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how many patients do you see a day as a physical therapist?

I am a high school student who is learning about health careers. #health

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Doc’s Answer

Aysha most physical therapists work independently, which allows them to create a calendar for their appointments that works with their overall schedule. Although this advantage does not apply in clinical or hospital settings, owning your own physiotherapy business gives you a lot of flexibility without compromising the amount of income that you can earn. When you pursue a career as a physical therapist, then you have an opportunity to work in a variety of locations. Physiotherapy is needed in hospitals, clinics, schools, assisted-living facilities, nursing homes, fitness centers, and rehabilitation centers. You can also choose to open an independent practice to work for yourself. This advantage means that you can choose to work wherever it is most convenient for your needs. There is some flexibility in your schedule because you can choose to open or close appointment windows based on your daily needs, but it is also true that you will not earn an income if you don’t see people for their physiotherapy needs.

When you start working as a physical therapist, then you will find out very quickly that some people don’t really want your services. Some of your patients may be suffering from a traumatic event or a grievous injury that makes them confrontational, aggressive, or stubborn. Some people will choose to embrace the advice and techniques that you offer, but there will also be those who choose to reject everything that you say. Physiotherapy can be overwhelming at times, especially when a patient responds slowly in their recovery even when you are doing everything right. Physical therapy can be emotionally draining when you are dealing with patients and their families every day because each person experiences pain and that is why they see you. Chronic discomfort can create challenging emotions for some people, and your role as a physiotherapist is to help them release that negative energy.

Doc recommends the following next steps:

You will spend about the same amount of time in school to become a physical therapist as someone who desires to be a physician. You must achieve your undergraduate degree in an appropriate major before attending graduate studies which focus on physiotherapy. That means you can expect to spend between 6 to 8 years at an institution to learn the skills which are necessary to put your knowledge of healthcare sciences into practice.
Thank you comment icon Thank you very much! Aysha
Thank you comment icon Your Welcome Aysha. Nothing is impossible, the word itself says “I’m possible”! Doc Frick
Thank you comment icon As an OT, it depends on the type of setting you are in, patient needs, and census. In a skilled nursing facility, you may see 5-7 patients a day. If you need to do paperwork (progress notes, re-evals, etc) you can see 10-14 a day. In home health, they determine how many patients you will see that week generally based on a point system (1 point eval, .75 for a typical visit, etc) but it comes down to census. Every company’s point system is different. I see anywhere from 5-10 patients in home health. Hand therapists see multiple people in clinic at the same time. I have not worked here so I can not give you an idea. When in pediatric outpatient, you generally see one child/ hour, dependent upon their eval/needs. I have seen 9-10 children in a day but 6-8 is ideal. Änna S
Thank you comment icon Thank You Änna. Alone, we can do so little; together we can do so much. – Helen Keller Doc Frick
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Sanober’s Answer

Hi Aysha,

From my experience in working with physical therapists in a hospital setting, PTs have specific units that they cover in the hospital, so depending on how many patients are on each unit (and whether or not there is an order for PT consult), they can see anywhere from 5-20 in a shift. It may be more or less depending on your specialty and the acuity of the facility. If you are in a private practice outpatient facility, the number of patients you see will be less.

I hope this helps :)

Sanober
Thank you comment icon Thank you! Aysha
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Nicholas’s Answer

I thought about going this route. When I was a personal trainer, I spoke with many PTs. This is the advice they told me, and it echos the other answer. Unless you're heart is 100% invested and you're absolutely sure this is the career you want, then go after it. That being said, you will be required to take as many hours as other practitioners, you won't get to put MD or RD after your name - and it's likely you won't make as much. It all depends on you. You're networking skills, your approach to PT, and your goal for the clients you help.

My advice, would look similar to my path. I earned my NASM CPT and worked as a Personal Trainer while studying kinesiology. My heart wasn't into it, so I switched majors.

As a Personal Trainer, I was making minimum of $50 per hour upwards to $100 per session. I loved everything about being a trainer. Just know, it's a very competitive field.

After being a trainer for a few years, you'll know if becoming a PT is right for you.
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