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Job Title: Physical Therapist
Type of Company: Physical Therapy Clinic
Education: Masters in Physical Therapy, Nova Southeastern University •• Bachelors in Kinesiology and Psychology, University of Colorado
Previous Experience: I worked for a few other outpatient physical therapy clinics before starting my own.
Job Tasks: My job entails treating patients with a variety of musculoskeletal problems stemming from sports injuries, surgeries, and overuse injuries. Treatment modalities include stretching, strengthening, soft-tissue mobilization, ice, heat, electrical stimulation, ultrasound, and home exercise programs.
For example, if a person has surgery on their knee, they will come to physical therapy for the rehabilitation process. This consists of getting their range of motion and flexibility back to within normal limits. It also means getting their strength back to within normal limits. Other people will come to physical therapy with injuries that they have sustained at work or in other types of accidents. They will need similar rehab to get them back to what they do for work or leisure.
Best and Worst Parts of the Job: The best part of my job is that I get to help people. There is also a lot of variety and you are not sitting behind a desk all day. Every 45 minutes a new person walks through the door with a different story and a different injury. The job stays interesting throughout the day.
The worst part of the job is dealing with the insurance companies. They are a pain to deal with and make it a challenge to provide the level of care that patients deserve.
Job Tips:
1. It is important to do some shadowing or get a volunteer job at a local physical therapy clinic so that you understand what the job consists of on a day to day basis.
2. It is also important to study hard in school and get good grades so that you can be accepted and excel in your area of specialty.
Additional Thoughts: Physical therapy is a very rewarding career. You help many people to return to their regular way of living without any pain or limitations. It takes a lot of hard work too though and requires a graduate degree from an accredited program.
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