My Research on What It Is and What It Takes to Become a Physical Therapist

Physical Therapy has always been a career that has had me interested in. Physical Therapist are part of the health care profession, which help relieve pain, and increase strength in their patients. Physical therapy has many different areas of specialization. Physical Therapy branches out into careers such as Cardiopulmonary, Orthopedic, and Kinesiotherapist, and within these specializations physical therapist see all different age groups from newborns, to the very oldest.

Throughout their day physical therapist conduct many treatment programs, but the main objective of a PT is to help recover the physical functioning of a patient. A PT will evaluate, and instruct a patient on treatment needed to be continued at home, measure a patient’s strength, motor skills, and record this data. The career of a physical therapist can be physically demanding at times because a physical therapist might have to lift a heavy object or help a patient perform certain tasks.

As I learned in my interview of Mr. David Darby, a physical therapist in San Antonio, a physical therapist needs to be able to work with people on a daily basis. A physical therapist does not work with a group but rather one on one with patients throughout the day, making the possibility of treatments immense. I believe that I have this personality strength to be able to work with people one on one throughout the day, rather than work in a group setting, as I work much better one on one with people.

I completed the Choices Planner Interest activity from bridges.com and received the highest score in the investigative interest area. I enjoy observing, learning, and evaluating and this interest area was coincidentally linked to physical therapy in the career finder

To receive a do...

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...n both sides of physical therapy from an advantage and a disadvantage standpoint. Physical therapy is clearly a promising career from the satisfaction perspective as more than three- quarters of physical therapist stated to be “very satisfied” with their job. As some people might see the salary as a disadvantage, I see the salary as neither a disadvantage nor an advantage. For the type of lifestyle I’m looking to live when I am older, physical therapy would seem to fulfill that. Although the education requirement to receive a doctorate in physical therapy might not seem long compared to medical school, a physical therapy program is still a very rigorous program, and not easy to complete.

I have certainly learned much from the beginning of my research to now and the career of physical therapy has only became a more realistic opportunity for me to consider pursuing.