Pre-Physical Therapy

 

Career and Major Information
Related Career Titles
Web Sites
Salary Information

 

 

The Associate of Science Degree in Pre-Physical Therapy is intended to fulfill preadmission requirements on the freshman and sophomore levels for a school of physical therapy; students will need to transfer to a four-year school to continue working toward a Bachelor’s degree.  All physical therapy programs begin at the masters or doctoral degree level.  The curriculum in the WSCC catalog is not designed for transfer to any specific school.  Students may talk with a faculty advisor about a particular college or university’s course requirements and transfer.  The link for the Natural Science Division at Walters State is: http://www.ws.edu/science/default.asp

 

 

Career and Major Information: 

 

All States require physical therapists to pass a licensure exam before they can practice, after graduating from an accredited physical therapist educational program.

 

Physical therapists (PTs) provide services that help restore function, improve mobility, relieve pain, and prevent or limit permanent physical disabilities of patients suffering from injuries or disease. They restore, maintain, and promote overall fitness and health. Their patients include accident victims and individuals with disabling conditions such as low-back pain, arthritis, heart disease, fractures, head injuries, and cerebral palsy.

Therapists examine patients’ medical histories and then test and measure the patients’ strength, range of motion, balance and coordination, posture, muscle performance, respiration, and motor function. They also determine patients’ ability to be independent and reintegrate into the community or workplace after injury or illness. Next, physical therapists develop treatment plans describing a treatment strategy, its purpose, and its anticipated outcome. Physical therapist assistants, under the direction and supervision of a physical therapist, may be involved in implementing treatment plans with patients (Occupational Outlook Handbook 2004-2005).

 

Related Career Titles:

Physical Therapists Assistants	Audiologists
Chiropractors	Recreational Therapists
Occupational Therapists	Respiratory Therapists
Speech-Language Pathologists

                                                                                               

Web Sites:

American Physical Therapy Association, 1111 North Fairfax St., Alexandria, VA 22314-1488. Internet: http://www.apta.org

 

Salary Information:

Median annual earnings of physical therapists were $57,330 in 2002. The middle 50 percent earned between $48,480 and $70.050. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $40,200, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $86,260 (OOH).

Salary figures quoted are based on national figures.  Local or regional salaries may be lower.

 

Citation:Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2004-05 Edition, Physical Therapists, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos080.htm