As anyone who’s ever suffered a major injury or illness knows, there are many times when the actual illness is over, but that doesn’t mean one’s fully recovered. Full recovery can take months, even years. While a doctor is never really out of the picture, that’s when the physical therapist comes to the fore.  Many of those therapists will have entered into this career through distance learning online degree.

Sometimes referred to as simply PTs, physical therapists are healthcare professionals who diagnose and treat individuals of all ages who have medical problems or other health-related conditions that limit their abilities to move as they would like in their daily lives. Physical therapists develop individual plans using treatment techniques to promote the ability to move, reduce pain, restore function, and prevent disability. In addition, PTs work to prevent the loss of mobility before it occurs by developing fitness and wellness programs for healthier and more active lifestyles.

Physical therapists practice in hospitals, outpatient clinics and private offices. Their jobs can be physically demanding, because therapists may have to stoop, kneel, crouch, lift, and stand for long periods. In addition, physical therapists move heavy equipment and patients to help them turn, stand, or walk. Most full-time physical therapists work a 40-hour week. Many work evenings and weekends.

Today’s entrants to this profession need a post-baccalaureate degree from an accredited physical therapy program. Among the undergraduate courses one should take include anatomy, biology, chemistry, physics, social science, mathematics, and statistics. From there, it’s time to either see if one can get a job at a hospital or clinic or go straight on for one’s Master’s degree in physical therapy. Either way, sooner or later a PT has to get hands-on training before going for certification.

One must have a Master’s degree to practice, while many will go on to get their Doctorate. A number of states require continuing education as a condition of maintaining one’s license. As such, a therapist’s lot is one of perpetual education.  Many keep subscription accounts with healthcare management degree to stay abreast of their field from the convenience of their homes.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary of a physical therapist is slightly over $73,000 a year. It’s not uncommon to earn over $100,000. The benefits usually include health coverage,  possible savings and continued education programs. They usually are employed by hospitals, clinics and other major health care institutions. Sooner or later, many therapists set up their own business, either their own facility or moving into home health care.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics rates physical therapy as one of the fastest growing professions in the country. There are currently over 180,000 in the U.S., with a need for another 54,000 (30%) within the next decade.

Because of the acute shortage of PTs in the U.S., there are a considerable number of grants and scholarships out there for on line college degree and traditional college for those interested in the field. One should consult with their school’s financial aid and/or career counselor about what’s out there in the way of medical degree programs and financial aid. From the looks of things, as long as there are extreme illnesses, there will be a need for physical therapists for some time to come.

When a patient goes through physical therapy, a therapist usually consults with a doctor to determine a program to help the recuperation process. One the program is agreed upon, the therapist then assigns executing said program to an assistant. As it happens, therapists are one of the most in-demand occupations in the U.S., with assistant’s a small step behind them. Encouraging those to enter this field are the accredited degree online offered. Before going any further, there should be one point made absolutely clear. A therapy assistant is not an aide. The aide only needs a high school degree and is trained on the job. Their responsibilities are mainly as a helper as needed, as well as the clerical and maintenance aspects of the office. Many states don’t even allow them to be directly involved in therapy, or state they must be under the constant eye of the therapist or the assistant. On the other hand, becoming an aide can be the first step on a therapy career path, going from aide to assistant and then on to full therapist.

Physical therapist assistants support the therapist in providing care to patients. Under direction and supervision they execute the PT’s programs, including providing exercise instructions. They also do therapeutic methods like electrical stimulation, mechanical traction, ultrasound and massage, as well as gait and balance training. Physical therapist assistants record the patient’s responses to treatment and report the outcome of each treatment to the physical therapist.

To become an assistant, one needs to take a two-year degree program, graduating with an Associate’s degree in Physical Therapy or similar title. The core of the degree is divided into key areas: classroom courses and clinical experience. The academic classes must include algebra, English, anatomy, physiology, and psychology. Clinical classes should include certification in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), massage, first aid and field experience in treatment centers. Recruiters consider the clinical experience every bit as important as the book end of the program, as this position truly is a hands-on kind of job.

Most states regulate physical therapist assistants through certification. They require assistants to pass the National Physical Therapy Exam. Many states also require continuing education credits for physical therapist assistants to maintain licensure. Complete information on regulations can be obtained from state licensing boards or your medical school college counselor.

Salaries for assistants depend on where they work. As employment can range from a nursing home to a major hospital and on to home health care, it can differ substantially. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for an assistant working out of a freestanding doctor’s office is on the low end at just below $44,000. On the high end, there is the home health assistant, who averages nearly $52,000. Assistants can make over $60,000 with health care insurance.

Last year, it was reported that there were almost 64,000 practicing assistants in the field, with a need for 21,000 more before the decade is over. This need for almost 33% more makes assistants one of the fastest growing jobs in the country. To find out more about this profession and the distance learning online degree that can get you there, two good places to start are with a college career counselor and the occupation’s professional society, the American Physical Therapy Association. A degree can be the gateway into a fulfilling and rewarding career where you help those in pain feel better.