A Career in Physical Therapy

Life can change in a split second when an unanticipated injury or disease hinders someone’s normal daily life. Modern medicine, physicians and families can only do so much but physical therapy can help recoup the life many of us take for granted. It often isn’t until we lose something that we as humans realize what we had such as the value of our body’s ability to take us through each day. A physical therapist is the person who stays with a patient for the duration of the rehabilitation process. A physical therapist leads the patient through the process of regaining physical strength and helps the patient regain control of their future. Much like many careers that involve interaction with individuals, physical therapy reaches beyond the workings of the human body and touches many people in more personal ways. In return, a physical therapist will reap many personal benefits from their work with others. There are many requirements to become a physical therapist; specialized schooling, training and certification are only a few. To become a successful physical therapist requires the proper education, a desire to help people, patience and understanding of individuals and empathy for others. The educational requirements for a physical therapist have evolved over the last decade. With physical therapy becoming a more accepted and successful practice the educational training has become more stringent. A two year master’s degree is now required and each graduate must pass the National Physical Therapy Examination. (“Physical Therapist”) The master’s program focuses on clinical work and practical use of course work. Physical therapists are required to be licensed in order to practice. Each state may have its own requirements in addition to the educational background. (Curtis 219) An undergraduate college student considering a career in physical therapy should enroll in science classes that will be helpful. Psychology, biology, anatomy and