At age 16 Leonard Van Gelder left traditional education to pursue his own IT company. Who would have thought that in the next 16 years he would become a martial artist, athletic trainer, physical therapist and physical therapy practice owner! “I have always needed to motivate myself to learn. I also love to learn for…
Go West, Young Man! Justin Johnson originally started as a travel physical therapist so that he could move out West and live somewhere that suited his love for the outdoors. Being a travel therapist has enabled Johnson to work in a variety of settings. He has enjoyed each setting for different reasons. He worked at…
Are you interested helping the therapy industry evolve? As a therapist in the research setting, you’ll work in a privately or government-funded research project conducted in conjunction with a university or not-for-profit organization. Your main goal will be conducting research to further establish the effectiveness of therapy, based on outcomes and cost. Your work will…
The education sector is perhaps one of the oldest branches of the therapy profession. As a professor in a college or university, you’ll have the responsibility of passing your knowledge of the therapy profession on to young minds. And in this role, you’ll have a direct hand in the continuation of physical or occupational therapy,…
As a therapist in the military setting, you have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to serve your country. Therapists in the military can choose either active duty — helping military men and women post-injury during times of combat — or civilian duty, providing care to wounded warriors and veterans in military treatment facilities. Recent statistics indicate that…
Home health and hospice care is a growing industry for therapists. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates that by 2050, 27 million Americans will be in need of long-term healthcare. This opens a tremendous door for therapists, since roughly 4.2 percent of all hospice patients receive therapy services — either physical or…
Wellness Programs focus on helping your clients improve their health and physical fitness, to prevent injuries before they happen. Wellness services are a way for physical therapists to branch out from traditional services and try something new and different. Within this setting, you have the option to run your own private practice within an outpatient,…
As a therapist, you can have an important role in the development and functioning of children and young adults (from 3-21 years of age). You can do this by working in the school or preschool setting. Within this setting, therapists aid students in their access to and participation in educational activities. This is a common…
The hospital setting is a very common setting for therapists to work. In fact, 28 percent of occupational therapists, 28 percent of physical therapists, and 13 percent of speech language pathologists work in the hospital setting. The popularity of this job setting is due to the large demand for workers in this setting and the…
Want to help injured workers get back on their feet and back on the job? Industrial Rehabilitation —also known as Advanced Work Rehabilitation, involves helping employers fulfill their responsibility to injured workers by evaluating and training injured workers until they are able to return to work full time. Advanced Work Therapists must be experts in…