In the United States, physical therapy is a field that is exploding, with an expected growth of 21% between 2020 and 2030.
The use of physical therapy as part of a treatment plan has increased as well and continues to do so. Good physical therapy can restore a lot of function and quality of life to a patient. Becoming a physical therapist is one of the most rewarding careers that you can choose.
Here are eight reasons why being a physical therapist is so rewarding.
1. Great Pay
If you become a physical therapist, your income will go up. Physical therapists often make close to six figures. For many people, this is a life-changing amount of money that can mean the difference between poverty and having the life you want.
Physical therapists make enough to own their own homes, support a family, and even have some expensive toys on the side. If you want to be able to live a full, rewarding life and be monetarily compensated for it, physical therapy is a field that you should keep in mind.
2. Good Scheduling
Physical therapists almost always workdays and don’t have to deal with the grueling schedules of doctors or nurses. They are available during the week, with very few working on the weekend. Even starting off as a brand new therapist, there’s a good chance you’ll only work on the weekdays.
This means that you’ll have time to spend with your friends and family. You won’t get tied down to your job, be unable to leave it, or have to work endless overtime. If you want to travel somewhere on the weekend, you won’t have to take time off of work or schedule it beforehand.
3. Help People Recover
As a physical therapist, you will be working with the patients directly. Their care and rehabilitation are your job, so you’ll be able to be with them through their journey. Watching someone relearn how to walk or conquer their physical limitations can be a powerful experience.
Physical therapy jobs offer a lot in terms of emotional and mental rewards. Seeing people succeed and feeling a sense of accomplishment is part of the adventure. The reason for all of this is that physical therapists are often on the end of a long line of treatment that a patient experiences.
PTs have a level of interaction with patients that other medical professionals can only dream of.
4. Travel
Since the market for physical therapists is growing, finding a job isn’t difficult. There are also a lot of options for those who have a physical therapy career. One option that is open to physical therapists is traveling between locations to provide service.
A lot of small towns can’t support a full-time Physical Therapy department, so they have traveling physical therapists that come in on scheduled days. These positions not only pay well, but they allow the therapist the chance to travel, see new sights, and meet new people.
What’s better than getting paid to travel on top of your normal wage?
5. Active Job
If the thought of sitting behind a desk every day horrifies you, then physical therapy may be the right fit for you. Instead of sitting around doing work on a computer, you’ll be physically active. You will have to demonstrate exercises and help patients as they struggle to rehabilitate their injuries.
Being a physical therapist can be very physically demanding, so much so that having a gym membership isn’t a bad idea. You’ll want to be in shape so you can take care of the elderly patients that you’ll be seeing a lot. If they fall, you’ll be there to catch them.
What’s better than having a job that helps you stay active and healthy even as you approach retirement age?
6. Variety
In the world of physical therapy almost every surgery, injury or illness can be addressed. This means that your days won’t be the same thing over and over again. You will have the chance to treat people with a wide array of needs, and this versatility will keep you on your toes.
Having a variety of treatments also means that you’ll have to stay current on modern practices and techniques. As new ways to help patients are discovered, the old methods are phased out. This means that you will always have new techniques to learn, and new patients to help.
7. Education
While it does require specialized education to be a physical therapist, the coursework is not the same as a nurse or doctor. Becoming a physical therapist, you will need a bachelor’s degree which often takes around four years. You will also have to take exams for licensing so make sure to use a PTA Exam prep course.
The degree parallel grip you’re going to get is called the doctor of physical therapy degree, and it takes about three years of extra study after your bachelor’s. Not all of this study is in the classroom, with about 20% of your instruction happening on the job during clinical education.
8. Workplace Variety
The variety in being a physical therapist isn’t just in treatments, but also in where you are going to work. You have a wide variety of choices, from schools and universities to hospitals and private practices. If you are drawn to a certain environment, that’s fine, you can take a job that puts you there.
This also means that you get to interact with people in a lot of different settings. From professional and collegiate athletes to elderly people who have had joint replacements. If you grow bored of working in one environment, don’t worry, you can always change to something else.
Becoming a Physical Therapist
The road to becoming a physical therapist takes time and study, but it is one of the most rewarding medical careers. You will be knowledgeable in ways that others aren’t, and respected as a source of healing and rehabilitation.
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