Physical Therapy

Mckenna Hand
Submitted: March 13, 2016
Exit Seminar HTLH 230
Rhonna Krouse
College of Western Idaho

Physical therapy is a growing industry in the United States. It is estimated to be a $19

billion industry, and is not controlled by any one particular company. [1] It is growing because
there is an icreasing need for physical therapy. More people are trying to be more active, and
with that come injuries. Physical therapy is there to treat those injuries. It also serves the needs of
the elderly, as people grow older they need to keep their strength in order to be able to perform
every day tasks. Physical therapists help people of all ages to rehabilitate injury or treat those
who have difficulty moving and using any muscle required for any particular task. [1] They are
health care providers, and work to provide the right care for a fair price. [2] Also, they provide
prevention care to help prevent possible injury and loss of mobility.
I am choosing the path of physical therapy because I want to help people. I have thought
of other professions, even ones outside the health field. Ive thought of being an engineer, a
teacher, and an athletic trainer. I found that although I feel I could be an engineer, I dont want to
be stuck in a small office all day and only dealing with other engineers and architects, and so
forth. I found I did not like the acute injuries dealt with in the athletic training field, either.
Although I still love the idea of teaching, I decided to go with physical therapy because not only
can I help people, but I also get to teach people. I get to educate them in exercises they can do to
live healthy and prevent injury. I want to be an influence in their life. Some may be struggling
from and injury that causes them to be less active. Helping those people is why I want to become
a physical therapist.
In this age, according to the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), the only
degrees offered are the Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT). The Masters degrees associated
with physical therapy are no longer offered. [3] Therefore, becoming a physical therapy means
becoming a doctor, and going through the competitive schooling required. In order to practice,

degrees must be earned from a CAPTE- accredited physical therapist education program and
pass a state licensure exam. [3] Requirements to get in to a physical therapy program differ, but
are usually very similar. Idaho State University requires a Bachelors degree and a minimum
GPA of 3.0 in specific courses, listed in the appendix. [4] Other schools require a bachelors
degree and a GPA of 3.0 overall. However, from talking with professionals, most programs want
to see a 3.5 GPA or higher to really consider a person to a physical therapy program. Masters
degrees, surprisingly, are not required at many schools in order to get in. So far, I have not seen
that obtaining a masters degree helps any more, but Im sure it can have some influence on those
who decide who gets in to their program and who doesnt. Having experience in a field related to
physical therapy is also a plus. After speaking to advisors and instructors, as well as family in the
field, exercise science is a great a safe path to go in order to be prepared for physical therapy
school. Other options include have a degree in Allied Health or even Biomechanics.
Understanding health care and health insurance is definitely a good knowledge to have when
coming in to this field.
Physical therapists are not licensed to practice independently, and therefore dont always
require a medical supervisor. [8] This means that physical therapists can be the boss and hire his
or her own staff. In this case, they would be responsible for their staff and the policies of their
clinic. Although this goes for any physical therapy organization, Medicare must be accepted by
physical therapists. [5] Medicare can cover up to $1,960 worth of physical therapy. [6] Basically,
working for ones self as a physical therapist requires more knowledge of the laws and
requirements of insurance. Running a clinic means understanding the ins and outs of
administrative work, as well as dealing with the patients and creating the proper rehab plans for
them. Although working for yourself may have its rewards for free time and making your own

schedule, it also means more time spent at home or off hours planning and keeping up with
everything. Usually, it would help to have an assistant or secretary that makes the schedule and
maybe even helps with the administrative business a bit. There are pros to working for ones self,
but there are also cons to balance it.
Not all physical therapists work for themselves. Some work for hospitals while others
work for physical therapy groups or clinics. At those places, physical therapists do not always
end up having the final say in what they do. Company or hospital policies must be followed, and
instances must be reported to a different group or position within the company. An example chart
of where a physical therapist sits in such an organization is included in the appendix. [7] Still,
understanding the laws and requirements for insurance should be known. In the case of working
for a company or hospital, however, many times people are hired for that reason alone, and the
physical therapist focuses on the reason the patient is there, which is to get treatment. Working
for or with a clinic also could mean set hours. There may not be as much of when one gets to
work. It does, however, allow for some free time. Having set hours for work means set hours for
off-work time. Not having to worry about the administrative part as much could mean less work
outside the home. It could also mean more time to plan for any of the clients routines and what
changes are to be made.
Generally, physical therapists work where they have access to exercise equipment. Many
physical therapy clinics are located inside local fitness gyms. Inside hospitals, everything the
physical therapist needs to perform his or her duty is in the same building. Usually, the client
meets at the office and is invited in to the gym with the physical therapist to then work on the
rehab. Not all physical therapy is done in a gym, however, because it depends on the therapy the

