5 Great Careers for Physical Therapists - The Best Master's Degrees

Careers for Physical Therapists

Athletic Trainer
Rehabilitation
Sports Medicine
Medical Assistant
Physical Trainer

Careers for physical therapists are rewarding and offer a type of challenge intended for health minded individuals. This world will always have people in need, as well as people who want to improve their physical state. The landscape of careers for physical therapists is diversified, requiring motivated and passion-driven individuals, according to the American Physical Therapy Association.

1. Athletic Trainer

This is a great career path for physical therapists who enjoy sports and working with athletes. If you also enjoy working with kids, you might look to apply for an athletic training position at your local and or neighboring school. Also, colleges and universities also hire athletic trainers to assist with sports training and rehabilitation with their athletes. If you build up your reputation as an athletic trainer in a school system you could eventually find yourself working with professional athletes. Athletic trainers can also start their own businesses, building their reputation through the community, family, friends, clients, and others.

2. Rehabilitation

Many injured people entrust their healing with people who work at rehab centers. If you enjoy helping different types of people with difficult situations you may have what it takes to start a career path in rehabilitation. This is a great career path for people who want to learn more about injuries in order to perfect their diagnosis process and distribution of individualized program plans towards healing. From minor muscle tears to even the loss of a limb, people seek out rehab centers for guidance and assurance. Like many career paths, you may find yourself opening your own center someday.

3. Sports Medicine

A growing industry, sports medicine intertwines aspects of many career paths in sports and health. It also allows for specialization. One of the most exciting aspects of this job is discovering which supplements work best with a variety of different injury diagnostics. Additionally, you have the opportunity to work with others who might not be injured at all. Sports medicine helps individuals who are looking for supplements to help them recover from workouts quickly. If you create a new supplement, you may work with athletes who want to test your product out. In any case, this is a growing frontier.

4. Medical Assistant

Some individuals have a passion for working in hospitals. A medical assistant career path could lead to other opportunities including administrative and management positions. A medical assistant also works with people who may need help in a timely manner. Rather than creating long-term recovery programs, a medical assistant may need to rely on their knowledge of how to prevent bleeding, how to handle broken bones, and what to do in emergency situations. Physical trainers may influence the decisions made in order to begin short-term healing procedures and measures. A medical assistant must be ready to handle many different, difficult situations.

5. Physical Trainer

Physical trainers work with people who are looking to gain strength, flexibility, endurance, muscle growth, pliability, and many other important aspects of athletics. People are always looking for ways to improve their own physical condition, yet don't always have the answers on where to begin. Physical trainers must implement programs for others and track their progress, making adjustments along the way. Physical trainers also have options to hold weekly, monthly, and yearly classes if they have access to a location, or want to start their own business. Physical trainers work with all types of people, and enjoy improving other's physical abilities.

All and all, a career path in physical therapy can lead one in many different directions.