Physical Therapists
What is a Physical Therapist?
A physical therapist (PT) is a licensed healthcare professional dedicated to improving patients' mobility, reducing pain, and enhancing overall physical function. They utilize a variety of therapeutic techniques, including exercises, manual therapy, and modalities such as heat, cold, and electrical stimulation, to help patients recover from injuries, surgeries, or chronic conditions. Physical therapists work with individuals of all ages and backgrounds, creating customized treatment plans that cater to each patient’s unique needs and goals. In addition to rehabilitation, PTs also play a critical role in preventive care and health promotion, educating patients on physical wellness, ergonomics, and injury prevention strategies. Their practice can be found in a variety of settings, including hospitals, outpatient clinics, rehabilitation centers, schools, and patients' homes, making their work integral to improving the quality of life for countless individuals.
Tasks
- 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.
- Instruct patient and family in treatment procedures to be continued at home.
- Evaluate effects of treatment at various stages and adjust treatments to achieve maximum benefit.
Technology Skills
-
Medical software
- Clinicient Insight
- eClinicalWorks EHR software
- Medical procedure coding software
- MEDITECH software
-
Word processing software
- Exercise routine creation software
- Microsoft Word
-
Spreadsheet software
- Microsoft Excel
-
Action games
- Biometrics video game software
-
Electronic mail software
- Microsoft Outlook
Tools Used
- Work table or station for rehabilitation or therapy
- Pivotal traction therapy supplies
- Balance beams or boards or bolsters or rockers for rehabilitation or therapy
- Reflex hammers or mallets
- Cognitive or dexterity or perceptual or sensory evaluation or testing products
Knowledge
-
Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
-
Therapy and Counseling
Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
-
Medicine and Dentistry
Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
-
Psychology
Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
-
Education and Training
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Skills
-
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
-
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
-
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
-
Service Orientation
Actively looking for ways to help people.
-
Social Perceptiveness
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Abilities
-
Oral Comprehension
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
-
Oral Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
-
Written Comprehension
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
-
Deductive Reasoning
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
-
Inductive Reasoning
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Education
How much education does a new hire need to perform a job in this occupation?
-
Doctoral degree
-
Master's degree
-
Bachelor's degree
Work Activities
-
Assisting and Caring for Others
Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
-
Documenting/Recording Information
Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
-
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
-
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
-
Getting Information
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Detailed Work Activities
- Record patient medical histories.
- Analyze patient data to determine patient needs or treatment goals.
- Examine patients to assess general physical condition.
- Develop medical treatment plans.
- Enter patient or treatment data into computers.
Work Interests
-
Social
Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
-
Investigative
Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.
-
Realistic
Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.
Job Outlook
Projected salary and job growth
$72260.0 - $130870.0
This career will grow rapidly in the next few years.
Assessment
Related assessments and tests
No assessment available.