What education is needed to become a physical therapist

Physical therapy is a rapidly growing profession, allowing individuals to improve the lives of patients suffering from physical ailments. While the path to becoming a physical therapist is filled with rigorous educational, clinical, and licensure requirements, those that meet these criteria reap great rewards in helping others achieve optimal health.

The first and foremost requirement to become a physical therapist is a bachelor's degree. Many students pursue a degree in physical therapy or another related field, such as kinesiology or biomechanics. Coursework during an undergraduate program could include anatomy and physiology, medical-surgical interventions, therapeutic modalities/procedures, pharmacology, clinical pathology and patient relations. Additionally, clinical internships are highly recommended for gaining hands-on experience.

Those who wish to advance their knowledge in the field of physical therapy may pursue master's or doctoral degrees. Students can tailor their education by specializing in certain areas such as orthopedic physical therapy, geriatrics or sports physical therapy. During these advanced degrees students will further sharpen their practical problem solving skills and be exposed more complex topics such as research methodologies, teaching techniques, legal & ethical considerations and advanced intervention strategies.

In addition to educational requirements, licensure is also required before entering into professional practice in most states. Aspiring physical therapists must register for both preliminary national and state examinations in order to receive licensure. States have varying criteria regarding licensing but most require applicants pass examinations administered by the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE) for Physical Therapists and successfully complete Praxis II tests which measure topics related to the practice of rehabilitation medicine . Adverse actions against licenses may be taken if applicants fail to comply with laws concerning practicing without license or multiple times failing law examinations at any given time frame .

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