Physical therapists are healthcare professionals qualified to use various rehabilitation methods for the treatment of abnormalities or injuries causing the limited body movements of patients. It is crucial that the patient and his/her physical therapist work together to make the rehabilitation procedures a success. What this means is that these are the medical professionals who actually enable affected individuals to avoid more movement problems by way of healthy living as well as effective conditioning routines. If you are planning to become a good physical therapist, what you will need to do first is locate a good PT school to obtain exceptional training and instruction.

Step 1: Obtain an Undergraduate Education

The first step to become a physical therapist is to get admission to a graduate degree program in a certified physical therapy college. Prior to this, you need to complete a bachelor\’s degree program first. You may take up any bachelor\’s degree major provided that it covers science and math programs which are strongly related to physiotherapy training. These kinds of programs consist of chemistry, physics, anatomy as well as biology. Also, it is suggested that physical therapy students get some hours of internship in some hospitals\’ physical therapy units. Nearly all physical therapy colleges require that candidates for higher degree programs get such practical training.

Step 2: Get a Graduate Degree

The American Physical Therapy Association or APTA requires all physical therapists to receive a graduate degree in the field of physical therapy. It usually takes 2 to 2.5 years to complete a master\’s degree program. In contrast, doctorate degree programs usually require three years to finish.

Step 3: Belong to a Post Degree Residency Program

Upon finishing a higher education program from an accredited PT school, it will be important for you to attend a residency program in hospitals or clinics. According to the mandate of APTA, a residency program must involve 1500 hours of specialized medical practice, which will be taken between 9 and 36 months. As a resident, you\’ll be able to assess and diagnose patients but this should be with the direction of a certified physical therapist. You will be doing this as you are getting a training in your area of expertise.

Step 4: Pass the Physical Therapy Licensure Exam

A physical therapist will not be allowed to practice without getting a license. The requirements for licensing depend on which state you intend to practice. However in general, states demand that applicants possess graduate degrees from the certified PT schools. Aspiring physical therapists in the United States are required to pass the National Physical Therapy Examination or NPTA, which is given by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy.

Step 5: Be A Specialist In Your Chosen Field

As a physical therapist, you\’ll have an option to be a specialist in the field of physical therapy. You can do this by obtaining a certification from the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties or ABPTS. The most typical areas of expertise are neurology, geriatrics, orthopedics, and sports. All physical therapists who wish to proceed to specialization should be licensed physical therapists already. It is also necessary that they have a minimum of 2,000 hours of practice in whichever specialty they select.

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Category: Education
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