What are the pros and cons of being a physical therapist?

The high demand, great earning potential, and ability to work in a variety of settings are pros of being a physical therapist while the education requirements, financial burden, and physical demands of the job are cons.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs for physical therapists are expected to grow by 21% from 2020 to 2030. This growth is much faster than the average for all occupations. The faster than average job growth is one of the top advantages of being a physical therapist and means that you will always have a job.

The physical therapy job growth is projected to be much faster than the average occupation employment due to increased life expectancy and retirement age. Being in a career that is fast growing and in high demand will lead to job security and is an absolute pro of pursuing a career as a physical therapist.

As with any career that is in high demand, a physical therapist can also expect to have great earning potential. The average physical therapist salary is around $91,010 per year. However, the exact salary will vary depending on their specialization, years of experience, and the state where the physical therapist is licensed.

Some of the top earners in this field have even made six figures! Having such a high earning potential will enable you many luxuries in life. For example, you can own a luxury car, buy a stunning home in the suburbs, and even take exotic vacations to destinations all over the world!

Since physical therapists are able to create their own schedules, they can also carve out time in their schedule for side jobs to bring in additional income alongside their normal therapy hours, if they choose.

Another benefit to being a physical therapist is the variety of work environments available. Physical therapists work in many different settings, such as:

• Schools

• Hospitals

• Clinics

• Private practices

• Home health agencies

• Nursing homes

The pros of being a physical therapist is having many different settings that you can choose to work in, so much so that you can likely find somewhere else that you will enjoy if you do not like working in one setting. If you would like to work more with children, there are settings where all of your patients are children.

If you want to spend almost all your time working in a clinic or private practice, then those are options as well. Essentially you can have the setting that you want. You can also travel to different places and get paid for it. Many people dream of living in a different place, but this is impractical because most jobs require you to stay in one area.

However, being a physical therapist allows you the chance to live in a new place just about anywhere. If you enjoy traveling, one of the benefits of being a physical therapist is working as a traveling physical therapist. Being a traveling physical therapist means traveling to different places, working in different clinics and hospitals.

You will have the best of both worlds. You will be able to earn money and travel the country. You also have the option of becoming your own boss! A physical therapist will have complete freedom to open their own practice. When you own your own practice, you take on more risk, but you also yield higher returns.

With any career, it is important to consider the cons along with the benefits and for a physical therapist, the largest con is the extensive education requirements and the financial burden this education can cause. To become a physical therapist, you must first obtain an undergraduate degree.

In addition to earning a bachelor's degree, you're going to need to earn a doctorate degree. A doctorate is the highest degree that can be achieved in most fields of study, but to be a physical therapist a doctorate is a must, making it one of the disadvantages of being a physical therapist.

Doctorates usually take around four years to complete as well. The Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) is a 3-4 year program where graduates are prepared to become practitioners in physical therapy. One of the biggest disadvantages of being a physical therapist is the cost of tuition alone which usually exceeds $120,000.

You will need to successfully pass an exam to obtain your license. The exam you must take is called the National Physical Therapy Examination, or NPTE for short. The NPTE is set up by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT). If you pass this exam, you will be allowed to practice in your state as a physical therapist.

So, basically, your entire career depends on passing this exam. You must also renew and maintain your license. To renew your license, you must have a certain amount of continuing education credits/contact hours. Continuing education courses will focus on areas that your state's certifying board deems essential, such as laws and ethics.

To that end, when analyzing the pros and cons of being a physical therapist you will have to consider if the cost of your education in the beginning is worth the paycheck you will be making in the end. In addition to the stress associated with the day-to-day tasks many physical therapists are also stressed out by their expensive education.

Many medical schools come with a large price tag. Typically, the better and more prestigious the school, the more expensive the educational expense. Even with a generous salary, new physical therapists may not be able to pay off their debt as quickly as they would like.

Lastly, it is important to note that being a physical therapist is a physically demanding job. You will be on your feet all day long, lifting heavy patients and using a variety of muscles you didn't even know you had. Since this job requires lifting people who are often larger than yourself, you can risk being injured easily.

In fact, according to a study published in 2013 in the Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, physical therapists have a 36% higher risk of developing an overuse injury than other healthcare workers. These injuries generally affect the shoulder and lower back.

While weighing the pros and cons of being a physical therapist you will have to consider that although you probably will get some great exercise in this career, you will also probably end up with some aching legs and feet.