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Physical Therapy – The Profession

Physical therapy is a dynamic health profession that develops, coordinates and utilizes selected knowledge, skills and techniques in planning, organizing and directing programs for the care of individuals whose ability to function is impaired or threatened by disease or injury and includes:

• Examination
• Evaluation
• Diagnosis
• Prognosis
• Intervention
• Analysis of outcomes

 
Physical Therapists provide services to patients/clients who have impairments, functional limitations, disabilities, or changes in physical function and health status resulting from injury, disease, or other causes. Physical therapists must be able to collaborate with a variety of professionals, address risk factors to health, be leaders and providers in the areas of prevention and promoting health, wellness and fitness, serve as educators, consultants, administrators and advocates, utilize critical inquiry skills and direct and supervise the provision of physical therapy services. (Guide to Physical Therapist Practice, APTA, 2003).

Some examples of diagnoses of individuals who might be seen by a physical therapist include stroke, low back pain, ACL knee injury, Parkinson’s Disease, spinal cord injury, amputation, heart attack, athletic injury, arthritis, cerebral palsy, rotator cuff (shoulder) injury, total joint replacement, spina bifida, general health and personal training, congestive heart failure, emphysema, cancer, head injury, multiple sclerosis, learning disabilities, speed and agility training, and many more.

The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) is the organization which represents the physical therapy profession. The mission of the APTA is to further the profession's role in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of movement dysfunctions and the enhancement of the physical health and functional abilities of members of the public. Learn more about physical therapy at the APTA’s website at www.apta.org.

The US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that employment for physical therapists is expected to increase much faster than average (27% or more) between now and 2014.   Click here to connect to the Bureau of Labor Statistics website for more information.


Physical Therapy at Wayne State University

The Physical Therapy Program at Wayne State was established in 1966. The Physical Therapy Program at Wayne State University is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) of the American Physical Therapy Association . Graduates of the program are eligible to take physical therapy licensure examinations in the United States and Canada and to receive active membership in the American Physical Therapy Association.

Graduates of the Wayne State Physical Therapy Program are a major source of employees in the urban and suburban Detroit area. Students in the physical therapy program at Wayne State are more culturally diverse than in the profession as a whole contributing to the wide variety of experiences in the educational process. Graduates of the Wayne State Physical Therapy Program have a 100% ultimate pass rate on the National Physical Therapy Examination.