Physical Therapists
Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), Home Care Physical Therapist (Home Care PT), Inpatient Physical Therapist (Inpatient PT), Pediatric Physical Therapist (Pediatric PT)
What they do:
Assess, plan, organize, and participate in rehabilitative programs that improve mobility, relieve pain, increase strength, and improve or correct disabling conditions resulting from disease or injury.
On the job, you would:
- Plan, prepare, or carry out individually designed programs of physical treatment to maintain, improve, or restore physical functioning, alleviate pain, or prevent physical dysfunction in patients.
- Perform and document an initial exam, evaluating data to identify problems and determine a diagnosis prior to intervention.
- Record prognosis, treatment, response, and progress in patient's chart or enter information into computer.
Knowledge
Business
- customer service
- management
Health
- therapy and counseling
- medicine and dentistry
Math and Science
- psychology
- biology
Arts and Humanities
- English language
Skills
Basic Skills
- listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
- reading work related information
Social
- looking for ways to help people
- understanding people's reactions
Problem Solving
- noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Abilities
Verbal
- communicate by speaking
- listen and understand what people say
Ideas and Logic
- make general rules or come up with answers from lots of detailed information
- notice when problems happen
Hand and Finger Use
- keep your arm or hand steady
- put together small parts with your fingers
Attention
- pay attention to something without being distracted
Personality
People interested in this work like activities that include helping people, teaching, and talking.
They do well at jobs that need:
- Concern for Others
- Integrity
- Dependability
- Social Orientation
- Cooperation
- Self Control
Technology
You might use software like this on the job:
Word processing software
- Exercise routine creation software
- Microsoft Word
Medical software
- Clinicient Insight
- MEDITECH software
Spreadsheet software
- Microsoft Excel
Education
Education: (rated 5 of 5)
doctoral degree or
master's degree
usually needed
master's degree
usually needed
Job Outlook
Bright
New job opportunities are very likely in the future.
Explore More
- Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses
- Clinical Nurse Specialists
- Emergency Medicine Physicians
- Occupational Therapists
- Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physicians
You might like a career in one of these industries:
See more details at O*NET OnLine about physical therapists.