Introduction
Physical therapists are medical experts who handle cases dealing with impairments, disability, immobility, or any other critical change of physical function of the body and healthiness as a result of injury.
Their job include but is not restricted to diagnosis procedures, assessments, evaluations and conducting intervention duties so as to attain the highest functional results for every patient. In their daily work, physical therapists are charged with the responsibility of assisting patients suffering from a multitude of illnesses, and victims of accidents as well.
In 2008, it is estimated that the physical therapist were holding about 185,500 positions in the employment register of the US. Some of the physical therapist worked two or more jobs and that made the job statistic greater than they actually are. Most of the therapies do their job is hospital settings, Offices and other health facilities. The physical therapist assist in relieving pain to patients, enhance mobility of their body, reducing physical disability and re-establishing use (Coppola para. 4).
Through the assistance of a patient’s medical history, a medical therapist is in a position to examine the patient’s strength, posture, coordination, breathing capability, and motor and body balancing function. Plans are the executed in treating patients that have exhibited specific medical conditions.
Thesis
Physical therapy is a challenging career that needs greater responsibility and dedication. The therapist often faces challenging situations that test their ability to do the job. For this reason, this paper shall address the career of a physical therapist. The physical therapist usually plan and work to treat physically disabled people of all divides regardless of the source of the problem (Jensen et al1256).
Therapists are further required to offer counseling to these patients and even to their families (Curtis 56). The therapist coordinates the processes of consultation and rehabilitation. This can be one at service groups, clinics and hospitals.
Education and University Training
There are several universities across the united states that are offering Physical Therapy degrees. One of the best colleges is the University of Delaware. Basically interested students study a degree in Physical Therapy and then proceed to masters of the same when they want to have more expertise (Curtis 56). A better preparation to become a physical therapist has to begin with deed dedication to the job. Students who wish to become therapists should start their preparation while still in high school.
This means that they should take course like physics, biology; psychology among other related subjects so that they can use this as a solid foundation for the future career (Curtis 56). The next step here would be to join a university that offers the training in Physical therapy. Students can study an associate degree or a higher degree in this field.
Students that are in such colleges study social sciences, mathematics, physiology, biochemistry, psychology, physics and other courses that ate considered lifesaving. For the degree, the students increase their scope to cover more specialized courses including neuroscience, physiology, metal issues and pathology (Krumhansl 87). Choosing University of Delaware for study is so critical to anyone wanting to study therapy course.
This is because the university has been ranked number four in the country. Here, the students get the best facilities that are at the cutting edge. This means that their education is great and that they have the best quality of research and better facilities (Krumhansl 87). To be better at the job, graduates that have been in the program can then advance to do their masters degrees. Students take part in the study of the intensive care courses and they are also expected to go through an internship program.
From here, students then still have a choice for further specialization in either neurological therapy or musculoskeletal therapy among other needs (Jensen et al 20011258). In order for a student to be granted the license to practice, he/she is first required to have studied medical imaging, kinesiology, as well as to have undertaken professional and physiology course during their internship period. Upon graduation, the candidate could get the license.
The undergraduate take a minimum of four years while the post graduate programs take only about a year and a half. Basically there is no need to relocate because there are online studies but for practical course like Physical Therapy, one needs to attend classes and online is not a better option (Langenberghe 522).
Financing Education
The cost of attaining a degree in Physical therapy at the University of Delaware is estimated to be about 9,486 dollars for the in-state tuition fee and 23,186 for the out-of-state. There is some financial aid for some students in Delaware University. The fellowships offer full tuition reimbursement and this is averaged at 14,600 dollar for one academic year (Chilsolm 67). This is for the students in degree programs.
For the post graduate and research assistants, there is a reimbursement of 20,772 dollars for every student’s tuition. Assistants in physical therapy get the same amount as degree students and opportunities for internships. Some important statistics are that the percentage of children that get financial aid is 60% and those on Federal grants are 9% (Chilsolm 2002 67). The average grant that the Federal government gives is 3,704 dollars.
The percentage of students that get state aid is 9% and the average amount that is often given is 3,334 dollars. The numbers of students that get this are 37%. Loans are also offered to the students and on average, students get a loan of 6,947 dollars and 48% of the students get these loans. More assistance comes in the name of institutional aid and on average the eligible students get 6,947 dollars.
There is a body known as the Physical Therapy association of America which offers financial assistance to physical therapy studies and research in universities. Application is simple as one only needs to enroll for the graduate degree program (Chilsolm 67). Then search for opportunities in their databases. After that, one can sign out for the internships and apply for funding.
