Health Careers
Physical Therapist
Professional Activities
Physical therapists (PTs) are experts at techniques that enable a person to overcome or adjust to physical disabilities caused by injury, illness, birth defects, or the aging process. Other health care professionals (such as physicians, nurse practitioners, or physician assistants) generally refer clients to PTs to perform an evaluation. The PT and patient develop a plan of care to reach specific goals, whether a patient’s need is walking independently or breaking a high-jump record.
Physical therapists test muscle strength, coordination, flexibility, posture, and cardiovascular fitness to provide complete patient fitness. Individual treatment programs can include many forms of exercise (such as strengthening, balance, flexibility, postpartum, sport specific, and even relaxation exercises), as well as include the use of heat, cold, electricity, ultrasound, joint mobilization, and massage. The PT often provides instruction and home programs to patients and their families to continue the recovery process after therapy has ended.
Physical therapists may pursue one of many areas of special interest after graduation including: acute, aquatic, cardiovascular and pulmonary, electrophysiology and wound management, education, federal, geriatrics, hand rehabiliation, health policy and administration, home health, neurology, oncology, orthopaedic, pediatric, private practice, research, sports medicine and women’s health.
In rural Alaska, PTs generally work in hospitals located in regional centers. They are also employed by all school districts to assess and treat children. These services may be provided to small areas by a traveling PT. An increasing number of PTs work in private practice, industry, athletic departments, nursing homes, and home health agencies.
Educational Requirements
- Graduation from high school with coursework in English, science, and math.
- Completion of a four year bachelor degree.
- Completion of a post-baccalaureate degree from an accredited education program is required. Some programs offer a master’s degree, but a majority of programs now offer the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) with the master’s degree being phased out.
- PT licensure is required by all states. After graduation, candidates must pass a state-administered national exam and be approved by their state’s licensing board.
Academic Programs
There are no physical therapy programs in Alaska. For a list of accredited physical therapy programs in the United States, visit the American Physical Therapy Association’s website (see Education Program: Student Resources: PT programs). Programs are sorted by state.
Contacts
State Contact:
Alaska Physical Therapy Association
P.O. Box 140351
Anchorage, AK 99514
Phone: (907) 727-0935
Fax: (907) 929-2979
Email:
Website: http://www.akapta.org/
National Contact:
American Physical Therapy Association
1111 North Fairfax Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: (703) 684-2782
Fax: (703) 684-7343
Toll free: (800) 999-2782
Web site: http://www.apta.org/
This page was last updated by Janice Troyer on October 04, 2007