patient is receiving. Sometimes, it is performed in the home of the client. Other times, it is done
in rooms with special equipment designed for the specific needs of the patient.
Evidence of required membership to an affiliation was not found. It is highly
recommended, though. Having an affiliation with the APTA, for example, has its benefits. It can
save money for required and desired conference attendance, as well as continuing education. [9]
It also provides networking to physical therapists all around and aspiring physical therapists.
Having contact with everyone in the field can help for recommendations. Out sourcing to other
medical professionals is often a practice in the medical field. Having the proper resources all
mapped out for you is a great benefit. Then, after time in the organization, one can become more
familiar with other professionals. It continuously builds your own network. Not only is
membership a benefit to physical therapists, but also students. It offers up information and
resources in each area to assist in the journey to becoming a physical therapist. Accesses to
scholarly journals are a big help when doing research and writing required papers or performing
experiments.
There are certainly requirements and objectives that come with being a physical therapist.
Simply put, Licensing requirements vary by state but all include passing the National Physical
Therapy Examination administered by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy. [10]
A criminal background check and a law exam are also commonly required to be licensed. Also,
continuing education is also mandatory to keep their license, and varies by state. Having a
membership in affiliations benefits physical therapists because they can help continuing
education be cheaper or easier.
It may benefit the physical therapist to continue their education. Being certified in
specialties within physical therapy are great ways to better ones self and expand their knowledge

base. Having specialties in geriatrics, for example, can broaden the knowledge of a physical
therapist and offer exclusive assistance to the elderly. The American Board of Physical Therapy
Specialties offers certifications of eight different specialties, as follows: Cardiovascular and
Pulmonary, Clinical Electrophysiology, Geriatrics, Neurology, Orthopedics, Pediatrics, Sports,
and Women's Health. [11] I would think it would be great to be certified in all areas. It would
take some time, but is definitely a goal of mine. I would enjoy the knowledge. It may end up
being that I choose to focus on one area, but the way I look at it, the more knowledge, the more
help can be offered. On the other hand, having one specialty and sticking to it can allow for
becoming a master of that area, which is also a plus.
The industry is certainly growing. As mentioned earlier, many people are living more
active lifestyles and the elderly are relying on injury prevention. Having an area of expertise
within physical therapy gives the opportunity to grow with the industry. Not having any
particular area of expertise may put the person behind. In an ever-growing field, being behind
makes catching back up harder.
According to salary.com, the median annual wage for a physical therapist in Idaho is
around $76,000. [12] It is definitely a decent pay. It can include good benefits for health
insurance, too. Working for a hospital may give even better health insurance benefits. To me, the
salary is definitely a factor in my decision in this career path. However, it is not a huge factor. I
want to do something I love. Having a career I enjoy is very important to me. If I can enjoy what
I do for a living, I can also live a happier life. Happiness for my family and me is more important
to me than anything else. Money may assist in that happiness, to live comfortably, but is not a
huge requirement in my eyes.