Application process can take a lot of time. However, first it is important that a student determines what type of degree she/he wants in the field of physical therapy. Second is to check the geographical region that one would like to live in. this way, one can narrow down program search and even carry out assessment of cost of living while studying (Jensen et al 1258).
Most of the programs in universities will demand a degree. However, master’s degree would be very appropriate at a later stage. It’s very important to ensure that you are clear with many of or all of the requirements. Minimum GPA is usually a 3.0. It is estimated that the cost of living in Delaware at the university ranges from 12,657 to 15,821 dollars.
The tuition fee is usually the same for people living at the campus and those living at home. The differences are mainly on food, accommodation and transport (Langenberghe 522). Living on campus means that students will pay about 9,894 dollar for the accommodation. Those that live outside the campus can get expensive or cheaper house depending on the place they choose to live (Sneed et al 1287). Credit per hour for the students who stay in state is 377 dollars and out of state credit hour is 1,010 dollars.
Conclusion
Career Development
Getting a degree in medical courses particularly physical therapy is a great investment. This degree allows people to be experts in this subject area. Traditionally, students who decide to pursue the career have three alternatives to choose from as they advance to doctoral level (Krumhansl 89). One is that they can pursue professional physical therapy, two, to pursue transitional therapy of three, to work on physical therapy.
There are some courses that are very important in therapeutic clinical practice. They include palpations, neuroscience, pathology, diagnostic imaging and clinical anatomy among others (Langenberghe 522). When students complete their studies in the subject and hand over their dissertations which are publishable, then they have fulfilled the procedure of being licensed to practice (Krumhansl 90).
The graduates have to meet the requirements by the association of physical therapist of America. The course presents a good opportunity to venture into medical practice because there are job opportunities readily available for people who study physical therapy (Blau et al 649). As projected by the government of the United States, the need for physical therapists is bound to increase through 2013.
This is because the population increases and as a consequence people suffering from physical disability also increase. Notable is the increase in the number of senior member of the society, the baby-boom generation who need therapy for relieve of pain and management of physical problems that in most cases result from heart attacks and strokes (Blau et al 649).
These conditional are increasingly becoming common among older people. Furthermore, it’s been noted that, more babies nowadays are being born with birth defects and the technology today has seen more victims of traumatic conditions survive (Sneed et al 1287).
As a result, this new technology is going to permit increase of debilitating conditions to me managed by specialist in this field (Krumhansl 95). As American become more conscious about their health, the will definitely require more physical therapist and more specialized treatment. Therefore the employment for these experts is expected to increase faster than average growth of the entire medical care needs.
Relocation
In an effort to do their job, therapists get to move around a lot and seek new pastures. These relocations are often very influencing on their lives.
Though the government encourages people to work with bigger organizations and also to adopt practices that allow work-life balance doctrine, relocation at times is inevitable (Blau et al 652). Workers tend to link relocation with great achievement or career development (Frankl para. 5). This can impact on families in a negative manner. Family responsibilities are affected and its stability shaken.
Parents move away from children and spouses away from each other (Green and Canny Para. 4). Most impact is on school going children because their education is disrupted. Young adults loose friends or financial resources that had already started establishing. For the elderly and their declining health, they can lose friendship networks and this can seriously affect their condition (Green and Canny Para. 4).
Works Cited
Blau, Rosemary, et al. (2002). The Experience of Providing Physical Therapy in a Changing Health Care Environment, Phys Ther journal, 82(2002): 648-657.
Chilsolm, Stephanie. The Health Professions: Trends And Opportunities In U.S. Health Care, Sudbury, MA, Jones & Bartlett, 2002. Print.
Coppola, Stephen. Interview with a Physical Therapist. Projects by Students for Students. 2005. Web.
Curtis, Katherine. Physical Therapy Professional Foundations: Keys To Success In School And Career, Thorofare, NJ, SLACK Inc, 2003. Print.
Frankl, Daniel. Interview with a Physical Therapist. 2003. Web.
Green, Anne and Canny, Angela. The Effects on Families of Job Relocations, Joseph Rowntree Foundation. 2003. Web.
Jensen, Gail et al. Expert Practice in Physical Therapy. Journal of the American physical therapy association, 280.14(2001): 1256–63.
Krumhansl, Bernice. Opportunities in Physical Therapy Careers, New York, McGraw Hill Professional, 2006. Print.
Langenberghe, Harry. Evaluation of Students’ Approaches to Studying in a Problem-based Physical Therapy Curriculum, Phys Ther, 68(2010): 522-527.
Sneed, Robert et al Physicians’ Reliance on Specialists, Therapists, and Vendors When Prescribing Therapies and Durable Medical Equipment for Children With Special Health Care Needs Pediatrics, 107(2001):1283-1290.