It is not surprising that there is an upsurge of people interested in the physical therapy program. There are more and more people aging. The elderly as well as the discovery of new illnesses and diseases have called for more and more demand for the physical therapy services. Just take a look in a certain community and you will see that physical therapists, like you, either work in a clinic, health facility or anything in between for people in all walks of life- veterans, the elderly, the budding athlete, the injured. You name it, and you, the physical therapist, is there to help those people.
For physical therapists, care and help come naturally. After all, it is the core of being a physical therapist, right? Your role being a physical therapist is to assess if not develop the patient’s coordination and motor function.
You are in a very good spot.
Yes, you are. The physical therapy career is one of the leading and best paid in the country. It seems that the PT career has nowhere to go but up. It does not seem to stop! People need you and they are going to need you more in the years to come. That said, you need to strategically place yourself where the need is utmost and the demand for you is great. You don’t even have to search high and low for information on the five highest paid specialties for physical therapists. Everything is given to you on a silver platter in this article.
On placing yourself
You know that being a physical therapist, you are on demand. But do you know where to look for your PT job? Here’s the thing: hospitals need you. They actually demand for your services. If hospitals need you, the more that physicians’ clinics want you. You would be in salary heaven if you can land a spot on these two. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, most physical therapists work in walk-in centers and clinics. But if you want to land in the highest paying ones, you need to snag the ones that have something to do with home health services. If you can find work in California, and New York, the better if you want to be surrounded by PTs like you. These states have the highest concentration of PTs in the country. But if you are concerned for the salary, check out Texas and California for some physical therapy openings. There is nothing wrong with looking for states that offer the highest PT salary. The physical therapist has to live too, right? But if you are really looking for those states that are on the top five payers for physical therapists, trying looking for PT positions in Nevada, Alaska, Texas, California and New Jersey. These 5 states are the top paying states but no other factors have been considered in this last ranking, though.
What? A specialty?
If you want to have an edge in the PT race, it is imperative that you have a specialty. In this article, you will be served with the top five. There is an in-depth discussion on what the specialty is all about, how much salary is expected and why this is in the top five.
#5 Pediatrics Specialty
The pediatrics physical therapy has adolescents and babies to serve. They focus on these age groups, hence the name. This kind of special will delve into the health conditions, be it chronic or not, of those who still belong to the pediatrics age group. If you want to be part of this pool, you need to have at least some basic physical therapy techniques. You should be also adept in understanding and implementing the basic activities that are suited for the needs of the child. Therapy through play should also be mastered aside from the fact that you need to be well-versed on the use of assistive technology. PTs specializing in pediatrics are highly trained in dealing with issues pertaining to child development and health issues. Furthermore, the way the PT is able to follow and treat the child also needs special training.
As a PT specializing on pediatrics, you would often encounter children with developmental issues as well as children diagnosed with special needs. Being a pediatric PT, you are expected to receive and average of $73, 036 per year.
#4. Neurologic Specialty
This kind of specialty focuses on the rehabilitation and treatment of those who have had traumatic brain injury and other related conditions. Having this kind of specialty means that you, being the physical therapist should be able to assess and treat those who have such issues. As such, you would be able to assist those who have complications caused by a trauma to the central nervous system. In accordance, you would be able to help those patients move their bodies, if not improve them in order to function normally.
You need to have the skill to inspire and encourage the patients with neurological ailments while they are undergoing the rehabilitation since such kind of rehabilitation may seem arduous for them. Also, primarily, you should or take to learn the skills needed to rehabilitation as well as identify the patients who have coordination, balance and mobility issues. Being a specialist in this category, you should expect common issues such as the ones below:
- Cerebral Palsy
- Chronic pain
- Cystic fibrosis
- Degenerative Diseases
- Developmental delays
- Scoliosis
- Spina bifida
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Traumatic head/brain injuries
One of the reasons why this is included in the list is the fact that continuing education is needed and this a highly specialized category since the physical therapist encounters issues that has to do with the nervous system. It is not surprising, therefore, that the remuneration for this specialty is about $74,947 per year.
#3. Geriatric Specialist
If you want to work with older people, this is the kind of specialist you might want to consider. As a person ages, it is inevitable that he or she encounters lots of health issues. Being a GCS or Geriatric Certified Specialist, you are going to see lots of health issues experienced by the elderly, including rehabilitation after a hip or knee surgery. A GCS will help the elderly cope with the issues that go with age and adapt the exercises to way the elderly cope with the activities of daily living such as taking a bath and the likes. Also, depression is common among the elderly. You need to be there to help alleviate such feelings of inadequacy. Also, you are going to be responsible for helping them lead a normal life, despite the age.
A physical therapist who can communicate well aside from being able to motivate people is best suited for this kind of specialty. In addition to this, the PT should be also in tip-top shape since four of the most common issues encountered by the elderly are the following:
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- Arthritis
- Cancer
- Osteoporosis
The physical therapist who wishes to be part of this should expect to be emotionally and physically strong. Perhaps the lucrativeness of the job makes its remuneration of $76,689 a year high.
#2 Cardiovascular/Pulmonary Specialty
Physical therapists who are interested in making this their specialty are expected to encounter patients who are recuperating from either lung or heart surgery. As such, these kinds of specialists are concerned in making the heart and lungs more stable. Like many PTs, they are also concerned in making their patients become independent. Also, they also provide information for those who are genetically inclined having lung or heart disease. Being a specialist of this kind, you should have skills like being able to motivate people, lead them and the likes. PTs interested in this career must have characteristics like endurance or stamina as you are expected to physically help your patients who can either have these health issues:
- Hypertension
- Bronchitis
- Chronic heart disease
Because this is a highly demanding job, it is the second highest paid PT specialist which has $76,689 a year.
#1. Sports Medicine Specialist
There is a reason why this is the highest paying PT specialist. The patients that you are going to handle are often athletes. Being those who are one of the fittest, your task is to make things happen. Not only you would treat injuries experienced in the course of their career but also preventative care so such injuries would be avoided. You can encounter injuries like the Compartment Syndrome for this is one of the most common issues among athletes. This is also a highly specialized position so you should also expect that the salary is one of the highest at $76, 689 a year. Also, there is rapid growth and demand for this kind of specialization as many athletes are too focused on their sports career. They may even employ the best PT for the job so they avoid injuries and perform to the best of their abilities.
Are you now ready to pick which of these specialties you want to be a part of? What are you waiting for?
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