Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz
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Physical Therapists
Physical Therapists 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.
Table of contents
What they do
Physical Therapists 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.
- Plan, prepare or carry out individually designed programs of physical treatment to maintain, improve, or restore physical functioning, alleviate pain, or prevent physical dysfunction in patients.
- Perform and document an initial exam, evaluating data to identify problems and determine a diagnosis prior to intervention.
- Evaluate effects of treatment at various stages and adjust treatments to achieve maximum benefit.
- Identify and document goals, anticipated progress, and plans for reevaluation.
Typical day
On a daily basis, Physical Therapists plan, prepare or carry out individually designed programs of physical treatment to maintain, improve, or restore physical functioning, alleviate pain, or prevent physical dysfunction in patients. They record prognosis, treatment, response, and progress in a patient’s chart or enter information into a computer.
A typical day for a Physical Therapist will also include:
- Evaluate effects of treatment at various stages and adjust treatments to achieve maximum benefit.
- Administer manual exercises, massage, or traction to help relieve pain, increase patient strength, or decrease or prevent deformity or crippling.
- Confer with the patient, medical practitioners, or appropriate others to plan, implement, or assess the intervention program.
- Direct, supervise, assess, and communicate with supportive personnel.
- Identify and document goals, anticipated progress, and plans for reevaluation.
Other responsibilities
Besides their typical day, Physical Therapists also discharge patients from physical therapy when goals or projected outcomes have been attained and provide for appropriate follow-up care or referrals. They may also evaluate, fit, or adjust prosthetic or orthotic devices or recommend modification to orthotist.
On a weekly to monthly basis, Physical Therapists refer clients to community resources or services. They might also construct, maintain, or repair medical supportive devices.
In addition, they inform patients and refer to appropriate practitioners when diagnosis reveals findings outside physical therapy.
Although specific duties may vary, many of them perform and document an initial exam, evaluating data to identify problems and determine a diagnosis prior to intervention.
To some Physical Therapists, it is also their responsibility to review physician’s referral and patient’s medical records to help determine the diagnosis and physical therapy treatment required.
What is the job like
Job satisfaction
Is this job meaningful
79% said they were satisfied with their job and 90% said they found their job meaningful.
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Pros
Suitable for people who like to help and teach others.
Suitable for people who value relationships between co-workers and customers and want to work in a friendly non-competitive environment.
This career is perfect for people who love to work indoors.
One of the fastest-growing careers.
Cons
Not suitable for people who like to work with designs.
It is very hard to get into this career. Extensive skills, knowledge, and experience are required for this career.
How much do they make
Average salary
Average hourly wage
Entry-level Physical Therapists with little to no experience can expect to make anywhere between $63,530 to $75,360 per year or $31 to $36 per hour.
| Salary by experience | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Highest (Top 10%) | $126,780 | $61 |
| Senior (Top 25%) | $106,060 | $51 |
| Median | $91,010 | $44 |
| Junior (Bottom 25%) | $75,360 | $36 |
| No experience (Bottom 10%) | $63,530 | $31 |
This table shows the top 10 highest paying industries for Physical Therapists based on their average annual salary.
| Salary by industry | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Spectator Sports | $108520 | $52.17 |
| Outpatient Care Centers | $105600 | $50.77 |
| Individual and Family Services | $101240 | $48.67 |
| Child Day Care Services | $99910 | $48.03 |
| Office Administrative Services | $98510 | $47.36 |
| Home Health Care Services | $98430 | $47.32 |
| Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) | $97390 | $46.82 |
| Local Government | $97220 | $46.74 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | $96410 | $46.35 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | $96020 | $46.16 |
View more salary by industries here.
Where can they work
Where can Physical Therapists work? Here is a table showing the top 10 largest employers of Physical Therapists including the average salary in that industry.
| Employers | Total Employed | Annual Salary | Hourly Wages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners | 78210 | $87170 | $41.91 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | 55790 | $93160 | $44.79 |
| Home Health Care Services | 25460 | $98430 | $47.32 |
| Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) | 12190 | $97390 | $46.82 |
| Offices of Physicians | 12110 | $91400 | $43.94 |
| Specialty Hospitals | 9080 | $92030 | $44.25 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools | 5910 | $82970 | $39.89 |
| Outpatient Care Centers | 5750 | $105600 | $50.77 |
| Individual and Family Services | 2720 | $101240 | $48.67 |
| Employment Services | 2630 | $87970 | $42.29 |
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What is the work day like
Working hours
Working schedule
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Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Group discussions
How often do you have group discussions in this job?
Public speaking
How often does this job require you to do public speaking?
Level of competition
How much competitive pressure is in this job?
What is the work environment like
Office-style environment
Indoors in an environmentally controlled condition
Warehouse-style environment
Indoors in a non-controlled environmental condition such as a warehouse
Outdoors
Outdoors exposed to all weather conditions
Outdoors – Under Cover
Outdoors but under cover (e.g. structure with roof but no walls)
How to become one
Difficulty to become one
Required level of education
What level of education do you need to perform the job?
Relevant majors
Physical Therapy/Therapist
Kinesiotherapy/Kinesiotherapist
Relevant work experience
How much related work experience do you need to get hired for the job?
On The Job Training
How much on the job training do you need to perform the job?
Should you become one
Best personality type for this career
People with this personality type likes to work with people and in teams. They prefer work that allows them to build relationships with others.
People with The Builder personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
People with The Thinker personality likes to work with ideas that require an extensive amount of thinking. They prefer work that requires them to solve problems mentally.
People with The Artist personality likes to work with designs and patterns. They prefer activities that require self-expression and prefer work that can be done without following a clear set of rules.
People with The Helper personality type likes to work with people and in teams. They prefer work that allows them to build relationships with others.
People with The Leader personality likes to start and work on projects. They also like leading people and making many decisions.
People with The Organizer personality type likes to follow set procedures and routines. They prefer working with data and details more than with ideas.
You can read more about these career personality types here.
People who are suitable for this job tend to like working with, communicating with, and teaching people. They like helping or providing service to others.
They also like working with ideas and require an extensive amount of thinking. They like searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Take this quiz to see if this is the right career for you.
Work Values
Which values are the most important to a person’s satisfaction for this job?
You are someone who is results oriented. You prefer work that allows you to utilize your skills and abilities while at the same time giving you a sense of accomplishment.
You are someone who values job security, steady employment, and good working conditions. You also prefer work that keeps you busy all the time with something different to do every day.
You are someone who values job advancement and leadership roles. You prefer work that receives recognition for the work you do and jobs that are looked up to by others in the company and your community.
You are someone who likes to provide a service to others. You prefer a work environment where you can work with your co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.
You are someone who values a company that stands behind their employees. You prefer a work environment where everyone is treated fairly and is being supported by the company.
You are someone who likes to work on your own and make your own decisions. You prefer work that requires little supervision and are allowed to try out your own ideas.
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