Physical Therapists

What the job really is

Assess, plan, organize, and participate in rehabilitative programs that improve mobility, relieve pain, increase strength, and improve or correct disabling conditions resulting from disease or injury.

At a glance

• Sector: Healthcare Practitioners
• O*NET-SOC code: 29-1123
• O*NET job zone: 5 — extensive preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Plan, prepare, or carry out individually designed programs of physical treatment to maintain, improve, or restore physical functioning, alleviate pain, or prevent physical dysfunction in patients.
• Perform and document an initial exam, evaluating data to identify problems and determine a diagnosis prior to intervention.
• Record prognosis, treatment, response, and progress in patient's chart or enter information into computer.
• Instruct patient and family in treatment procedures to be continued at home.
• Evaluate effects of treatment at various stages and adjust treatments to achieve maximum benefit.
• Confer with the patient, medical practitioners, or appropriate others to plan, implement, or assess the intervention program.
• Administer manual exercises, massage, or traction to help relieve pain, increase patient strength, or decrease or prevent deformity or crippling.
• Obtain patients' informed consent to proposed interventions.
• Test and measure patient's strength, motor development and function, sensory perception, functional capacity, or respiratory or circulatory efficiency and record data.
• Direct, supervise, assess, and communicate with supportive personnel.
• Review physician's referral and patient's medical records to help determine diagnosis and physical therapy treatment required.
• Identify and document goals, anticipated progress, and plans for reevaluation.

Tools and technology

MEDITECH software, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Word, eClinicalWorks EHR software, Above-the-knee prosthetics, Adjusting tables, Advantage Software Physical Therapy Advantage, Aquacisers, Arm prosthetics, Axial-resistance shoulder wheels

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Physical Therapist Assistants
• Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physicians
• Occupational Therapists
• Physical Therapist Aides
• Occupational Therapy Assistants
• Occupational Therapy Aides
• Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric
• Clinical Nurse Specialists

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 5 (extensive preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

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Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Physical Therapists — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.