Statistics - Physical Therapists
Significant Points
Employment is expected to
increase faster than the average, as rapid growth in the number of middle-aged
and elderly individuals increases the demand for therapeutic services.
After graduating from an accredited physical therapist educational program,
therapists must pass a licensure exam before they can practice.
Nature of the Work
Physical therapists (PTs) provide services that
help restore function, improve mobility, relieve pain, and prevent or limit
permanent physical disabilities of patients suffering from injuries or disease.
They restore, maintain, and promote overall fitness and health. Their patients
include accident victims and individuals with disabling conditions such as low
back pain, arthritis, heart disease, fractures, head injuries, and cerebral
palsy.
Therapists examine patients' medical histories,
then test and measure their strength, range of motion, balance and
coordination, posture, muscle performance, respiration, and motor function.
They also determine patients' ability to be independent and reintegrate into
the community or workplace after injury or illness. Next, they develop
treatment plans describing a treatment strategy, its purpose, and anticipated
outcome. Physical therapist assistants, under the direction and supervision of
a physical therapist, may be involved in implementing treatment plans with
patients. Physical therapist aides perform routine support tasks, as directed
by the therapist. (Physical therapist assistants and aides are discussed
elsewhere in the Handbook.)
Treatment often includes exercise for patients who
have been immobilized and lack flexibility, strength, or endurance. They
encourage patients to use their own muscles to further increase flexibility and
range of motion before finally advancing to other exercises improving strength,
balance, coordination, and endurance. Their goal is to improve how an
individual functions at work and home.
Physical therapists also use electrical
stimulation, hot packs or cold compresses, and ultrasound to relieve pain and
reduce swelling. They may use traction or deep-tissue massage to relieve pain.
Therapists also teach patients to use assistive and adaptive devices such as
crutches, prostheses, and wheelchairs. They also may show patients exercises to
do at home to expedite their recovery.
As treatment continues, physical therapists
document progress, conduct periodic examinations, and modify treatments when
necessary. Such documentation is used to track the patient's progress, and
identify areas requiring more or less attention.
Physical therapists often consult and practice with
a variety of other professionals, such as physicians, dentists, nurses,
educators, social workers, occupational therapists, speech-language
pathologists, and audiologists.
Some physical therapists treat a wide range of
ailments; others specialize in areas such as pediatrics, geriatrics,
orthopedics, sports medicine, neurology, and cardiopulmonary physical therapy.
Working Conditions
Physical therapists practice in hospitals, clinics,
and private offices that have specially equipped facilities, or they treat
patients in hospital rooms, homes, or schools.
Most full-time physical therapists work a 40-hour
week, which may include some evenings and weekends. The job can be physically
demanding because therapists often have to stoop, kneel, crouch, lift, and
stand for long periods. In addition, physical therapists move heavy equipment
and lift patients or help them turn, stand, or walk.
Employment
Physical therapists held about 132,000 jobs in
2000; about 1 in 4 worked part time. The number of jobs is greater than the
number of practicing physical therapists because some physical therapists hold
two or more jobs. For example, some may work in a private practice, but also
work part time in another health facility.
About two-thirds of physical therapists were
employed in either hospitals or offices of physical therapists. Other jobs were
in home health agencies, outpatient rehabilitation centers, offices and clinics
of physicians, and nursing homes. Some physical therapists are self-employed in
private practices. They may provide services to individual patients or contract
to provide services in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, home
health agencies, adult daycare programs, and schools. They may be in solo
practice or be part of a consulting group. Physical therapists also teach in
academic institutions and conduct research.
Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement
All States require physical therapists to pass a
licensure exam before they can practice, after graduating from an accredited
physical therapist educational program.
According to the American Physical Therapy
Association, there were 199 accredited physical therapist programs in 2001. Of
the accredited programs, 165 offered master's degrees, and 33 offered doctoral
degrees. By 2002, all physical therapist programs seeking accreditation are
required to offer degrees at the master's degree level and above, in accordance
with the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education.
Physical therapist programs start with basic
science courses such as biology, chemistry, and physics, and then introduce
specialized courses such as biomechanics, neuroanatomy, human growth and
development, manifestations of disease, examination techniques, and therapeutic
procedures. Besides classroom and laboratory instruction, students receive
supervised clinical experience. Courses useful when applying to physical
therapist educational programs include anatomy, biology, chemistry, social
science, mathematics, and physics. Before granting admission, many professional
education programs require experience as a volunteer in a physical therapy
department of a hospital or clinic.
Physical therapists should have strong
interpersonal skills to successfully educate patients about their physical
therapy treatments. They should also be compassionate and possess a desire to
help patients. Similar traits also are needed to interact with the patient's
family.
Physical therapists are expected to continue
professional development by participating in continuing education courses and
workshops. A number of States require continuing education to maintain
licensure.
Job Outlook
Employment of physical therapists is expected to
grow faster than the average for all occupations through 2010. Federal
legislation imposing limits on reimbursement for therapy services may adversely
affect the job market for physical therapists in the near term. However, over
the long run, the demand for physical therapists should continue to rise as a
result of growth in the number of individuals with disabilities or limited
function requiring therapy services. The rapidly growing elderly population is
particularly vulnerable to chronic and debilitating conditions that require
therapeutic services. Also, the baby-boom generation is entering the prime age
for heart attacks and strokes, increasing the demand for cardiac and physical
rehabilitation. More young people will need physical therapy as technological
advances save the lives of a larger proportion of newborns with severe birth
defects.
Future medical developments should also permit a
higher percentage of trauma victims to survive, creating additional demand for
rehabilitative care. Growth also may result from advances in medical technology
which permit treatment of more disabling conditions.
Widespread interest in health promotion also should
increase demand for physical therapy services. A growing number of employers
are using physical therapists to evaluate worksites, develop exercise programs,
and teach safe work habits to employees in the hope of reducing injuries.
Earnings
Median annual earnings of physical therapists were
$54,810 in 2000. The middle 50 percent earned between $46,660 and $67,390. The
lowest 10 percent earned less than $38,510, and the highest 10 percent earned
more than $83,370. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the
largest numbers of physical therapists in 2000 were as follows:
|
Offices and clinics of medical
doctors
|
$58,390
|
|
Home health care services
|
$57,830
|
|
Offices of other health practitioners
|
$55,830
|
|
Nursing and personal care
facilities
|
$54,740
|
|
Hospitals
|
$54,430
|
Related Occupations
Physical therapists rehabilitate persons with
physical disabilities. Others who work in the rehabilitation field include
occupational therapists, recreational therapists, rehabilitation counselors,
respiratory therapists, and speech-language pathologists and audiologists.
Sources of Additional Information
Additional information on a career as a physical
therapist and a list of accredited educational programs in physical therapy are
available from:
American Physical Therapy Association, 1111 North
Fairfax St., Alexandria, VA 22314-1488. Internet: http://www.apta.org
Bureau of
Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook,
2002-03 Edition. http://www.bls.gov/oco/.
