Where Can You Find Work in Physical Therapy Today?
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Physical therapy is one of the fastest growing careers today. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts this occupation will increase by 36 percent in the next 10 years, opening up thousands of positions in a career field that is both challenging and rewarding. If you want to join the ranks of professional physical therapists, you may wonder where you can find employment after you finish your formal training. These places commonly hire physical therapists to care for patients of all ages.
Rehabilitation Hospitals
Rehabilitation hospitals rank high on the list of locations that frequently employ physical therapists. The patients admitted to these facilities typically are recuperating from physically devastating illnesses or injuries and need help learning occupational and motor skills like walking, balancing, and holding objects in their hands. You can expect your patients to range from toddlers to the elderly. You also will be expected to teach people how to walk with aids like crutches and walkers.
Nursing Homes
Like rehabilitation hospitals, nursing homes rely significantly on physical therapists to keep residents active and as limber as possible. The people who live in these facilities may have lost some of their ability to walk or stand on their own. They also need frequent physical therapy to help them avoid deadly conditions like blood clots. You can expect to work with elderly patients who have broken joints or who have had replacement surgery. Your patients may also look to you to teach them how to walk again using a walking aid.
Medical Centers
Regular hospitals also keep a full staff of physical therapists on hand to help a range of patients. People who have had a stroke and need assistance relearning basic skills, like walking or picking objects up with their hands, are assigned to these therapists. Likewise, people who have undergone amputations must work with a physical therapist to learn to adjust to their new physical capabilities before they can go home. As a physical therapist, you may be called upon to consult with other doctors on a variety of cases, even those for people who have been admitted to the emergency room after an illness or accident.
Home Health Services
As a physical therapist, you can find work with a home health agency that dispatches healthcare professionals to patients' homes. People who are home bound because of an injury or illness often still need specialized services like physical therapy. When they cannot drive or be taken to a doctor's office or rehab hospital, these patients are often eligible for home bound physical therapy. You can work with them on their particular therapeutic needs in the comforts of their own homes.
Schools
With many public school systems integrating students of all physical capabilities, you can find work at an elementary, middle, or high school. Students whose individual education plans, or IEPs, call for occupational or physical therapy must receive services in their school during the school day. You can work with these students each day to fulfill their IEP requirements and also enjoy job security in your position, as many schools lack qualified applicants for such positions.
Private Practice
Just like any other healthcare professional, you have the option of opening your own private practice or joining that of another therapist if you choose. In a private practice, you have more leeway about the variety of patients you are capable of helping. You also may enjoy higher earning potential, since many private practitioners charge slightly higher rates than rehab hospitals or medical centers.
Physical therapy continues to grow as an occupation, and you can find employment in any of these locations. If you are looking to be certified or qualified, check out programs at places like Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions in Provo, UT. You will be able to find courses and degree programs tailored to your goals and schedule.