Careers in Healthcare: Physical Therapists (PDF)

If you have ever been injured or had surgery, chances are you have seen a physical therapist. The movement gurus of the medical world, physical therapists currently represent more than 210,000 medical professionals in the United States alone. With a shift toward direct access to care, physical therapists are finding themselves in the unique position of seeing patients not only after injury or surgery, but before the patient seeks out the care of a physician. What does it take to become a physical therapist? What is the job outlook for physical therapists in the future? What were the beginnings of the physical therapy profession? Readers will delve into the world of physical therapy to see just what these movement professionals do. Every book in the Careers in Healthcare series gives readers the necessary tools to evaluate pursuing a career in the healthcare profession. Unique to this series are firsthand interviews with professionals aimed to give readers an upfront and close perspective into the daily lives of those currently working in the field. Each title in this series includes color photos throughout, and back matter including: an index and further reading lists for books and internet resources. Key Icons appear throughout the books in this series in an effort to encourage library readers to build knowledge, gain awareness, explore possibilities and expand their viewpoints through our content rich non-fiction books. Key Icons in this series are as follows: Words to Understand are shown at the front of each chapter with definitions. These words are set in boldfaced type in that chapter, so that readers are able to reference back to the definitions—building their vocabulary and enhancing their reading comprehension. Sidebars are highlighted graphics with content rich material within that allows readers to build knowledge and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. Educational Videos are offered in chapters through the use of a QR code, that, when scanned, takes the student to an online video showing a moment in history, a speech, or an instructional video. This gives the readers additional content to supplement the text. Text-Dependent Questions are placed at the end of each chapter. They challenge the reader's comprehension of the chapter they have just read, while sending the reader back to the text for more careful attention to the evidence presented there. Research Projects are provided at the end of each chapter as well and provide readers with suggestions for projects that encourage deeper research and analysis. And a Series Glossary of Key Terms is included in the back matter containing terminology used throughout the series. Words found here broaden the reader's knowledge and understanding of terms used in this field.