Becoming a physical therapist?

Is anyone out there a physical therapist? I'm a junior in HS considering becoming one, but I have questions...?

• These are really questions for anyone who is a current physical therapist. I'm a junior in HS and I think I want to become a physical therapist. Do you like your job? Like, ...show more

• Answer:

  This website has general career information: http://www.bls.gov/oco and can search. Most physical therapy programs are either at the master's degree or doctoral degree level. The PT programs are usually very competitive as there are only a certain amount of classroom seats available per incoming class. Please only consider PT schools that are accredited by the American Physical Therapy Association: http://www.apta.org Just fyi that the job of a PT may be both mentally as well as physically draining. If interested in the field, how about job shadowing/observing in the various areas that a PT may work including a physical rehabilitation center that works with patients that have had a traumatic brain injury (TBI), spinal cord injury/paralysis, stroke ("brain attack") which is another type of brain injury, hip/knee/shoulder replacement, hip fracture or such - a pediatric/children's hospital - nursing home/long-term care facility which may include patients with alzheimer's or other types of dementia, patients with an amputated limb - an outpatient clinic. For US colleges: http://www.utexas.edu/world/univ Just a general tip with prerequisite courses especially for those interested in the allied health/medical programs that most schools do Not accept 'human anatomy' but instead college 'general anatomy and physiology' and one should always check with admissions at the college(s) that they'd like to transfer to Before taking those prerequisite courses :)