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therapist quistions

What kind of degrees are needed to be a therapist, and how do I identify myself for being one like do I need identification?

physical-therapy therapists
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Margie’s Answer

Hi Travis,
There are two current types of therapist under physical therapy: a physical therapist (PT) and a physical therapist assistant (PTA).

A physical therapist requires you to have a bachelor's degree (4 years) then you apply to PT school which is a doctorate program (3-3.5 years).
https://www.apta.org/your-career/careers-in-physical-therapy/becoming-a-pt

A physical therapist assistant requires you to obtain your associate's degree (2-2.5 years).
https://www.apta.org/your-career/careers-in-physical-therapy/becoming-a-pta

Both require you to sit for the national physical therapy exam (board exam) to be licensed.

Optional: check to see if you need to take a state law exam (jurisprudence) and look up your state practice act to see what you can and cannot do at a PT or PTA (every state is different.

Margie recommends the following next steps:

Decide if you want to go the DPT or PTA route and look up schools in your area.
Figure out what prerequisites you will need to apply.
After graduation apply for the national physical therapy exam (board exam).
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Donna’s Answer

I would refer you to the American Physical Therapy Association website (apta.org) Education section to learn about the level of education needed to become a Physical Therapist or Physical Therapist Assistant. Also on that website are listings by state of available education programs.

To become a PT, you will need to complete an undergrad degree, usually taking 4 years. Then you can apply to PT schools that will then be an additional 2.5-3 years finishing with a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree. A DPT is the "entry-level" degree needed to practice physical therapy. Some schools that have DPT programs have "bridge" programs for those who get undergrad degrees at the same school that may decrease the time by a semester or two but often a student has to pre-qualify for those programs and adhere to GPA requirements to keep that pre-qualification.
Once you graduate from an accredited PT school, you will need to take a state examination in the state in which you want to practice and pass it in order to employed as a PT and claim that you are a registered physical therapist.
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Beth’s Answer

Donna’s answer was spot on. I’m going to just expand on it a little. All physical therapy programs are very selective and competitive to get into. Grades and test scores are very important. They also look at community involvement and sports. Schools want a very smart but personable candidate. Be sure you are active outside school - play sports, volunteer at a nursing home or special Olympics etc.
Physical therapist assistant is also an option. It is a 2-3 year degree from a junior college. You still have to apply for the program and it is still very competitive. An assistant works under the direction of a physical therapist. They have more hands on care responsibilities but do not evaluate the patient.
You cannot be called a physical therapist or physical therapy assistant without completing the college program and passing the board certification test.

Beth recommends the following next steps:

Visit APTA.org for requirements and programs
Shadow a physical therapist to see if you like it.
Be active in your community.
Get good grades.
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