Being a physical therapist is not for everyone. It is hard work and it takes years of schooling, working, and practice to become a good physical therapist. Those that are willing to put in the time and effort to achieve their goals to become a physical therapist, the outcome and result of this hard work can be very rewarding. In order to become a physical therapist there are steps to be taken like any other well-rewarding career. Those steps include; earning your Bachelor’s Degree, finishing a Doctor of Physical Therapy, passing the NPTE, acquiring a license to practice, finalizing a residency program, and earning your Board Certification.
Earn Your Bachelor’s Degree
A college student interested in pursuing a physical therapist career must first start with earning their Bachelor’s Degree. It must be earned in a related field to health science, sports, exercise science, biology, nutrition, and psychology. There are also things you can do while going through school such as seeking out opportunities to job shadow at local physical therapy facilities that would open the door for even more opportunities, learning, and growing.
Finish a Doctor of Physical Therapy
The next step to becoming a physical therapist is to finish a Doctor of Physical Therapy program (DPT). The DPT program will have courses in imaging, anatomy, biomechanics, pathophysiology, and more. In the second year of this DPT program, these students will conclude their white coat ceremony and then be able to go into an actual clinical setting for a more hands on experience with rotations that are supervised by a clinical instructor.
Pass the NPTE
You must first pass the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in order to become a licensed physical therapist. The exam is administered via a computer and is offered 4 times throughout the year: January, April, July, and October. You are allowed to take the exam up to 3 times during the year if you do not pass it the first time. In 2019, of all the students that took the exam, 91% of them passed the exam on the first attempt murah4d.
Acquire a License to Practice
Not all states are the same, so students must research to know certain requirements in their location. But most states do require you to pass the NPTE as well as do other things such as background checks, compliance training along with a possible few other things. And every 2 years, some states may require you to meet continuing education requirements.
Finalize a Residency Program
It is optional, but the next step is to finalize a residency program. There are obviously many benefits to doing this. The program will include coursework, extra training and clinical experience to only help you in your specialization bintangplus4d.
Earn Board Certification
This is also optional, but at this point, physical therapists can now have the opportunity to become a specialist through the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialists (ABPTS).
Idaho Falls physical therapy has a great staff to work with and very professional outlooks in their facility. It is a good place to check out to get a good feel for a very professional atmosphere if you are looking to become a physical therapist.
