PHYSICAL THERAPY
According to the 2023 US News and World Report, Physical Therapy is ranked #6 in the Top 100 Careers and #3 in Best Health Care Careers. There is a projected 16.9% employment growth for physical therapists between 2021 and 2031 with an expected 40,400 new jobs. Seems like a pretty good career to consider if you are interested in health care. So why is there an ongoing shortage of physical therapists nationally right now? The Alliance for Physical Therapy Quality and Innovation (APTQI) reported 22,000 physical therapists left the workforce in 2021. This report also predicted an exacerbation in the labor shortage with the continued Medicare cuts to physical therapy services. Physical therapy requires a doctorate degree and, according to the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), 90% of physical therapists have education related loans with the average total education debt for physical therapists at $142,489 (including undergraduate education). When looking into a career in health care, students may consider physician assistant or nurse practitioner vs physical therapy. Both physician assistant and nurse practitioner professions require a master’s degree (vs a doctorate for physical therapy) and have a considerably larger average median salary.
So, besides potentially high job security, why would someone want to take on a career in physical therapy where they will most likely incur more education debt and make less money than other careers in health care? I can’t answer that question for you, but after being a physical therapist for almost 29 years, I can tell you why I love being a physical therapist.
• Getting a patient back to normal function. Whether it is being a high-level athlete or being able to take care of their home and walk their dog, the smile on their face when they are doing their normal activities brings joy to my heart. Knowing I was a part of their success gives me incredible fulfillment and satisfaction.
• Being a part of “the grind”. Physical therapy is hard work. There are no short cuts or quick fixes in physical therapy. Simply said, patients have to do the work. And the physical therapist has to be there to support them and encourage them through it. Which can require a lot of creativity, and possibly, negotiating at times.
• My co-workers. Physical therapists are a unique group of people. You have to be intelligent with good analytical skills, creative for exercise options and finding ways of encouragement, willing to spend the majority of your day on your feet and multi-tasking multiple patients at once, efficient with time or you will never get your documentation done, and know how to have fun at work so patients have a fun, energetic experience every time they come for a visit. The Rehab team at OrthoRI is amazing and knows how to work hard and have fun. A great combination!
• Collaboration with physicians and physician assistants. Health care is all about teamwork. I have spent the majority of my physical therapy career working in settings where I can collaborate closely with physicians and physician assistants. We can learn from each other and the patient reaps the benefits. This has always been my experience as a physical therapist at OrthoRI and is why I can help my patients with confidence that they are receiving the best possible care.
OrthoRI is hosting an Open House on Thursday, February 16th from 4-8 pm. If you are a current PT or a student in a PT program, please come visit us and see what an awesome PT career at OrthoRI is all about.
