 Career
Path Forecast
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics,
employment of physical therapists Employment of physical therapists is
expected to grow by 30 percent from 2008 to 2018, much faster than the
average for all occupations.
Changes to restrictions on
reimbursement for physical therapy services by third-party payers will
increase patient access to services and, thus, increase demand. The
increasing elderly population will drive growth in the demand for
physical therapy services. The elderly population is particularly
vulnerable to chronic and debilitating conditions that require
therapeutic services.
 Also,
the baby-boom generation is entering the prime age for heart attacks and
strokes, increasing the demand for cardiac and physical rehabilitation.
Medical and technological developments will permit a greater percentage
of trauma victims and newborns with birth defects to survive, creating
additional demand for rehabilitative care. In addition, growth may
result from advances in medical technology and the use of evidence-base
practices, which could permit the treatment of an increasing number of
disabling conditions that were untreatable in the past.
In addition, the federally
mandated Individuals with Disabilities Education Act guarantees that
students have access to services from physical therapists and other
therapeutic and rehabilitative services. Demand for physical therapists
will continue in schools.
Job opportunities will be
good for licensed physical therapists in all settings. Job opportunities
should be particularly good in acute hospital, skilled nursing, and
orthopedic settings, where the elderly are most often treated. Job
prospects should be especially favorable in rural areas as many physical
therapists tend to cluster in highly populated urban and suburban areas.
Note: Some resources in this section are provided by the US Department
of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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