Introduction
Becoming a physical therapist requires a passion for—and quite a bit of schooling in—subjects like anatomy, biology, kinesiology, biomechanics, neuroscience, and exercise physiology (as well as a love of working with people). Though the cost of PT education continues to rise, the rewards of helping people improve function, mobility, and overall well-being are vast. If you’ve got questions about this career path, then we’ve got answers. Read on to learn everything you need to know about becoming a physical therapist.
What do physical therapists do?
A physical therapist is an expert in treating patients with neuromusculoskeletal conditions—anything from low back pain and joint injuries to post-stroke symptoms and cerebral palsy. As a physical therapist, you could work with patients of any age to help them:
- Recover from an injury or surgery;
- Improve strength, flexibility, and balance;
- Learn and grow through developmental milestones; and/or
- Maintain mobility and function as they age.
To accomplish this for a patient, you would:
- Establish good rapport.
- Review the patient’s medical history.
- Perform an initial evaluation to assess the issue or condition and determine if PT would be appropriate.
- If PT is appropriate, create a plan of care detailing the evidence-based treatment type (e.g., exercises, stretches, hands-on therapy, equipment use, and/or a home-exercise program), frequency, and duration necessary to help the patient achieve their therapeutic goals.
- Carry out the treatment protocol as detailed in your plan of care (POC), while adhering to all insurance and state rules and regulations.
- Teach the patient—and family members, if appropriate—how to safely perform daily activities and improve their progress with an at-home exercise program.
- Monitor the patient’s progress using outcome measurement tools, adjusting the POC as necessary until the patient reaches their goal.
Where do physical therapists work?
Physical therapists may see patients in private clinics, patient homes, hospitals, nursing facilities, schools, or sports arenas. They can work one-on-one with patients or serve as members of a larger care team. Some physical therapists oversee physical therapist assistants or physical therapist technicians (techs). Physical therapists may work for one clinic in one location—or they may travel to different clinics around the country (travel PTs) or different clinics in a particular region (registry PTs). To learn more about travel PT, check out this post; to learn more about registry PT and per diem opportunities, check out this one.
Physical therapists may also work in non-clinical roles (e.g., as executives in healthcare companies, researchers, directors, teachers, writers, or consultants).
| Who do you want to work with? | Private Practice | Nursing Home | Hospital | School | Sports Arena | Non-Clinical Setting |
| Children | ||||||
| Athletes | ||||||
| Elderly Patients | ||||||
| Patients with Acute or Chronic Conditions—or Those Recovering From Surgery | ||||||
| No Patients |
How do physical therapists find patients?
Traditionally, physical therapists have largely relied on physician referrals to keep their treatment schedules full. In other words, physicians determine which patients are good candidates for physical therapy—and send those patients to a specific physical therapist.
Today, however, some form of direct access exists in all 50 states, making it possible for most therapists to—at the very least—perform an initial evaluation without needing a physician referral first. Thus, many providers are expanding their marketing initiatives to reach patients directly. Given that patients are now responsible for a greater portion of their healthcare costs, many are conducting their own research—specifically, online research—about providers and treatment options instead of relying on a referral from their primary care provider (PCP). That’s why it’s important for physical therapists to have an optimized online presence that includes a professional website, positive online reviews, and an active social media presence. That said, most physical therapists still maintain good relationships with physicians and surgeons and obtain many of their patients through the traditional referral process.
How much money do physical therapists make?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median pay for physical therapists in May of 2021 was $95,620 per year and $45.97 per hour—with the lowest 10% earning less than $61,930 and the highest earning more than $127,110.
The industries that hire the most physical therapists are:
| Industry | Employment | Annual Mean Wage |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners* | 82,260 | $86,460 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | 55,620 | $96,160 |
| Home Health Care Services | 26,900 | $105,510 |
| Offices of Physicians | 13,780 | $85,120 |
| Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals | 10,940 | $97,120 |
| Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) | 10,120 | $100,760 |
*According to the Department of Labor, this category includes offices of chiropractors; optometrists; mental health practitioners (except physicians); physical, occupational, and speech therapists as well as audiologists; and all other health practitioners.
