Physical Therapist Colleges
Physical therapist colleges provide individuals with an opportunity to advance their career in a diverse and growing industry. A physical therapist works to assist people suffering from disease or injury to improve functional abilities. This may include working with the elderly, athletes with injuries, children with disabilities, or those struggling to gain function to return to work.
Earning Your Degree
To work as a physical therapist, you will need to attend college. In college, you'll work towards earning your bachelor's degree. Many students progress to achieve a master's degree, though employment opportunities begin with the bachelor's program. All students then must sit for a licensing exam managed by the state. Continuing education may be a requirement going forward.
Education and Skills
College courses you will take include:- Biology
- Chemistry of the body
- Biomechanics
- Manifestations of disease
- Examination techniques
- Neuroanatomy
- Physics
- Therapeutic procedures
Through this education, you will gain numerous skills. Most importantly, you'll learn to diagnose a variety of ailments to ensure proper physical therapy techniques are used to improve an individual's well being. You'll learn how to interact with patients while gaining communication skills. Additionally, you'll learn how to prevent, identify, and treat a variety of movement problems including both short-term recovery from injuries and long-term chronic pain management.
Career Opportunities
Advancing your career through education from a physical therapist college allows you to enter into a variety of careers. You may work as an occupational therapist, rehabilitation counselor, or recreational therapist. You can focus your career in various directions. Some individuals work in acute settings such as hospitals. Others work with seniors or athletes in specialized care clinics.
For those who wish to work in a rewarding career, one that is likely to see growth in job availability in the coming years, this career path can be the ideal choice. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that this field will grow faster than others in the coming decade. Accredited physical therapy colleges provide all of the training and tools necessary to enter the field. Those with a passion for working one-on-one with patients will do best in this field. |
