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Information about physical therapist? |
What level of education is required to be a phyical therapist (pt), bachelor, master, or other types of liscense? What different types of work do pt and doctor of pt do? What are the average salary of each, and the starting salary of each? i heard it's around 60,000/yr? please answer the same questions about physical therapy assistance. Please try to be as detail as possible. Thanks! If anyone has any of these jobs, can you tell me what's enjoyable and interesting about your work? In the US, to become a physical therapist, it requires a master's or doctorate level degree (DPT). The work, however, is the same for both. Their primary role is in the evaluation and treatment of people with functional limitations or disability. This could be due to pain, weakness, lack of flexibility, or the result of a medical problem such spasticity due to MS, stroke, etc. The average salary is pretty much the same and no distinction is made in hiring practices. Experience, region, and any areas of specialty certification will influence salary more than the presense of a DPT. The last major survery done by the APTA was in 2005. It found that most PTs were earning between $50-70,000 a year (about 50%). Average starting salary was right around $43,000 a year for a new graduate. However, demand has signficantly increased in the last two years, and I would estimate these numbers to be a bit higher in 2007. Most PT programs are competitive entry and have a heavy emphasis in math and science in the prerequisite years. Your professional years are pretty much core classes. From freshman year to graduation, most programs are designed to be completed in 6-7...but it depends on how long it takes you to complete your undergraduate work. To become a physical therapy assistant, it requires an associate's level degree. PTA's function in a similar manner to PTs, but cannot do any type of assessment and cannot make any major changes to a treatment plan without first dicussing it with a PT. The average salary for a PTA (again according to the 2005 survey) found that most PTAs were earning between $35-45,000 a year...they ceiling a lot quicker than PTs...very few make more than $50,000...whereas about 25% of PTs are making more than $75,000 and even 15% more than $100,000. I enjoy my job as a PT because I have a certain sense of autonomy and I get to plan a major role in decision making with the patient. I enjoy meeting so many different people who are all so interesting...I like to teach them about themselves and I always find myself learning from them as well. If you are intersted in a career as a PT, I suggest you go to the APTA website at: http://www.apta.org...you can review the specs on each career under the education section and can review the survery I described. Source(s): I am a PT In addition to the other website that that PT provided, here is a website for general career info: US occupational outlook handbook www.bls.gov/oco and can type into search 'physical therapist' or 'physical therapist assistant'. I have heard that it is quite a physical job aside from the term 'physical' therapist ;) And it may be somewhat emotionally draining dealing with those with severe disabilities, but I'm sure that it's quite rewarding as well. Wishing you the best of luck in your endeavors! And just a word to the wise, admissions to a physical therapy program is supposed to be extremely competitive (they used to say that it was more difficult to gain admission than medical school!), and it used to be said that one needs a 4.0 in their prerequisite courses which can include biology, anatomy & physiology (Not 'human anatomy' as that typically doesn't transfer for many or any programs) chemistry, biochem, physics, statistics (though each college has their own prereq's) and perhaps even one's overall gpa (though not sure about overall). For US colleges and universities: www.utexas.edu/world/univ Hi, You can check out http://careerguide.careerdirection.info... for some useful info and tips. Good luck! |
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