Earning an online Doctor of Physical Therapy degree is an excellent idea. Becoming a physical therapist will allow you the opportunity to provide a fantastic service to your local community. As a physical therapy specialist is tasked with helping us get our mobility back, they are valuable contributors to the field of medicine.
Rest assured, proper training must be in place to secure a position as a licensed physical therapist. Typically, if you are a practicing physical therapist as of now, by 2020, you will need to have earned your doctoral degree through an online Transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy degree program. If you are a student in this field and have recently completed your bachelor’s degree program, please enroll today in an online Doctor of Physical Therapy degree program to complete your training. Then, you will be eligible to take your licensure exam. But, what would you like to do when you are available to go to work? Are you interested in working with a specific age group, in a particular setting, or perhaps a private practice is of interest to you?
Do you enjoy working with children? In this capacity, you will assist children from birth to teenagers. Let’s face it; kids are accident prone. The broken arm or leg is a common occurrence, unfortunately. But, through the help of a physical therapist, patients can count on you to get them back to their day-to-day activities in no time. Specialist in the field of pediatric PT must know the growth patterns of children as they develop, such as rolling over and crawling in infants, as well as, how toddlers begin to walk. They often use fun activities such as aqua therapy to help strengthen the joints and improve circulation and balance. As a pediatric physical therapist, the average salary can range from between $60,000 and $100,000 annually, depending on experience.
If you would prefer to work with young to middle-aged adults, you should enjoy assisting those who have had injuries, primarily just from everyday life. Other injuries may include car accidents or perhaps, injuries due to illness. A general physical therapist can earn upwards of $120,000 per year with experience.
Although Americans are living longer through proper diet and exercise, as we age, so do our bones quite naturally. Geriatric patients often are susceptible to brittle and broken bones, suffer from diseases that affect the bone structure and are merely prone to breaking a hip from balance issues. Geriatric physical therapists must be aware of each patient’s needs. They evaluate their concerns and devise a plan to help heal, or at least make them more comfortable as they battle physical health issues such as Alzheimer’s, osteoporosis and arthritis. It is very common for nursing homes or transitional care centers to hire in-house physical therapists to assist their patients in recovery.
By earning an online doctoral degree in physical therapy, you will have many career choices to explore. Other career options include exercise physiologist, chiropractor, occupational therapist, or specializations in cardiopulmonary or neurological issues. Sports-related physical therapist work with athletes of all ages, from children that are hurt in pee wee softball to young adults injured in high school or college sporting activities. Often, professional sports teams will employ physical therapists to travel with them to keep athletes in tip top playing condition.
If you’re interested in this field, please see our list of the Top 5 Online Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree Programs. Get started today to get a jump start on your dream career!