The top-paying industries for physical therapists are:
| Industry | Employment | Annual Mean Wage |
| Outpatient Care Centers | 5,260 | $111,410 |
| Home Health Care Services | 26,900 | $105,510 |
| Child Day Care Services | 230 | $102,050 |
| Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) | 1,100 | $101,290 |
| Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) | 10,120 | $100,760 |
Location Matters
Keep in mind that the above-noted numbers are national averages. These stats will differ depending on where you live. The states with the highest number of employed physical therapists are:
| State | Employment | Annual Mean Wage |
| California | 23,840 | $103,510 |
| New York | 16,130 | $91,890 |
| Texas | 14,040 | $98,340 |
| Florida | 13,220 | $90,630 |
| Pennsylvania | 10,700 | $94,400 |
The top-paying states for physical therapists are:
| State | Employment | Annual Mean Wage |
| Nevada | 1,860 | $104,210 |
| California | 23,840 | $103,510 |
| Connecticut | 3,410 | $101,180 |
| Delaware | 870 | $100,490 |
| New Jersey | 7,400 | $99,530 |
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Experience Matters
According to Payscale.com, experienced physical therapists receive a salary that’s 13% higher than the national average, whereas entry-level PTs receive a salary that’s 9% lower. As it stands, the average entry-level salary for a physical therapist is $69,073.
What kind of job outlook do physical therapists have?
The demand for physical therapy is growing—and will continue to grow—as more people recognize the need for safe, cost-effective, conservative, and long-term treatment options to address neuromusculoskeletal and chronic conditions such as diabetes and obesity. With the opioid crisis falling under the national spotlight, payers and legislators are feeling the pressure to find and deliver alternative treatment options—like physical therapy—to their patients. If that’s not enough, according to BLS, many baby boomers are staying active later in life and thus, require the regular attention of a physical therapist. To that end, physical therapist employment is expected to grow 17% from 2021 to 2031, which is “much faster than the average for all occupations.”
So, what does that mean for you? If you pursue a career in physical therapy, you’ll likely land a job right out of school given that “job opportunities are expected to be good for licensed physical therapists in all settings,” and are “particularly good in acute-care hospitals, skilled-nursing facilities, and orthopedic settings, where the elderly are most often treated.” The outlook is even better if you want to work in a rural area, because most practicing physical therapists already work in “highly populated urban and suburban areas.”
What kind of software do physical therapists use?
Whether working as an individual provider or within a large practice group with other healthcare professionals, an electronic medical record (EMR) to record and store patient health information is the start of simplifying clinical workflows. Ideally, physical therapists will choose an always-up-to-date, cloud-based EMR and practice management platform that’s designed for physical therapists and provides not only defensible documentation, compliance alerts, and a streamlined workflow, but also:
- intuitive scheduling functionality and automated appointment reminders that reduce patient cancellations and no-shows by as much as 30%, and patient self-scheduling software that patients are actively seeking to use;
- fully integrated clinical outcomes tracking with a library of standardized, risk-adjusted tests;
- enhanced multimedia home exercise programs;
- robust business intelligence analytics;
- comprehensive billing solutions that increase payments per visit by up to 10%; and
- advanced patient engagement and marketing tools.
What does it take to become a physical therapist?
Personality Traits
A provider’s personality greatly affects a patient’s willingness to complete his or her course of care—and thus, his or her therapeutic outcome. It’s safe to say that a provider’s personality matters. Do you have the personality necessary to be a successful PT? Here are some important traits for a future PT to possess:
- Supportive
- Compassionate
- Kind
- Confident
- Patient
- People-Oriented
- Conversational
- A Critical Thinker
- A Puzzle-Lover
- Dedicated
- Accountable
- Flexible
- A Good Decision-Maker
- Curious
- Engaged
- Cooperative
- Energetic
- Passionate About Functional Movement and Wellbeing
Education
Students who are interested in becoming physical therapists must first earn a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university. Then, they’ll go on to earn a doctorate of physical therapy (DPT) from the graduate school of their choice. A growing number of schools accept students directly out of high school for three years of undergraduate coursework plus three years of graduate-level education.
