Let's Get Physical: the Challenges and Rewards of Physical Therapy

Do you have a strong sense of compassion and an impressive set of interpersonal skills to match? Would you like to help improve the quality of others' lives, all while pulling in a great salary? If you answered yes to the above questions and haven't yet found your professional calling, look no further than physical therapy.

Nature of Physical Therapy Work

Every year, ailments such as arthritis, heart disease, fractures, and head trauma--not to mention unforeseen accidents--render many Americans incapable of living and working comfortably. Physical therapists work with such patients to improve their conditions. Treatment is often exercise-intensive, but may also include the use of electrical stimulation, hot and cold packs, ultrasound, and massage. Because physical therapists always work with others--either clients or other health care professionals--they must have excellent communication skills. While a person's interpersonal strengths are often innate, they must also be coupled with a powerful understanding of the human body, a skill set attainable in a physical therapy degree program.

Online Physical Therapy Degree Options

Students in physical therapy online degree programs first learn the basics of biology, chemistry, and physics before moving onto more specialized courses in anatomy and therapy. This two-year master's program often finds appropriate supplementation in volunteer experience, either in clinics or with athletic trainers.

Job Outlook for Physical Therapists

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports rapid growth in employment for physical therapists, due largely to the increasing number of elderly patients. In addition to these rich job prospects, physical therapy also promises enticing monetary rewards: in 2007, the mean annual wage was more than $71,520.
While job openings are plentiful, requirements remain strict. Make sure you qualify for this career by earning an online degree. Online education programs combine the flexibility of alternative schooling with the type of excellent career training employers seek. Enroll now, and take the first step towards an exciting career in physical therapy.
Source:
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Physical Therapists

Karin Hansen lives and works in San Francisco. She graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in English literature, and edits a music blog in her spare time.