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Working In The Physical Therapy Seattle Sector

By Daphne Bowen


There are many promising careers in healthcare for which you can train. Many are in the sector of physical therapy Seattle, WA and entail such rehab programs as mobility and strength improvement and pain relief. Being a PT, as it is known in the field, can be very rewarding as you help care for and ameliorate the lives of those suffering from injury and disease. It is all about restoring basic body functioning and preventing any further disabilities.

PTs worked with patients in various capacities. They can encounter injuries, illness, and body function deficiencies. They often help prevent physical disabilities as well. Most common reasons for getting such therapy are accidents, brain damage, heart disease, cerebral palsy, arthritis, and other disabling conditions. A PT is usually part of a team that addresses the patient as a whole, helping to devise treatments to ease pain, improve posture and motor function, and to ameliorate muscle strength and performance. Respiration and coordination of body movements are also a focus.

Whatever the patient load, the PT works with other healthcare professions to provide a uniform total care plan that includes diagnosis and assessment as well as treatment. Most plans will address motor function, muscle strength, posture, breathing, and body movement coordination.

The career is in high demand in every part of the US, prompting increasing numbers of students to major in preparatory fields for this work. They study anatomy, math, humanities, chemistry, physiology, medical assisting, and health education among other subjects. They must excel to get into an accredited physical therapy program.

Before licensing, a student takes required courses as an undergraduate that includes anatomy, physiology, math, medical assisting, and health education. Then he or she enters a graduate program for a master's degree or doctorate. It is not easy to get into an advanced program and exams are required such as the GRE (Graduate Record Exam). The institution of choice must be accredited and recognized. Right now there are over 200 schools available. No matter the program, the course of study is intensive and lengthy involving study of human development, biomechanics, and therapeutic procedures.

To become a therapist in the field, most states require the NPTE or National Physical Therapy Examination. There may be others, but this is the most common. In additional, each candidate must show English proficiency if foreign. All the required documents are presented before entering the program of choice. Finally there is the matter of licensing in one's state of residency.

To practice as a therapist, the student must take the NPTE or National Physical therapy Examination along with any state requirements as mandated by the state board. Foreign students also have to show an English proficiency certification. When all documents are presented and accepted, qualified candidates will have licensure granted. It is important to note that it is required for any post-professional programs.

In spite of the ample preparation to be a PT, the salary can run in the $80,000 range and more. It is a factor of location and level of the position. Wherever one starts, it is believed that the field is expanding enough to allow opportunity and advancement according to the American Physical Therapy Association. The Bureau of Labor Statistics corroborates this and offers the promising view that in a few years, the field will have grown by 30%. It is a career earmarked for success for those who have compassion and caring.




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