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Physical Therapists Occupation Detailed Description

Physical Therapists career

General Job Description and Education/Training Levels for Physical Therapists

The main tasks and work activities of Physical Therapists are to develop medical treatment plans, record patient medical histories, analyze patient data to determine patient needs or treatment goals, examine patients to assess general physical condition. In general, for the Physical Therapists, social Perceptiveness, critical Thinking, speaking, service Orientation and other 16 skills are required.
Physical Therapists Job Description
EducationMost of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Related ExperienceExtensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Job TrainingEmployees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
ExampleThese occupations often involve coordinating, training, supervising, or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very advanced communication and organizational skills are required. Examples include pharmacists, lawyers, astronomers, biologists, clergy, neurologists, and veterinarians.
The following chart shows the education/training levels for Physical Therapists jobs.
Less than a High School Diploma
0.00%
High School Diploma (or the equivalent)
0.00%
Post-Secondary Certificate
0.00%
Some College Courses
0.00%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
6.26%
Bachelor's Degree and Above
93.74%

Tasks and Work Activities of Physical Therapists

  • Plan, prepare, or carry out individually designed programs of physical treatment to maintain, improve, or restore physical functioning, alleviate pain, or prevent physical dysfunction in patients.
  • Perform and document an initial exam, evaluating data to identify problems and determine a diagnosis prior to intervention.
  • Evaluate effects of treatment at various stages and adjust treatments to achieve maximum benefit.
  • Administer manual exercises, massage, or traction to help relieve pain, increase patient strength, or decrease or prevent deformity or crippling.
  • Instruct patient and family in treatment procedures to be continued at home.
  • Confer with the patient, medical practitioners, or appropriate others to plan, implement, or assess the intervention program.
  • Review physician's referral and patient's medical records to help determine diagnosis and physical therapy treatment required.
  • Record prognosis, treatment, response, and progress in patient's chart or enter information into computer.
  • Obtain patients' informed consent to proposed interventions.
  • Discharge patient from physical therapy when goals or projected outcomes have been attained and provide for appropriate follow-up care or referrals.
  • Test and measure patient's strength, motor development and function, sensory perception, functional capacity, or respiratory or circulatory efficiency and record data.
  • Identify and document goals, anticipated progress, and plans for reevaluation.
  • Provide information to the patient about the proposed intervention, its material risks and expected benefits, and any reasonable alternatives.
  • Direct, supervise, assess, and communicate with supportive personnel.
  • Administer treatment involving application of physical agents, using equipment, moist packs, ultraviolet or infrared lamps, or ultrasound machines.
  • Teach physical therapy students or those in other health professions.
  • Evaluate, fit, or adjust prosthetic or orthotic devices or recommend modification to orthotist.
  • Provide educational information about physical therapy or physical therapists, injury prevention, ergonomics, or ways to promote health.
  • Refer clients to community resources or services.
  • Conduct or support research and apply research findings to practice.
  • Assisting and Caring for OthersProviding personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
  • Documenting/Recording InformationEntering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
  • Making Decisions and Solving ProblemsAnalyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the PublicPerforming for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
  • Getting InformationObserving, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesProviding information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Updating and Using Relevant KnowledgeKeeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsUsing relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsDeveloping constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
  • Monitor Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsMonitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
  • Develop medical treatment plans.
  • Record patient medical histories.
  • Analyze patient data to determine patient needs or treatment goals.
  • Examine patients to assess general physical condition.
  • Evaluate patient outcomes to determine effectiveness of treatments.
  • Monitor patient progress or responses to treatments.
  • Treat patients using physical therapy techniques.
  • Train patients, family members, or caregivers in techniques for managing disabilities or illnesses.
  • Collaborate with healthcare professionals to plan or provide treatment.
  • Enter patient or treatment data into computers.
  • Process healthcare paperwork.
  • Refer patients to other healthcare practitioners or health resources.
  • Test patient heart or lung functioning.
  • Establish treatment goals.
  • Explain medical procedures or test results to patients or family members.
  • Supervise medical support personnel.
  • Operate diagnostic or therapeutic medical instruments or equipment.
  • Train medical providers.
  • Advise medical personnel regarding healthcare issues.
  • Adjust prostheses or other assistive devices.

Skills and Abilities for Physical Therapists

  • Social PerceptivenessBeing aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • Critical ThinkingUsing logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • SpeakingTalking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Service OrientationActively looking for ways to help people.
  • Active ListeningGiving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Reading ComprehensionUnderstanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • MonitoringMonitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • WritingCommunicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • Judgment and Decision MakingConsidering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Time ManagementManaging one's own time and the time of others.
  • Complex Problem SolvingIdentifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • InstructingTeaching others how to do something.
  • CoordinationAdjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Systems EvaluationIdentifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
  • Learning StrategiesSelecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
  • Systems AnalysisDetermining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
  • Active LearningUnderstanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • PersuasionPersuading others to change their minds or behavior.
  • NegotiationBringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
  • Oral ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Written ComprehensionThe ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Oral ComprehensionThe ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Information OrderingThe ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Inductive ReasoningThe ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Deductive ReasoningThe ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Problem SensitivityThe ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
  • Written ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Speech ClarityThe ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Speech RecognitionThe ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Near VisionThe ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Fluency of IdeasThe ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
  • Arm-Hand SteadinessThe ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
  • Trunk StrengthThe ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without 'giving out' or fatiguing.
  • Static StrengthThe ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.
  • Finger DexterityThe ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
  • Selective AttentionThe ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
  • Category FlexibilityThe ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
  • Far VisionThe ability to see details at a distance.
  • OriginalityThe ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
  • Lower extremity prosthetic devicese.g. Above-the-knee prosthetics
  • Patient care beds or accessories for specialty caree.g. Adjusting tables
  • Treadmill exercisers for rehabilitation or therapye.g. Aquacisers
  • Upper extremity prosthetic devicese.g. Arm prosthetics
  • Work tables or stations or accessories for rehabilitation or therapye.g. Axial-resistance shoulder wheels
  • Reflex hammers or malletse.g. Babinski hammers
  • Balance beams or boards or bolsters or rockers for rehabilitation or therapye.g. Balance beams
  • Balance beams or boards or bolsters or rockers for rehabilitation or therapye.g. Balance boards
  • Lower extremity prosthetic devicese.g. Below-the-knee prosthetics
  • Biofeedback devicee.g. Biofeedback units
  • Mats or platforms for rehabilitation or therapye.g. Biomechanical ankle platform system BAPS systems
  • Blood pressure cuff kitse.g. Blood pressure cuffs
  • Balance beams or boards or bolsters or rockers for rehabilitation or therapye.g. Bolsters/wedges
  • Canes or cane accessoriese.g. Canes
  • Pivotal traction therapy suppliese.g. Cervical pivots
  • Vascular or compression apparel or supporte.g. Compression garments
  • Vestibular motion devices for rehabilitation or therapye.g. Computerized dynamic posturography (CDP) balance test systems
  • Continuous passive motion CPM devices or accessoriese.g. Continuous passive motion CPM machines
  • Crutches or crutch accessoriese.g. Crutches
  • Therapeutic cryo compression therapy system and accessoriese.g. Cryotherapy equipment
  • Customer and Personal ServiceKnowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • Therapy and CounselingKnowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
  • Medicine and DentistryKnowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
  • PsychologyKnowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
  • English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Education and TrainingKnowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
  • BiologyKnowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
  • PhysicsKnowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub- atomic structures and processes.
  • Administration and ManagementKnowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
  • Sociology and AnthropologyKnowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
  • ClericalKnowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.