How to Become a Physical Therapist in 6 Steps

Physical therapists are the one who help  all the injured and ill patients to manage their pain, help to improve their range of motion, and again  get back to functioning at their highest potential. To join this rewarding career , you will require years of education, mastery of a variety of skills, and both the national and state licensure. How will you start your career as a physical therapist? To help you get started on your path towards your career to become a licensed physical therapist, here is a guideline of six steps, along with some other requirements to think about.

Whether you’re currently  studying in a high school or college, you can choose a grad school that offers a robust DPT degree. This will be an important step in your journey of becoming a practitioner. 

Step 1: Earn a Bachelor’s Degree in a Related Field

Typically, all the students will need to earn a bachelor’s degree in a field which is related to health science, exercise, or sports. Students may also be required to complete a specific prerequisite such as courses in physics, biology, chemistry, physiology, anatomy and kinesiology for some graduate programs. You may do research on the prerequisites of the doctoral degree programs on which you are interested in and be sure to take the classes you need.

Step 2: Complete a Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree

Nextly, students must enrol themselves in and should complete an accredited Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program. DPT degree programs begin with the didactic courses in imaging, pathophysiology, biomechanics, anatomy, and several more. Students complete their white coat ceremony and they enter the clinic for hands-on rotations which is generally supervised by a clinical instructor during their second year of the program. Innovative schools may also include  simulation components.

For example, the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS) is the largest PT school in the United States. On each of it's five campuses, it features a state-of-the-art simulation center. There,  before DPT students enter the clinic, they have the chance to practice clinical interactions with mock patients.

Some of the graduate schools also offer innovative scheduling options. USAHS offers its DPT program in two formats: Residential DPT and Flex DPT

Step 3: Pass the NPTE

You must pass the National Physical Therapy Course Examination (NPTE), which is given by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) in order to become a proper licensed physical therapist. It's a computer-administered exam and it consists of 250 multiple-choice questions(mcqs) split into five sections. The scale on which it is scored ranges from 200 to 800. If you score 600 or above, then it is considered passing. The NPTE is offered four times each year; those are in January, April, July, and October. The FSBPT allows all the candidates to take it up to three times in one year. Therefore, in 2019, 91% of first-time candidates who were the graduates of U.S. accredited PT programs passed the NPTE.

 Step 4: Obtain a Licence to Practice

 In each state, Licensure looks different. Most of the states require practitioners not only to pass the NPTE but also to fulfill all the additional criteria, such as background checks, compliance training, etc.To maintain your licensure, the physical therapists must meet continuing education requirements in every two years in most states. Continuing education courses keep all the physical therapists current and active with the health professions’ standards and trends.

 After Graduation for Physical Therapists

After your graduation, once you’ve become a licensed physical therapist Course , you may further consider  your practice with a residency or through a fellowship program. Or, you can  also get board-certified with a specialty focus.

Step 5: Complete a Residency Program (optional)

A clinical residency is a post-graduate program. This program includes all the additional training, coursework, and clinical experiences. To  begin specialising in your area of greatest interest, a residency is a good way. Along with this, physical therapy fellowship programs are also available.

Step 6: Earn Board Certification (optional)

After becoming licensed or after you get your license and gain some work experience in the field, physical therapists have the opportunity of becoming  a board-certified clinical specialist through the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS).  There are ten special areas of physical therapy which include Wound Management, Cardiovascular and Pulmonary, Paediatrics, Geriatrics, Neurology, Oncology, Orthopaedics, Clinical Electrophysiology, Sports, and Women’s Health.  To become board-certified, applicants must at least pass the National Physical Therapy exam and must also complete an American Physical Therapy Association-accredited residency program, or must have at least 2,000 hours of clinical experience. Depending on the specialty area, some additional requirements may apply.

In Conclusion you may have a question in your mind that is,

How Long Does It Take to Become a Physical Therapist?

Becoming a physical therapist can take anywhere from three to eight years. Before you can enroll in a Doctor of Physical therapy course program or DPT program, you must first earn a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, ideally with a major in health science. A bachelor’s degree typically takes three to four years to complete for full-time students. Then you will need to enrol in a Doctor of Physical Therapy or DPT program, which will take about three to four years to complete.???????