Career Overview
Entry Level Education
Professional or Doctoral degree
Patient Interaction
Very High
Body Fluid Interaction
Moderate
Salary
$78,210
Job Growth
34%
Job Description:
Assess, plan, organize, and participate in rehabilitative programs that improve mobility, relieve pain, increase strength, and improve or correct disabling conditions resulting from disease or injury.
What Physical Therapist Do:
Physical therapists, sometimes called PTs, help injured or ill people improve their movement and manage their pain. These therapists are often an important part of the rehabilitation, treatment, and prevention of patients with chronic conditions, illnesses, or injuries.
How to Become One:
Earn a bachelor's degree in a health related field and complete a Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree Program from a Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) accredited program. Marshall University, West Virginia University and Wheeling Jesuit University are the only schools with accredited programs in West Virginia. Pass the licensing examination administered by the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE) for physical therapists. In West Virginia, licensure by the West Virginia Board of Physical Therapy is required.