Assess, plan, organize, and participate in rehabilitative programs that improve mobility, relieve pain, increase strength, and decrease or prevent deformity of patients suffering from disease or injury.

Social - Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

1. Perform and document an initial exam, evaluating data to identify problems and determine a diagnosis prior to intervention.

2. Plan, prepare and carry out individually designed programs of physical treatment to maintain, improve or restore physical functioning, alleviate pain and prevent physical dysfunction in patients.

3. Record prognosis, treatment, response, and progress in patient's chart or enter information into computer.

4. Identify and document goals, anticipated progress and plans for reevaluation.

5. Administer manual exercises, massage or traction to help relieve pain, increase patient strength, or decrease or prevent deformity or crippling.

6. Evaluate effects of treatment at various stages and adjust treatments to achieve maximum benefit.

7. Test and measure patient's strength, motor development and function, sensory perception, functional capacity, and respiratory and circulatory efficiency and record data.

8. Instruct patient and family in treatment procedures to be continued at home.

9. Confer with the patient, medical practitioners and appropriate others to plan, implement and assess the intervention program.

10. Review physician's referral and patient's medical records to help determine diagnosis and physical therapy treatment required.

11. Obtain patients' informed consent to proposed interventions.

Active Listening - Giving 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.

Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Medicine and Dentistry - Knowledge 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.

Therapy and Counseling - Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.

Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge 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.

Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Psychology - Knowledge 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.

Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed

Education: A bachelor's degree is the minimum formal education required for these occupations. However, many also 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).

Training: Employees 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.

The college search results are undergraduate programs associated with Physical Therapists. Further education may also be required to pursue this career.

The training search results include both short and long-term programs associated with Physical Therapists, and may be more appropriate for adult and non-traditional students. Further training may also be required to pursue this career.

In NY the average wage for this occupation was:

$55,070 for entry level workers, and $82,670 for experienced workers.

Based on the total number of annual openings and its growth rate, the employment prospects for this occupation are described as Very Favorable.

During 2006, there were approximately 12,870 Physical Therapists employed in NY.

We estimate that in 2016 there will be 15,490  employed in NY. This represents an increase of 260 job(s) each year, and a total of 160 job openings each year.

Summer Scholars 2007 - Summer Scholars 2007 is a health career exploration opportunity that immerses students in a health care setting for six weeks, introducing them to the daily work tasks and responsibilities of a healthcare provider or allied health professional.

Physical and Occupational Therapists - Visit this link for information on this career in the military.

Physical therapists - Visit this link for additional information on this career from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; a publication produced and maintained by the United States Department of Labor.

LifeWorks: Career Exploration in Health and Medical Science - LifeWorks Web site is a tool for students to help raise their awareness about the broad range of health and medical science career pathways that are available to them and to help them make career decisions.

Healthcare: Get Into It! - Healthcare: Get Into It! has been created as a way to explore some of the possibilities of health care careers and give you the opportunity to develop a road map to your future. Health care encompasses many disciplines and information is important. The topics include: Interest Assessment Tool, Career Options,Job Shadowing/Mentoring Programs,Career Planning, Education & Training, and Financial Aid.

Child, Family, and School Social Workers - Provide social services and assistance to improve the social and psychological functioning of children and their families and to maximize the family well-being and the academic functioning of children. May assist single parents, arrange adoptions, and find foster homes for abandoned or abused children. In schools, they address such problems as teenage pregnancy, misbehavior, and truancy. May also advise teachers on how to deal with problem children.

Respiratory Therapists - Assess, treat, and care for patients with breathing disorders. Assume primary responsibility for all respiratory care modalities, including the supervision of respiratory therapy technicians. Initiate and conduct therapeutic procedures; maintain patient records; and select, assemble, check, and operate equipment.

Athletic Trainers - Evaluate, advise, and treat athletes to assist recovery from injury, avoid injury, or maintain peak physical fitness.