| There are numerous careers in the medical field which | | | | wheelchairs, and prostheses. They must document the |
| offer many of the benefits and salary opportunities of | | | | patients' progress and consult with other health |
| becoming a nurse or physician, but which don't require | | | | workers such as physicians and nurses, audiologists, |
| as much investment in time and money. This article will | | | | and social workers. |
| explain how you can step into the medical shoes of a | | | | The basic requirement of the job is compassion and a |
| physical therapist: outlining job duties, employment | | | | true desire to help other people. Physical therapists |
| prospects, and salary levels; as well as discussing the | | | | must have good interpersonal communication abilities |
| necessary training, skills, and educational and licensing | | | | so that they can be effective in educating patients and |
| requirements needed. Physical therapists, or PT's, help | | | | their families with regard to treatments. In 2002 there |
| patients to restore normal physical functioning, improve | | | | were 137,000 PT's in the country, two-thirds of whom |
| their mobility, relieve their pain, and prevent permanent | | | | worked in hospitals or in the offices of health |
| physical disability. PT's focus on overall fitness, although | | | | practitioners. The median annual salary for physical |
| they must work with a wide variety of patients, from | | | | therapists was over $57,000, ranging from entry-level |
| people with lower back pain to accident victims. After | | | | salaries of $40,000 to highs of over $85,000 for |
| the PT's examine a patient's medical history, they | | | | experienced PT's. Physical therapists in Cherokee |
| perform a number of tests which might include balance | | | | medical scrubs are employed by home health care |
| and coordination, range of motion, strength, muscle | | | | services, physicians' offices, nursing care facilities, as |
| performance, posture, motor function and respiration. | | | | well as general medical hospitals. To become a |
| They then create and implement treatment plans. In | | | | physical therapist you must graduate from an |
| this they are often assisted by assistant physical | | | | accredited PT educational program and pass a |
| therapists. | | | | licensing examination. There are some two hundred |
| Physical therapists help their patients to use their | | | | accredited PT programs in the United States, which |
| muscles, add to the range of their motion, and increase | | | | offer both master's and doctoral degrees. These PT |
| their flexibility. After this initial phase, they move on to | | | | programs start with the basic sciences including |
| various sets of exercises which are designed to | | | | physics, chemistry, and biology and then they continue |
| improve balance, strength, endurance, and coordination. | | | | to advanced courses including neuroanatomy, |
| The overall object of these exercises is to assist the | | | | biomechanics, disease diagnosis, and examination and |
| patients to function more effectively at work and at | | | | therapeutic techniques and procedures. Many PT |
| home. PT's in discount nursing scrubs employ a | | | | programs require on-the-job training in a clinic or |
| number of tools to help them in their work, including | | | | hospital in order to graduate. Physical therapists are |
| cold compresses or hot packs, electrical stimulation, | | | | required to continue education during their careers, and |
| traction, ultrasound, and deep tissue massage. They | | | | many states require continuing education for license |
| also help patients learn how to use crutches, | | | | renewal. |