Why Become a Physical Therapist? Five Great Reasons
Are you considering pursuing a career as a physical therapist?
Physical therapy is an allied health field that focuses on promoting, maintaining, or restoring health through physical examinations, physical intervention, rehabilitation, and patient education. Physical therapists, also known as physiotherapists, are the professionals responsible for these tasks.
If you’ve always wanted to work in healthcare, this is one of the many professions that could be ideal for you. But why become a physical therapist instead of pursuing other career paths in healthcare? Turns out there are plenty of compelling reasons to become a physical therapist.
Read on to learn more!
- Great Job Outlook
Who wants to spend several months in the labor market looking for employment? This is the last thing you want, especially if you pursued a degree program that took you several years to complete.
For starters, physical therapists typically need 7 years of education before they can qualify for professional licensing and employment. Getting licensed isn’t an easy feat, but there are resources like Therapyteam.com that can help you prepare for board examinations.
If you’re wondering how the job outlook for physical therapists is, you’re in for a good surprise. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of physical therapists is forecast to grow 21 percent through the next decade. For context, the average growth rate for all occupations in the United States is 5 percent! Specifically, there will be about 50,000 new job openings for these professionals.
The demand for physical therapists is driven by the increasing number of aging baby boomers. Older people are more vulnerable to diseases and injuries that call for physical therapy as part of their treatment and rehabilitation.
Also, the number of people needing to lead active lifestyles is on the rise, driven by great awareness of the risks posed by lifestyle diseases. Those who’re suffering from diseases such as diabetes routinely need the help of physical therapists.
- Competitive Pay
Would you like to earn six figures right after college?
Pursuing a career in physical therapy can enable you to achieve this – something that the vast majority of professionals can only dream of.
In 2020, the highest-earning physical therapists took home about $126,000 annually. Of course, you likely won’t be the highest-earning physical therapist in your first job. It takes a combination of professional experience and continuous professional development to qualify for higher salaries.
Don’t let that dampen your mood, though. The median annual wage for physical therapists is $91,000, which is pretty close to six figures. In 2020, the lowest earners took home about $65,000.
States with the highest pay for physical therapists include:
- Nevada
- California
- Alaska
- New Jersey
That being said, keep in mind that pay isn’t necessarily the most important thing when you’re looking for employment as a physical therapist. The states with the highest pay don’t necessarily have the most job openings, so you might spend a little longer on the job market if you’re fixated on getting employed in a state with the highest pay.
Overall, physical therapists have competitive compensation packages across the country. You should prioritize getting employed and gaining professional experience over earning the most money right out of college.
- You Can Work in Diverse Healthcare Settings
A major selling point for pursuing a career in physical therapy is you can work in diverse (or even multiple) healthcare settings.
You can find employment in public and private hospitals, companies that provide home health services, nursing and residential care facilities, and in the offices of physical and occupational therapists. Even some physician’s offices hire physical therapists.
You have the freedom to choose where you’d like to work, although some settings might have fewer positions than others. For example, if you don’t fancy working in a hospital environment, you can focus on looking for employment in a physical therapist’s office.
Or, if you’d like to work exclusively with the aging population, you can find jobs in senior care establishments. If you’d like to work in a sporting environment, look out for jobs in professional sports teams and athletic training centers.
- You Can Go into Private Practice
Like almost every worker in the United States, you’d like to be your own boss at some point in your career. There are professions that make it easy for you to transition into self-employment. Physical therapy is one of those.
After you’ve obtained a license to practice in your state, you can move into private practice and start a physical therapy office. As long as you have the capital to set up a nice office and market your services, you’ll have a good chance of growing the business.
While you can go into private practice right after college, it might not be the best move. Having vast professional and industry experience is key to succeeding in private practice. As such, it’s advisable to learn the ropes by finding employment, then later on you can start your own practice.
- Make a Difference in the Lives of People
At the end of the day, we all want to fulfill our life’s purpose.
If your purpose is to help other people, or if you’re just passionate about it, physical therapy is a good career for you. Every day, you’ll interact with people who have trouble with movement. Some will be in pain, having experienced bad injuries.
It’s truly a moment of pride when you can help someone achieve good physical health. Or spurring an athlete into greater athletic performance.
Why Become a Physical Therapist? Answered!
Are you still wondering why become a physical therapist? This article has fleshed out the various reasons to become a physical therapist. But to recap, physical therapists have a great job outlook, the pay is good, you can work in diverse healthcare settings, and above all, you get an opportunity to make a positive difference in the lives of others.
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