Research Assessment #3

Becoming a Physical Therapist l ATPA

          After conducting my research for my past two assessments, I realized I have yet to cover an important base of becoming a physical therapist - physical therapy school. I have learned about what physical therapy is, how it helps different types of people, and what a general first time physical therapy appointment is like. This week, I delved deeper into how one actually goes about becoming a physical therapist, and I gained insight as to what physical therapists study, what they do after they graduate, what clinical residency programs.           I was not surprised to discover that physical therapy school is just as hard, if not harder, than physical therapy itself. Beginning my research, I was expecting to learn something along the lines of physical therapists needing a degree in some sort of science, maybe an extra year of physical therapy school, and then a little bit of residency before jumping straight into looking for a job. Unfortunately but also unsurprisingly, I had underestimated both the length and difficulty of the process. In order to practice as a physical therapist in the United States, the first step is to obtain a doctor of physical therapy degree from a Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education-accredited physical therapist education program (ATPA, 2), which was entirely new information to me. I was, however, aware that one must also pass a state licensure exam because my own physical therapist, Devon, once told me about his. The program length is usually about three years, and this would be after earning yourself a bachelor’s degree at a college prior to admission, which means the actual schooling (not including the studying and preparing for the exam or taking the actual exam) ends up being around seven years, which is two or three more years than I was anticipating, but I’m still undeterred and very interested in becoming a physical therapist. After all, a lot of the things the programs accept bachelor’s degrees in are of my favorite subject - science! Curriculum for physical therapists can include anything from biology and anatomy to exercise physiology, neuroscience, or behavioral sciences (ATPA 2). The range of topics physical therapists learn about is just as wide as the range of injuries, illnesses, and chronic pains that they can treat, which is what makes physical therapy such a well rounded and adapting profession.          

      The journey to become a physical therapist doesn’t end after completing the program and passing the exam, however. After graduation is when the real test begins. After obtaining a physical therapy license, physical therapists have the option to pursue a residency or fellowship program to enhance their knowledge (ATPA 3). By choosing residency, the physical therapist is advancing their preparation to become a good provider of patient care. A fellowship program, the option I am more interested in, provides further, specialized education for someone who demonstrates clinical expertise in a certain clinical area. This leads to specialization of the therapist in a certain branch or physical therapy. I, for example, am very interested in pursuing sports physical therapy for athletes recovering from injuries. To accomplish this, I would go to a college to earn my bachelor’s degree, obtain my license through a program, pass my state exam, and then pursue a fellowship program in order to specialize in my desired branch of sports physical therapy. The last step is to become a board certified clinical specialist through the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ATPA 4). Specialization is not required to become a physical therapist, however it is a part of the path that I most want to be on in becoming a physical therapist.          

      Although I am still very new in my knowledge, I am excited to continue to explore all aspects of physical therapy. Everything that I have learned up to this point has intrigued and excited me, and the deeper I go into my research, the more I want to explore. This profession is nothing short of fascinating and I can’t wait to learn more about it.