The client base depends on a few factors. Like mentioned above, physical therapists can
have different specialties. Depending on their specialty, they may have different clients. Some
may work with elderly folks and be a geriatrics expert. Others may work with sports teams and
athletes. The clients are basically anyone who requires the help of a physical therapist. It could
be anybody, and being a physical therapist requires the understanding of that.
Overall, it will be a lot of work to get to be a physical therapist. Not only will it be work
to get there, but it will also be work to keep my license and continue practicing physical therapy.
I want to work hard to be the best physical therapist I can be. It will be well worth the hard work.
I hope to gain the knowledge of a subject I love. I want to be a professional in this field. I want to
use the knowledge to keep my family and friends healthy, and offer any knowledge and advice I
can to help others. Once I have reach a point where I can stay steady with my job, I definitely
want to use my skillset to give back. If that is donating my time to kids organizations or even
free clinical appointments for people who need it, I will contribute. These are just example I can
think of, but I definitely want to give back. I want to offer my expertise. If I help with fundraisers
to assist people in need, for any reason, in the medical field or not, I will.
I have learned that being a physical therapist requires a lot of hard work. I have also
learned that having the decision and ability to grow in this field is a great opportunity. I have
learned that I can be certified in different areas by meeting the requirements by the certification
board. I learned from myself that I dont want to focus on just one specialty. Although I may
have to start that way, I want to help anyone I can. Now, more than ever, I want to be a physical
therapist. I am excited for the journey ahead. The milestone of getting my associates is a great
excitement to me, too. Its encouraging and motivates me to do well and work hard in all my
classes.

Citations:
1. Industry Overview - U.S. Physical Therapy, Inc. (2016). Retrieved March 11, 2016, from
http://corporate.usph.com/corporate/industry-overview.aspx
2. Role of a Physical Therapist. (2015, April 8). Retrieved March 11, 2016, from
http://www.apta.org/PTCareers/RoleofaPT/
3. Physical Therapist (PT) Education Overview. (2015, October 20). Retrieved March 11, 2016,
from http://www.apta.org/PTEducation/Overview/
4. Idaho State University. (n.d.). Retrieved March 9, 2016, from
http://www2.isu.edu/dpot/pt/admissreq.shtml
5. Medicare for Physical Therapy: The Definitive Guide | WebPT. (2016). Retrieved March 11,
2016, from https://www.webpt.com/medicare
6. Your Medicare Coverage. (n.d.). Retrieved March 11, 2016, from
https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/pt-and-ot-and-speech-language-pathology.html
7. Parilak, A., & Fox, J. (2008). Physical Therapy (E. Morgan & L. Denney, Eds.). Bridge Health
Care Clinic, 10. Retrieved March 11, 2016, from
http://health.usf.edu/NR/rdonlyres/30984B5D-1FF0-42A0-87DA7DA53F0700A9/0/BRIDGE_Physical_Therapy_Clinic_Manual.pdf
8. Gandy, J., PT, DPT, PhD, & Chancler, C., PT, MHS. (2012, June 4). Physical Therapist
Therapists Health Care Team ECHO Resources. Retrieved March 11, 2016, from
http://www.ecfmg.org/echo/team-therapists-physical.html
9. Benefits of APTA Membership. (2016, February 10). Retrieved March 11, 2016, from
http://www.apta.org/Benefits/

10. Physical Therapists. (n.d.). Retrieved March 11, 2016, from

https://collegegrad.com/careers/physical-therapists
11. American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties - ABPTS. (n.d.). Retrieved March 11, 2016,
from http://www.abpts.org/home.aspx
12. Physical Therapist Salaries in Boise, Idaho. (n.d.). Retrieved March 11, 2016, from
http://www1.salary.com/ID/Boise/Physical-Therapist-salary.html

Appendix
[4]
Biology*:

Human Anatomy and Human Physiology with labs 4 credits each

Exercise
Exercise Physiology
Physiology
*:
Chemistry* Two semesters of general chemistry with corresponding labs
:
(General chemistry for science/health majors, not introduction to chemistry)
credits each
Physics*:

Two semesters of general physics with corresponding labs

(General physics for science/health majors, not introduction to physics) 4 cre
each

Mathemati Statistics
cs:

Psychology 1 Semester of Introduction to Psychology and

:
1 Semester of Child Development or Adult Development or Human Growth an
Development over the Life Span
Social
Science:

Abnormal Psychology or Introduction to Sociology or Sociocultural Anthropol

Medical
Medical Terminology
Terminolog (This requirement can be waived by a statement from professor or employer
y:
competency in medical terminology)

[7] (listed from highest rank down, a space in titles means a downgrade in
rank)
Clinic Manager
Medical Director
Physical Therapy Director
Social Work Director
Patient Coordinator
Operations Coordinator
Staff Coordinator
IT and

10

Public Relations
Research Coordinator
Treasury and Fundraising
Faculty Preceptor
Student Volunteer

11