This was a turning point in my life and I started to do the research to find out the steps that I would have to go through to find out how to make this career come to life. As I fired up my computer I found several online colleges that offered classes to prepare me for my new career and sent off for more information.
Salary and Benefits
There were several more reasons why I decided to start out in this profession. I think the main reason I wanted to pursue this career was because of the closeness with the public. Then another reason was the fact that a PT can make great money. It's true that you will have to put in the years in college but it would really be worth it. With a master of physiotherapy or even a doctor of PT the training programs can last up to three years. And the average salary for physical therapist can make up to $90,000 to $117,000 a year (
http://physicaltherapysalary.org/). You have a good variety of where you will be and chances are not likely that you will be at a desk for very long at a time. You need to be up interacting with your patients and making a difference in someone's life.
Schools
I chose Emory University as my University of my choice. A professional doctorate is a Doctor of PT or DPT. To prepare physical therapists for a practice in a health care environment the transition from the Master of PT degree to a professional doctorate was made. Unique in health care is the physiotherapist's expertise in movement and movement dysfunction. The educational needs of the PTs have gotten bigger than that of an independent practitioner as their societal and health care roles and responsibilities have grown.
Degree and Certificate
A
doctor of physical therapy degree is earned by students in the Division of PT at Emory. The program will start in June and will last three years until May in the third year. The majority of the required credits that a student needs for graduation must be earned at Emory University School of Medicine. The function of the human body along with the study of normal structure and the principles of movement science across the life span is what the students study for the first two semesters. During the 3rd semester the students study the pathophysiology and disease processes that is mixed with clinical problem solving in concurrent classes that have part time education with clinical experiences. Before a student gets a degree they need to complete 36 weeks of full time clinical internship at sites which carry the diverse condition in which physiotherapists study. The students from Emory get to choose from clinical education places around Metropolitan Atlanta and around the nation. The students come back to Emory to complete their research and to choose elective courses in different areas during the last semester in the DPT program. All physical therapists must take a state licensure examination after graduation. To take this state exam graduation from an accredited therapy program is required.