While you don’t have to select a pre-physical therapy or pre-med major, most graduate schools require students to have a significant amount of applicable prerequisite courses in subjects such as chemistry, physics, biology, anatomy, psychology, statistics, mathematics, and English writing. (For a detailed chart of what each DPT program requires, check out this resource from the Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service.) Thus, selecting a major with a heavy emphasis on science would be a wise choice (though certainly not mandatory). If you complete, say, a fine arts degree, you may still be able to attend PT school; you might just have to take additional courses to meet the prerequisite course requirements before matriculation. (To learn what your school-of-choice requires, check out its admissions page; for the top-ranked PT programs in the country, scroll to the next section of this page and click the link in the prereqs section of each school.)
Prerequisites
Other prerequisites often include:
- A solid GPA (the University of Pittsburgh, for example, only accepts students with a GPA of 3.0 or higher);
- Good Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) test scores taken within the last five years; and
- Adequate exposure to the profession through volunteer or paid experience in a clinic or hospital.
So, if you plan to pursue a career as a physical therapist, you’ll want to keep your grades up in college and practice for the GRE—and you may want to begin applying for physical therapy internships early in your undergraduate career to ensure you can demonstrate a wealth of experience once it comes time to apply to grad school. (To learn more about getting accepted to PT school, check out this resource.)
Traditional Residential Programs vs. Alternative Hybrid Models
Most physical therapy programs are full-time, three-year programs—which means you must attend classes at the university campus. There are, however, some alternative DPT programs with a hybrid learning model that enables students flexibility in how they finish their DPT program. These models typically take the shape of:
- a mostly online format,
- a part-time attendance format, or
- an accelerated program.
With the growing need for PTs in practice and the industry’s recognition that student debt is a problem, hybrid models have become commonplace in almost every state. Choosing the right type of program for you can take some deliberation, so try this podcast to help steer you in the right direction.
Coursework
Each school has its own requirements regarding the coursework you must complete to graduate. For instance, here is the University of Southern California’s (USC’s) curriculum (for class descriptions, please refer to this page on the USC website):
- PT 509 Cellular and Systems Physiology
- PT 514L Musculoskeletal Anatomy
- PT 516 Principles of Disease
- PT 521L Basics of Patient Management
- PT 529 Life Span Motor Control
- PT 530a Therapeutic Exercise
- PT 530b Special Topics in Therapeutic Exercise
- PT 534L Neuroanatomy
- PT 536 Pathology of Cardiopulmonary Disease and General Medical Conditions
- PT 539 Clinical Pharmacology
- PT 546 Neuropathology
- PT 549L Clinical Exercise Physiology
- PT 551L Therapeutic Application of Physical Agents
- PT 554L Analytical Anatomy
- PT 561a–e Evidence for Physical Therapist Practice
- PT 566 Disorders of the Musculoskeletal System
- PT 569 Fundamentals of Neuroscience
- PT 571L Clinical Management of Cardiopulmonary Dysfunction
- PT 574 Clinical Biomechanics (Movement Analysis II)
- PT 581L Clinical Management of the Patient with Neurological Dysfunction
- PT 582 Mechanics of Human Gait (Movement Analysis I)
- PT 583L Clinical Electrophysiology
- PT 600a–d Clinical Education Experience
- PT 606 Clinical Imaging
- PT 621 Clinical Management of the Patient with Musculoskeletal Dysfunction
- PT 625 Emerging Topics
- PT 630 Integrated Patient Management Clinical Skills
- PT 632 Integrated Patient Management Seminar
- PT 650 Differential Diagnosis in Physical Therapy
- PT 660 16-Week Integrated Terminal Clinical Education Experience With Academic Integration
- PT 665 16-Week Terminal Full-Time Clinical Education Experience
Licensing
Once you receive your DPT, you’ll be ready to sit for your multiple-choice licensing exam: the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE). According to the NPTE website, “the NPTE is only one part of the evaluation process used by licensing authorities to assess your competence. Contact your jurisdiction to find out what additional requirements there are, such as taking the jurisprudence exam.” In other words, be sure to review the requirements for licensure in your state, so you know what to expect before it comes time to graduate as a DPT.
Credentialing
If you’re opting to go in-network with insurance companies, then you’ll need to receive credentials from those payers. As explained here, “Some payers—like Medicare—do not allow non-credentialed providers to treat or collect payment from patients for any covered services.” To apply for credentials, you’ll need:
- malpractice insurance,
- an NPI,
- a physical clinic location, and
- a license to practice in your state.
If you join an in-network practice, that company may already have an established credentialing process that will help you get credentialed with the right insurance companies.
