,560 |
| North Dakota | $78,120 |
| Ohio | $86,690 |
| Oklahoma | $84,860 |
| Oregon | $85,890 |
| Pennsylvania | $87,050 |
| Rhode Island | $83,850 |
| South Carolina | $85,450 |
| South Dakota | $76,200 |
| Tennessee | $82,920 |
| Texas | $92,940 |
| Utah | $85,940 |
| Vermont | $75,010 |
| Virginia | $91,700 |
| Washington | $85,930 |
| West Virginia | $89,420 |
| Wisconsin | $85,200 |
| Wyoming | $87,510 |
What Tools do Physical Therapists Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Physical Therapists may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft Outlook
- MEDITECH software
- Medical procedure coding software
- Medical condition coding software
- Recordkeeping software
- Rehab Documentation Company ReDoc Suite
- Prognosis Innovation Healthcare ChartAccess
Becoming a Physical Therapist (PT)
Individuals working as a Physical Therapist have obtained the following education levels:
How many years of work experience do I need?
Who Employs Physical Therapists?
Physical Therapists work in the following industries:
Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Those thinking about becoming a Physical Therapist might also be interested in the following careers:
References:
Image Credit: Barbara E. Carver via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported
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