Is physical therapy a good career? It’s a hard question to answer because there is no easy yes or no. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the average salary for a physical therapist is going to rise, but that’s also dependent on where you live and your experience level.
If you’re considering becoming a physical therapist, you should first make sure it’s something you want to do. You should also review your goals and determine if being a physical therapist will be fulfilling those goals in the long run before signing up for school knowing that there is currently not much money in the field.
In this article, we’ll discuss why it is a good idea. We’ll also talk about how much money you can expect to make as a physical therapist and some of the benefits of being one.
Is It A Good Career As Demand For Therapists Is High?
A “good career” can be defined in many ways. Some facilities require long hours with therapy beginning early morning and continuing into the evening; others may also have to work on weekends.
In order for these institutions to meet insurance/Medicare/Medicaid requirements, therapists must put in a lot of time doing what they love most—helping people heal!
For example, physical therapists can expect to earn an average of $84,000 a year (BLS.gov). The top ten percent make over $110,000; the bottom ten percent is well below the national median income at only around $45,000 annually.
In terms of job outlook for physical therapy careers, employment is expected to grow 23% in this field from 2012-to 2022 —much faster than average—and as many as 77% of all states have reported having shortages or are unable to fill available positions due to lack of qualified candidates. These numbers clearly indicate that now is a great time for you to get into the profession!
What Are Some Of The Benefits Associated With Being A Pt?
Do you want to know the answer to why physical therapy is a good career? The best careers are those that have many different things to offer throughout the workday.
Physical therapy is such a career as it consistently ranks in the top 10 of all jobs and offers stability through job security, something most other professions cannot claim. There are some lucrative benefits that make “is therapy a good career choice” the answer is “Yes”. Some of them are:
Adjustable Schedule: A private clinic or hospital allows you to have a fixed schedule for your patients. For example, if they need physical therapy in the morning and at night-time shifts, you can choose that option when working with them.
This is an advantage because it also gives flexibility regarding time spent on other interests as well since therapists are allowed discretion from their employer about how much time they spend doing PT work each day/week etc.
Career Options: Physical therapists help people recover from illness, injury, and disease. Around 25 specialties within physical therapy exist such as orthopedics or neurology.
They also work in many different types of jobs including outpatient clinics, hospitals, and schools among others.
Getting Demandable: A growing economy and changing world mean that a lot of people are getting out there to play.
From hiking in the forest, mountain climbing, or surfing; Americans love adventure! Unfortunately, accidents do occur which is why physical therapists will continue on being useful for years to come.
Working Satisfaction: There’re a number of reasons why physical therapists experience high levels of satisfaction in their profession.
One reason is that they help people recover from various injuries or illnesses while also challenging themselves with new patients each day.
Handsome Salary: Being a PT is very rewarding and lucrative. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), physical therapists in the United States make $87,930 per year as of 2018 – that’s definitely more than most Americans!
It can be even higher with many insurance benefits included, not to mention owning your own practice which often leads to financial freedom for those who are willing to work hard enough.
Opportunities: You can also expect an attractive employment package, which will include health insurance benefits, a retirement plan, and paid leaves.
Be More Responsible: Physical Therapists are known as experts in their field of healthcare and providing rehabilitation services is what they do best.
Their knowledge makes them desirable candidates not only within this realm but outside too such as working at a home health care agency where they may need help with administering medications – an area where having prior experience will come in handy-and maintaining medical records of patients under its supervision besides being able to take on administrative responsibilities from time-to-time.
Physical Therapy Seems To Have A Number Of Drawbacks, Such As:
In your sight of view, you may have some confusion about the drawbacks of physical therapy. Which leads you to find out the answer to why physical therapy is not a good career? Here is some reason that can clarify your confusion.
- In choosing a career in Physical Therapy, schooling is expensive. If you specialize it will become more so which requires additional education and higher costs.
- Traveling Physical Therapists can become disoriented when they have to renew their state licenses every two years.
- Physical therapists often work with a patient’s best interests in mind, but they have no control over the other factors that will influence how well or quickly their patients recover.
- Despite the fact that physical therapy is no longer under the thumb of medical boards, it is still run by doctors and therapists.
- Even state licensing boards are hesitant to act because they have one eye on the profession and another on their regulatory board.
- The profession does require a state license, and the national advocacy board is essentially powerless. However, it’s more suited to promoting physical therapy than fighting for self-determination.
Career Options Related To Physical Therapy
In the field of physical therapy, you can find a variety kind of jobs. Physical therapy, physical therapist assistant, and physical therapist aid are some of the divisions. If you are considered a physical therapist then you may be offered many other types like pediatric, orthopedic, occupational, neurological, etc.
As a Physical Therapist:
Physical therapists work mainly under the guidance of physicians, surgeons, or other healthcare providers to treat injuries and illnesses in patients. They work with individuals who have lost their ability to move around freely due to some physical condition like a stroke, spinal cord injury, sports injuries, etc. Some vital functions of a PT are:
- Provide patients with care that will help them get healthy.
- You must monitor your patient’s progress to ensure that they’re recovering as well as they should.
- Planning for discharge is an important part of the physical therapy job.
- Interview, examine, and investigate the patient. This may include reviewing lab results, medical history, case files, and X-rays.
As a Physical Therapist Assistant:
You may have the question, is physical therapy assistant a good career? A physical therapist assistant is one of the people that are most important to a patient’s recovery.
They work under direct supervision and implement aspects of treatment, obtain data related to treatments, and modify or assist with specific techniques as directed by their supervisor who happens to be a licensed physical therapist. Some tasks performed include:
- Since most people were never taught how to use crutches, canes, or walkers properly, teaching them can help prevent falls and injuries.
- Doing activities with patients will increase their physical abilities.
- Providing guidance to patients who are struggling with mobility and coordination problems.
As A Physical Therapist Aid:
As the lowest-ranked physical therapy career, a physical therapist aide reports to both their supervising PT and any collaborating assistants.
You should get the answer to Is physical therapy aide a good career? Physical therapist’s aides perform basic tasks that aren’t directly related to patient care such as:
- Picking up patients from waiting rooms
- keeping track of incoming/outgoing supplies in the treatment room
- Transferring files between departments etc.
A Good Career That Has A Bright Future:
Following The BLS projects the average salary of a PT is going to increase by 23% between 2012 and 2022. This has happened due to increasing demand for physical therapists across various fields like sports medicine, home health care services, hospitals (particularly those with trauma centers, schools/colleges, etc., and outpatient treatment centers; because people are becoming more aware of their fitness levels now than ever before; among other reasons.
In fact, the need is so high that some researchers have even predicted there may be up to 30k vacancies available per year soon!
Vertex Line:
Is physical therapy a good career? It is a good idea to review your options before you sign up for that course knowing you won’t make any money at it. You should also look at your goals and make sure physical therapy is going to be something you want to spend your time doing.
So, do yourself a favor and check out that area of work before you plan on spending time and money on a program that will not pay off.
I am a health advisor(therapist), writer, and therapy expert who researches various therapy topics to help people live happier lives, and I have shared many tips and tricks on many types of therapy for the standard of living.