Post-Graduate Study
If you choose to further your education beyond your doctorate degree through clinical fellowships or residency programs, you may do so. According to the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), these are great ways for “licensed physical therapists to enhance their knowledge and practice.”
Residency
Per the APTA, a clinical residency program is “designed to significantly advance a physical therapist resident’s preparation as a provider of patient care services in a defined area of clinical practice. It combines opportunities for ongoing clinical supervision and mentoring with a theoretical basis for advanced practice and scientific inquiry.”
Fellowship
On the other hand, clinical fellowships are offered to physical therapists “who demonstrate clinical expertise in an area of clinical practice related to the practice focus of the fellowship. (Fellows are frequently post-residency prepared or board-certified specialists.)”
Board Certification
If you wish to “build on a broad base of professional education and practice to develop a greater depth of knowledge and skills related to a particular area of practice,” then you may want to consider becoming a board-certified specialist through the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS) in one of the following areas:
- Cardiovascular and Pulmonary
- Clinical Electrophysiology
- Geriatrics
- Neurology
- Oncology
- Orthopaedics
- Pediatrics
- Sports Physical Therapy
- Women’s Health
- Wound Management
Where should I go to school to become a physical therapist?
While the PT school you choose to attend is ultimately up to you, the APTA urges anyone considering a career as a physical therapist to choose a Doctorate of Physical Therapy program that is accredited by CAPTE—otherwise, you may not be eligible to sit for your licensure exam, and only licensed PTs may practice. With that in mind, below are the US News and World Report’s top-ranked PT schools (all of which are accredited by CAPTE). That said, rankings aren’t everything, so be sure to do your own research on all schools you’re considering, including paying each one a visit and talking to real students about their experience.
According to the Report, “each school’s score reflects its average rating on a scale from 1 (marginal) to 5 (outstanding), based on a survey of academics at peer institutions.” (Additional details below were collected from each university, the CAPTE website, Peterson’s, and the PTCAS by the APTA. We make no guarantees as to the accuracy or currentness of this information.)
4.4 Points
University of Delaware in Newark, DE
- Contact Phone Number and Email: (302) 831-4576 | pt-admissions@udel.edu
- Program Director: Gregory Hicks, PT, PhD | Associate Professor and Chair
- Cohort Size: ~60 students
- Tuition: $1,051/credit hour
- Acceptance Rate: 26%
- Program: In-person full-time DPT
- School Type: Public
- Prereqs: Bachelor’s degree +
University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, PA
- Contact Phone Number and Email: (412) 383-6630 | ptinfo@shrs.pitt.edu
- Program Director: James J Irrgang, PT, PhD, ATC, FAPTA | Professor and Chair
- Cohort Size: ~198 students in the graduate program
- Tuition: $41,796 per year
- Acceptance Rate: 27%
- Program: In-person full-time DPT
- School Type: Public
- Prereqs: Bachelor’s degree +
Washington University in St. Louis, MO
- Contact Phone Number and Email: (314) 286-1400 | ptprog@email.wustl.edu
- Program Director: Gammon Earhart, PT, PhD
- Cohort Size: ~81 students in the graduate program
- Tuition: $20,362 per academic semester | $3,328 to $4,992 per clinical education segment
- Acceptance Rate: 40%
- Program: In-person full-time DPT
- School Type: Private not-for-profit
Prereqs: Bachelor’s degree +
4.3 Points
Northwestern University in Chicago, IL
- Contact Phone Number and Email: (312) 908-8160 | j-dewald@northwestern.edu
- Program Director: Julius P. Dewald, PT, PhD | Chair and Program Administrator
- Cohort Size: ~95 students in the graduate program
- Tuition: $121,688 per year
- Acceptance Rate: 17%
- Program: In-person full-time DPT
- School Type: Private not-for-profit
- Prereqs: Bachelor’s degree +
University of Iowa in Iowa City, IA
