Physical Therapist Career Guide and Counseling

Question: Physical Therapist? I already have a Bachelor in Business Administration. I am planning to go back to school to become a physical therapist. Do you know what steps i need to follow? any opinios? suggestions???

Answer: First, check out which school you want to go to. I can't think of any PT program that does not want you to have extensive volunteer or PTA experience.... I'm referring to Masters level programs. But being a PTA for a while is a good way to make money and still get the experience needed to apply to PT school.

Question: What does a physical therapist do, and details about education? What kinds of things does a physical therapist do? Do you have to have a lot of strength to be a physical therapist, because I'm kind of small. Also, I am a little scared of blood, do physical therapists deal a lot with blood? What kind of education do they have and how long. Is it possible to get a doctorate in physical therapy? Also, what are the classes like? If you could answer some or all of these questions I would really appreciate it. Thanks in advance, you're the best!

Answer: The primary function of a physical therapist is to evaluate and treat people who have "functional limitations" that affect their daily living. This could be due to pain, weakness, lack of flexibility, decreased balance, etc. A physical therapist evaluates the neuromuscular skeletal system to look for reasons why these things may be happening and provides a "physical therapy diagnosis" and recommends and implements treatments. These treatments may include "gait training" (showing someone how to walk, etc), balance training, manual techniques, exercises, education, stretching, massage and/or modalities. One does not necessarily have to be "strong," but as a general rule, a PT should be able to lift 25# at least occasionally and be able to stand for long periods of time. Educational requirements in the US require a master's or doctorate level degree. Most programs are designed to be completed in 6-7, but it depends on how long it takes one to complete the prerequisite courses and your bachelor's degree. The prerequisite courses usually involves a lot of science, math and psychology. Once you are in the program you must take gross human anatomy (human dissection) and all your physical therapy based courses including evaluation techniques, musculoskeletal coures, neurology, etc. Blood is encountered occasionally in PT and will be more likely if you work in a hospital inpatient setting...you can be exposed to a variety of bodily fluids in this settings. Some settings also have PTs complete wound care which could include packing and debriding wounds. Other than that, it's generally a pretty clean job...especially in the outpatient setting. The APTA has a great section for prospective students. Go to the educational programs section at http://www.apta.org

Question: What schools offer a current physical therapist assistant an education to transition to a physical therapist? I am currently a physical therapist assistant and would like to know what schools may offer a program to advance to a physical therapist. I have my associates degree in liberal arts for my physical therapy assistant profession, and also have a bachelors degree in human sciences from my earlier years in college (1986 graduate)

Answer: The only two official "bridge programs" are Findlay in OH and Loma Linda in CA. However, the "transition" is not as "bridging" as it sounds. Both programs have stipulations that go beyond your PTA degree required for entrance. I think both of them do require that you complete the normal prerequisites as are required for other PT programs and completion of a BS. If you did not get these classes in your BS, you will be required to take these classes before you apply to the program. Furthermore, most schools require that you've taken the prereqs. within the last 5 years. Also, I don't think that there are any fewer classes as compared to a traditional PT program, it's just that the bridge programs allow one to do it on a part time basis. I think this is why most PTAs I know who've made the transition did it simply in a traditional PT program. ...good luck to you.

Question: How do I find a good physical therapist in los angeles? I need to find a physical therapist for my back problems. Does anyone know how I can find a legitimate physical therapist where I won't waste my money? Is there a web site or something with reviews?

Answer: I'd recommend seeing someone who is certified in mechanical diagnosis and therapy. Go to: http://www.mckenziemdt.org and use the therapist locator

Question: How can i become a physical therapist for dogs? I am an exercise science student and i am looking at graduate school to become a doctor in physical therapy. however i have thought about also working in rehabilitating dogs. i am a people person but would like to work with either children or the elderly. i am an animal lover and also would love to rehabilitate dogs. how can i also become a canine physical therapist? do i need to be a veterianian first or my credentials be a good start?

Answer: You can become a Canine certified PT. After you complete your DPT, you would return for a further certification to treat canines. The only program I know of is at the University of Tennessee. Both PTs and verternarians are elligible for this program. http://www.canineequinerehab.com/canine-…

Question: What are the requirements to be a physical therapist? i want to be a physical therapist. what should I know in order to be a physical therapist and how much do they make.

Answer: You will need to receive your Bachelor's Degree in a related field (kinesiology, biology, exercise physiology, athletic training) and then go to graduate school. You will earn a Master's or Doctorate Degree and take the National Physical Therapist Examination. Once you pass, you will have your license and be able to practice as a PT. Good luck. Salary ranges depending on the field you will practice in and the area in which you live. Try looking at http://www.salary.com to see the average salary in your area. PTs are in high demand right now and a lot of new grads are receiving "sign-on bonuses" greater than $1,000.

Question: What does it take to become a Physical Therapist in Sports Medicine? I am a junior in high school, and right now are looking towards being a physical Therapist, particularly in Sports Medicine. I would like to know what the average years are for completing this in college and what degree I am going to end up with. I'd also like to know what additional information i would need if I were to be in Sports Medicine instead of just being a Physical Therapist. Please only answer this question if you know what your talking about. Thanks.

Answer: If you want to become a physical therapist who is certified in sports medicine, you must first become a PT which takes 6-7 years of college, depending on the structure of the program. After that, you are certainly qualified to work in a sports med setting; however, if you wish to complete the sports medicine specialist certification you must first spend at least 2000 hours working with this population. The minimum time this can be done is in a year. However, remember that even those working in "sports med" settings such as private or physician owned clinics are not always working with just athletes. In either case, once you've completed that experience, you can apply to sit for the sports med certification exam.

Question: How much does a physical therapist technican make? My husband wants to go to Apollo College to become a Physical Therapist Technician..How much do they make per year? And will going to Apollo gaurantee he will be a Physical Therapist Technician upon graduating?

Answer: Do not go to school to be a technician. They are only aides and do not need training. A Physical therapist assistant is a 2 year degree. www.apta.org

Question: What kind of schooling is needed to become a physical therapist? I might want to become a physical therapist but i was wondering some questions? How much schooling do you need? What is a good university in the midwest for becoming a physical therapist?

Answer: To be a PT in the US now requires at least a master's degree, but 90% of programs are now doctorate level programs. Good schools in the Midwest: Northwestern Unversity of Evansville Creighton University UIC SLU You will start your college by declaring a major in a field of your choice, however, you must also complete a list of prerequisite courses. This varies from school to school but usually involves bio, chem, physics, psych and math. You will probably also need to complete volunteer hours and sit for the GRE. Once you've met a school's requirements, you apply for admission which is typically competitive. SLU does have a direct admit program that runs a little differently, but otherwise this is how most schools carry out admissions. I would advise going to the APTA website at www.apta.org . They have helpful information for prospective students.

Question: How stressful is it being a physical therapist assistant? Do you have any take home work (like paperwork or planning) and how do you think it compares to being a physical therapist in terms of responsibility?

Answer: It depends. The PT is utimately responsible for what you do. There has to be some trust in the PT PTA partnership. In my opinion, there is not a lot of stress for the PTA but then it comes down to personality. The homework that you talk about depends on the practice that you work in. In a nursing home and a hospital, you will not take anything home. You may have to stay a little longer once in a while to get your stuff done to hand off the patient to the next therapist that willl be treating the patient. These pts are seen 7 days a week. I work in peds and work does go home at times. The assistants do much of the same paperwork we do with the exception of evaluations and re evaluations. Hope this helps