What is a Physical Therapist (PT)?

Physical Therapist (PT) Definition 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.

Life as a Physical Therapist (PT): What Do They Do?

• Provide educational information about physical therapy or physical therapists, injury prevention, ergonomics, or ways to promote health.
• Confer with the patient, medical practitioners, or appropriate others to plan, implement, or assess the intervention program.
• Administer manual exercises, massage, or traction to help relieve pain, increase patient strength, or decrease or prevent deformity or crippling.
• Teach physical therapy students or those in other health professions.
• Administer treatment involving application of physical agents, using equipment, moist packs, ultraviolet or infrared lamps, or ultrasound machines.
• Direct, supervise, assess, and communicate with supportive personnel.

Physical Therapist (PT) Required Skills

Physical Therapists state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.

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.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.

Related Job Titles

• Pediatric Physical Therapist
• Chief Physical Therapist
• Per Diem Physical Therapist
• Geriatric Physical Therapist
• Rehabilitation Services Director

Physical Therapist (PT) Employment Estimates

In the United States, there were 239,800 jobs for Physical Therapists in 2016.

New jobs are being produced at a rate of 28% which is lower than average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 67,100 new jobs for Physical Therapists by 2026. The BLS estimates 17,700 yearly job openings in this field per year.

The states with the most job growth for Physical Therapists are California, New York, and Texas.

Watch out if you plan on working in Rhode Island, Alaska, or Wyoming. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Physical Therapist (PT) Average Salary

The typical yearly salary for Physical Therapists is somewhere between $60,390 and $123,350. A Physical Therapist median salary is $87,930.

How much do Physical Therapists make in different U.S. states?

Annual Mean Salary by State

State	Annual Mean Salary
Nevada	$107,920
Alaska	$99,180
New Jersey	$97,770
New Mexico	$97,210
California	$97,110
Connecticut	$96,010
Delaware	$93,880
Texas	$92,940
Massachusetts	$91,750
Virginia	$91,700
Michigan	$91,160
Illinois	$90,690
Alabama	$90,620
Hawaii	$90,540
Louisiana	$89,860
District of Columbia	$89,750
Mississippi	$89,720
West Virginia	$89,420
Arizona	$88,800
North Carolina	$87,560
Wyoming	$87,510
New York	$87,470
Florida	$87,410
Pennsylvania	$87,050
Ohio	$86,690
Georgia	$86,320
Utah	$85,940
Washington	$85,930
Oregon	$85,890
South Carolina	$85,450
Kansas	$85,250
Wisconsin	$85,200
Maryland	$85,170
Oklahoma	$84,860
Kentucky	$84,630
Rhode Island	$83,850
Minnesota	$83,750
Indiana	$83,680
Iowa	$82,960
Tennessee	$82,920
New Hampshire	$82,880
Colorado	$82,560
Arkansas	$81,430
Missouri	$81,330
Nebraska	$80,130
Montana	$79,050
North Dakota	$78,120
Idaho	$77,700
Maine	$76,910
South Dakota	$76,200
Vermont	$75,010

Tools & Technologies Used by Physical Therapists

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Physical Therapists:

• Medical condition coding software
• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft Office
• MEDITECH software
• Microsoft Excel
• Medical procedure coding software

Becoming a Physical Therapist (PT)

Education needed to be a Physical Therapist:

How Long Does it Take to Become Physical Therapist (PT)?

Where Physical Therapists Are Employed

Other Jobs You May be Interested In

Those interested in being a Physical Therapist may also be interested in:

• Occupational Therapists

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics

College Factual

O*NET Online

Image Credit: Via Wikimedia Commons