- Contact Phone Number and Email: (319) 335-9791 | physical-therapy@uiowa.edu
- Program Director: Richard K Shields, PT, PhD, FAPTA | Professor and Director
- Cohort Size: ~42 students in the graduate program
- Tuition: $7,858 for Iowa residents / $16,608 for non-residents per semester
- Acceptance Rate: unavailable
- Program: In-person full-time DPT
- School Type: Public
- Prereqs: Bachelor’s degree +
University of Southern California in Los Angeles, CA
- Contact Phone Number and Email: (323) 442-2900 | jamesgor@usc.edu
- Program Director: James Gordon, PT, EdD, FAPTA | Associate Dean and Chair
- Cohort Size: ~95 in the residential DPT program | ~48 in the hybrid program
- Tuition: $67,389 each for years 1 and 2; $40,715 for the third year
- Acceptance Rate: 16% in 2017 (for the in-person program)
- Program: In-person full-time DPT and full-time hybrid
- School Type: private not-for-profit
Prereqs: Bachelor’s degree +
4.2 Points
- Contact Phone Number and Email: (919) 681-4380 | chad.cook@duke.edu
- Program Director: Chad E. Cook, PT, PhD, MBA, FAAOMPT
- Cohort Size: ~82 students accepted each year
- Tuition: $38,000 per year
- Acceptance Rate: 84% (of early-decision applicants who are interviewed)
- Program: In-person full-time DPT
- School Type: Private not-for-profit
Prereqs: Bachelor’s degree +
4.1 Points
Emory University in Atlanta, GA
- Contact Phone Number and Email: (404) 712-5660 | dptadmissions@emory.edu
- Program Director: Marie A. Johanson, PT, PhD, OCS | Interim Program Director and Professor
- Cohort Size: ~155 students in the graduate program
- Tuition: $11,100 per semester (as of 2016)
- Acceptance Rate: 25%
- Program: In-person full-time DPT
- School Type: Private not-for-profit
Prereqs: Bachelor’s degree +
3.9 Points
MGH Institute of Health Professions in Boston, MA
- Contact Phone Number and Email: (617) 726-8009 | entrydpt@mghihp.edu
- Program Director: Julie J. Keysor, PT, PhD
- Cohort Size: ~118 students in the graduate program
- Tuition: $27,780 for the fall semester of 2023, tuition rates fluctuate by semester
- Acceptance Rate: 19%
- Program: In-person full-time DPT
- School Type: Private not-for-profit
- Prereqs: Bachelor’s degree +
The Ohio State University in Columbus, OH
- Contact Phone Number and Email: (614) 292-5922 | Buford.5@osu.edu
- Program Director: John A. Buford, PT, PhD
- Cohort Size: 47-50 students accepted each year
- Tuition: $6,932.40 per semester for Ohio residents / $16,016.40 per semester for non-residents
- Acceptance Rate: 20%
- Program: In-person full-time DPT
- School Type: Public
- Prereqs: Bachelor’s degree +
Creighton University in Omaha, NE and Phoenix, AZ
- Contact Phone Number and Email: (402) 280-2662 | cuspahp@creighton.edu
- Program Director: Kirk Peck, PT, PhD, CSCS, CCRT, CERP
- Cohort Size: ~61 students in the graduate program
- Tuition: $38,040 for the first year; $56,550 for the second and third years
- Acceptance Rate: 20%
- Program: In-person full-time DPT
- School Type: Private
- Prereqs: Bachelor’s degree +
University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill
- Contact Phone Number and Email: (919) 966-4708 | dptadmissions@unc.edu
- Program Director: Deborah Givens, PT, DPT, PhD, FAPTA
- Cohort Size: 30-32 students in the graduate program
- Tuition: $9,201 max, per semester for NC residents; $18,347 max, per semester for non-residents
- Acceptance Rate: 33%
- Program: In-person full-time DPT
- School Type: Public
Prereqs: Bachelor’s degree +
What does it take to remain a physical therapist?
After you receive your physical therapist license, you’ll most likely be required to complete continuing education units (CEUs) to maintain your license and keep up on the latest in physical therapy research. Now, depending on where you practice, your CEU requirements will vary, which is why we put together this handy list. To see the CEU requirements for your state, click the appropriate link in the alphabetized link bank below.
(This list is for informational purposes only; please defer to your state practice act for the final say on CEU requirements in your region.)
Alabama to Hawaii
Idaho to Mississippi
Missouri to Pennsylvania
Rhode Island to Wyoming
Alabama to Hawaii
- Alabama: 10 PT contact hours every year with a renewal date of September 30.
