Healthcare jobs are booming across the board. With an aging population that will likely require greater access to medical treatments of all types, jobs are being created in healthcare at a rate that far exceeds many other sectors of society.
One particularly promising career choice is physical therapy. Physical therapy offers workers the chance to work directly with patients and design meaningful treatments that can profoundly impact patient mobility and quality of life. They can also work in a variety of healthcare facilities and are typically well compensated for the help they provide.
In fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projected a 36% growth rate for physical therapists through 2022, a rate significantly higher than the national average for all other professions.
Career services have begun to take notice of physical therapy, as well. Recently, physical therapy was ranked highly on two prominent lists from U.S. News and World Report, the authoritative national ranking resource for careers and education. In “The 36 Top Health Care Jobs of 2015,” physical therapy was ranked #5, and in the more general “100 Best Jobs of 2015,” physical therapy was ranked #6.
These results reflect both the strong demand for the profession and the generally enjoyable work style for those employed in physical therapy.
Rankings Methodology
The U.S. News and World Report rankings methodology took into account many factors, including hiring demand for each profession. Jobs ranked highly on its lists are often those with a strong number of projected openings.
In addition, individual professions were analyzed by factors such as workplace satisfaction, variation and interest in tasks, salary and opportunities for career advancement. U.S. News’ rankings suggest that not only will graduates be able to find physical therapy jobs, but they may have their pick of several satisfying offers in the field.
What is Physical Therapy?
If you have ever suffered a significant accident, chances are high that you experienced some kind of physical therapy as part of a rehabilitation process. Physical therapists are trained specialists who work with patients who have had their mobility affected in some way, whether from a physical injury or from a neurological condition like a stroke.
When a patient meets with a physical therapist, it’s the therapist’s job to assess the extent of the patient’s physical condition and design a rehabilitative program that offers the best chances at restoring full mobility and strength. As physical therapists help patients work through exercises and educate them on ways to incorporate new exercises into their lives, therapists can build strong working relationships with the patients under their care. This can make the field both fun and rewarding, particularly for those who enjoy the idea of active, hands-on work.
For individuals with a strong desire to help others and an interest in seeing firsthand the benefits of providing care, physical therapy can be an excellent career choice. With such a strong showing in the U.S. News and World Report rankings, consistent hiring demand, competitive salaries and beneficial work, it’s not difficult to see why physical therapy is seen as one of the best jobs of 2015.
