Is Physical Therapy Worth It? – Know More About Physical Therapist

Many people dream of being a Physical Therapist ( PT ) and choose it as their career option. Although the jobs and positions for PT have been seeing a rise in the last decade, the students often ask this question frequently, is physical therapy worth it. There are many factors and things that can hold you back from taking admission for your dream course. Being in medicine is always going to remain challenging as compared to other professions. To break down all the reasons along with the pros and cons of this career path, I am going to share all the information related to Physical therapy in this blog.

Is Physical Therapy worth it?

We will first go through all the positive things about this profession and then look at their cons and difficulties.

Pros of Physical Therapy:

1. Great Income

People working as a full-time Physical Therapist earn $85,000- $ 95,000 on average annually. A licensed and experienced PT can charge up to $90 per visit to its patients. This field has been getting attention from all the students as it pays well for the work you do. Unlike the people in pediatrics who are unpaid, PTs are paid according to their experience and level of education.

2. Job Opportunities

For someone who wants to have ample job options, Physical Therapy is one of the best choices you can get. The demand for this field is constantly rising in the USA, Europe and other countries of the world. You can opt to in any country of your choice even if you are a licensed Physical Therapist. Many hospitals and institutions look out for experienced PTs to help patients with their treatment. According to one survey, there are going to be more than 71,800 jobs for Physical Therapists all over the world by 2022.

3. Job Satisfaction

Apart from all the numbers and long shifts, if the medicine is what really makes you happy, then this field is worth every penny you spend in the education. As it involves helping people recover from their injuries and problems, this field is considered noble. Many therapists achieve a feeling of fulfillment after seeing their patients getting recovered from all the problems. Choosing this option as your career is the best way to help people and do something for your society. There is no other feeling that can match the satisfaction a therapist gets seeing their patients doing well and being fit again.

Cons of Physical Therapy:

1. Investment for Degree and Education Loans

One of the significant reasons that hold back a lot of students to pursue a career in this field is the school fee and education loan required for it. To become a Physical Therapist, it is mandatory to have a doctorate in Physical Therapy ( DPT ). The school fee for the course is somewhere between $150,000 – $170,000. A lot of people opt for a student loan to complete the schooling, which adds on a financial burden. Compared to the annual salary of the PT, the education fees are much higher that can cause problems financially. However, you can repay the entire loan by getting a decent job that pays well and working for a little longer.

Several companies offer to pay a certain amount of your loan if you start working with them. The fee and loan structure is different in every state, so you can explore these options and work out something for arranging funds if you want to be a Physical Therapist.

2. Work-Life Balance

This point applies only to people who prefer to work in hospitals or other medicare institutes. The shifts can be long and tiresome if there are multiple patients. These long working hours can affect your social and personal life. Working with an organization might also result in working on your off days as well as holidays. However, you can overcome this con by working as an independent Physical Therapist. This way, you can choose your working hours and be flexible about your working schedule.

3. Fewer Increments

The pay scale is excellent for beginners to start with. If you are working with a hospital, clinic, or university, then the chances of increments frequently are relatively less. One has to advance courses in Physical Therapy and get on-hands experience to get higher salaries. Here also the people who are working individually can increase their income by doing an advanced degree and increasing the working hours.

Concluding Remarks
Choosing any field for making career has its own set of pros and cons. Likewise, Physical Therapy also has its own. But going through its drawbacks, you can work and overcome all of them. Although this field demands a lot of funds, it is worth it if you like to help people and to treat them. Apart from all these, Physical Therapist has access to work freely anywhere if he/she is holding a license. Keeping all these factors in mind, I think becoming a physical therapist is worth the cost.