- Alaska: 24 PT contact hours every two years with a renewal date of June 30 (in even-numbered years).
- Arizona: 20 PT contact hours every two years with a renewal date of August 31 (in even-numbered years).
- Arkansas: 20 PT contact hours every two years with a renewal date of December 31 (renewal on an odd-number year).
- California: 30 PT contact hours every two years with a renewal date that falls on the last day of the licensee’s birth month, beginning two years post-issuance.
- Colorado: 30 PT contact hours every two years with a renewal date of October 31 (in even-numbered years).
- Connecticut: 20 PT contact hours every year with a renewal date that falls on the last day of the licensee’s birth month.
- Delaware: 30 PT contact hours (3 CEUs) every two years with a renewal date of January 31 (in odd-numbered years).
- District of Columbia: 40 PT contact hours every two years with a renewal date of January 31 (in odd-numbered years).
- Florida: 24 PT contact hours every two years with a renewal date of November 30 (in odd-numbered years).
- Georgia: 30 PT contact hours every two years with a renewal date of December 31 (in odd-numbered years).
- Hawaii: 30 contact hours (30 CCUs) every two years with a renewal date of December 31 (in even-numbered years).
Idaho to Mississippi
- Idaho: 16 PT contact hours every year with a renewal date that falls on the last day of the licensee’s birth month.
- Illinois: 40 PT contact hours every two years with a renewal date of September 30 (in even-numbered years).
- Indiana: 22 PT contact hours every two years with a renewal date of June 30 (in even-numbered years).
- Iowa: 40 PT contact hours every two years with a renewal date that falls on the 15th day of the licensee’s birthday month.
- Kansas: 40 PT contact hours every two years with a renewal date of December 31 (in even-numbered years, but reported in odd-numbered years).
- Kentucky: 30 PT contact hours every two years with a renewal date of March 31 (in odd-numbered years).
- Louisiana: 30 PT contact hours every two years with a renewal date of March 31 (in odd- or even-numbered years based on the licensee’s birth year).
- Maine: There are no continuing education requirements in Maine; licenses renew March 31 (in even-numbered years).
- Maryland: 30 PT contact hours every two years (CEUs must be completed by March 31; licenses renew May 31 in odd- or even-numbered years based on the license ID number).
- Massachusetts: 24 PT contact hours every two years; licenses renew on the licensee’s birthday.
- Michigan: 24 professional development requirements (PDR) credits every two years with a renewal date of July 31 based on original licensure date (PDRs aren’t required for the first renewal).
- Minnesota: 20 PT contact hours every two years with a renewal date of Dec 31 annually (CEUs are due every two years based on the license issue date).
- Mississippi: 30 PT contact hours every two years with a renewal date of June 30 (last names beginning with A-L renew in odd-numbered years; last names beginning with M-Z renew in even-numbered years).
Missouri to Pennsylvania
- Missouri: 30 PT contact hours every two years (CEUs are due December 31 in odd-numbered years prior to license renewal).
- Montana: 30 PT contact hours every two years with a license renewal date of April 1 annually (CEUs are due in odd-numbered years).
- Nebraska: 20 PT contact hours every two years with a renewal date of November 1 (in odd-numbered years).
- Nevada: 15 PT contact hours (1.5 CEUs) every year with a renewal date of July 31.
- New Hampshire: 24 PT contact hours every two years with a renewal date of December 31 (in even-numbered years)
- New Jersey: 30 PT contact hours every two years with a renewal date of January 31 (in even-numbered years).
- New Mexico: 30 PT contact hours every two years with a renewal date of January 31 (even-numbered licenses renew in even-numbered years; odd-numbered licenses renew in odd-numbered years).
- New York: 36 PT contact hours every three years (CEUs are due on the last day of the licensee’s birth month beginning three years after the license issue date).
- North Carolina: 30 PT contact hours every two years with a renewal date based on licensure date.
- North Dakota: 25 PT contact hours every two years with a renewal date of January 31.
- Ohio: 24 PT contact hours every two years with a renewal date of January 31 (in even-numbered years).
- Oklahoma: 40 PT contact hours every two years with an annual license renewal date of January 31 (CEUs are due December 31 in odd-numbered years).
- Oregon: 24 PT contact hours every two years with a renewal date of March 31 (in even-numbered years).
- Pennsylvania: 30 PT contact hours (10 of which must be approved for direct access) every two years with a renewal date of December 31 (in even-numbered years).
Rhode Island to Wyoming
- Rhode Island: 24 PT contact hours every two years with a renewal date of March 31 (in even-numbered years).
- South Carolina: 30 PT contact hours every two years with a renewal date of December 31 (in even-numbered years).
- South Dakota: 15 PT contact hours every year with a renewal date of January 1.
- Tennessee: 30 PT contact hours every two years with a renewal date based on the licensee’s birth date (CEUs are due by the last day of the month prior to the birth month).
- Texas: 30 PT contact hours every two years with a renewal date that falls on the last day of the licensee’s birth month.
- Utah: 40 PT contact hours every two years with a renewal date of May 31 (in odd-numbered years).
- Vermont: 24 PT contact hours (24 CCUs) every two years with a renewal date of September 30 (in even-numbered years).
- Virginia: 30 PT contact hours every two years with a renewal date of December 31 (in even-numbered years).
- Washington: 40 PT contact hours every two years with an annual renewal date that falls on the licensee’s birthday. Additionally, PTs must show at least 200 hours of physical therapy employment.
- West Virginia: 24 PT contact hours (24 units) every two years with a renewal date of December 31.
- Wisconsin: 30 PT contact hours every two years with a renewal date of February 28 (in odd-numbered years).
- Wyoming: 30 PT contact hours every two years with an annual license renewal date of October 1.
What is the PT Compact?
Starting in 2018, the PT Compact was a collection of member states looking to simplify and streamline the reciprocity process for PTs to practice across state borders. When a PT is a member of the compact, they can apply for a compact privilege in each specific state. Continuing education competencies will default to the therapist’s home state, but any jurisprudence requirements would need to be fulfilled individually with the specific member state the PT is seeking privileges in. Not every state is a member of the PT Compact, so consult this map for an up-to-date list.
What other options are available to me in the PT field?
If you decide not to become a physical therapist—but you enjoy the rehab therapy field—you can also become:
- an occupational therapist;
- a speech-language pathologist;
- a therapist assistant (PTA, OTA, or SLPA); or
- a therapist technician.
Or, if you’d rather forego clinical work altogether, you can choose to work in the front or back office of a clinic, performing administrative or billing tasks. Finally, you can apply to work for a leading technology company in the physical therapy space—like WebPT. Check out our careers page here.
PT vs. PTA vs. Tech
While there is certainly overlap between physical therapists, physical therapist assistants (PTAs), and technicians (a.k.a. aides), there are some important distinctions. For example, in a clinical setting, all three roles work with patients; however, physical therapists are responsible for creating—and overseeing—patient plans of care. Thus, they are the ones who must:
- Interpret patient referrals,
- Complete all evaluations,
- Diagnose patient conditions,
- Supervise PTAs and techs,
- Cosign all PTA-completed notes, and
- Establish discharge plans.
Physical Therapist Assistants
According to the APTA, PTAs “implement selected components of patient/client interventions (treatment), obtain data related to the interventions provided, and make modifications in selected interventions either to progress the patient/client as directed by the physical therapist or to ensure patient/client safety and comfort.” In most cases, payers—including Medicare—will pay for PTA-provided services as long as they adhere to the established supervision and billing requirements; however, starting January 1, 2022, Medicare will only reimburse 85% of the usual rate for services provided in-part or in-full by a PTA or OTA.
Technicians
Finally, as we explained here, “techs help keep the clinic running like a well-oiled machine by cleaning equipment, preparing treatment areas, and assisting patients in moving from room to room—as well as “assist[ing] with clerical duties and paperwork.” According to the APTA, technicians may not perform duties that require the clinical decision-making of the physical therapist or the clinical problem solving of the physical therapist assistant. That said, they’re still integral members of the physical therapy team and can have a huge impact on the patient experience—and thus, the practice’s reputation.
To learn more about the differences between a physical therapist assistant and a technician—including job responsibilities, education requirements, and salary information—check out this post. To learn more about when a practice might hire a PT vs. PTA, check out this one.
Curious to learn about the current state of the physical therapy industry—from physical therapists themselves?
Check out our 2021 State of Rehab Therapy Report today to learn what PTs think and feel about the profession.