The third-best health care job in the rankings, according to the American Physical Therapy Association, is “physical therapist.” The top 100 jobs were ranked after U.S. News & World Report looked at the jobs with the most projected openings from 2021 to 2031 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Physical therapy is the third-best job in 2023, accounting for 40% of the best jobs. In the top 100, it came in at number six overall.
As per APTA President Roger Herr, PT, MPA, “Recognition as the third-best health care employment in the U.S. is a testimonial to the critical role the physical therapy profession plays in helping people optimise their quality of life.” “In order to promote the field of physical therapy and enhance societal health, physical therapists and physical therapist assistants are creating a community. We become an essential element of healthcare teams today and are leading the charge in tackling the difficulties that the healthcare system will face in the future by proving the worth of our work.”
There is no doubting that healthcare professionals, including physical therapists and physical therapist assistants, continue to face substantial hurdles as our nation navigates its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Physical therapists are still in great demand despite ongoing reimbursement decreases from public and commercial payers, rising education expenses and student debt, increased administrative duties, and fatigue. A recruitment drive for the following generation of physical therapists and physical therapist assistants was started by APTA in 2021. According to APTA Director of Centralized Application Services and Student Recruitment Ryan Bannister, “PT Moves Me Ambassador Program has been very effective since its beginning.”
In order to promote the long-term sustainability of the physical therapy profession, Herr says, “APTA will continue to work on behalf of the therapy profession by leading efforts to modernise health care legislation and regulations supporting provider health and well-being.” Despite the challenges the industry faces.
Consumer support for the profession also corresponds with U.S. News & World Report’s assessment and high ranking of the physical therapy profession. A 2021 APTA Consumer Research Report reveals growing understanding of physical therapy. The results showed that 92% of those who had received therapy thought it had been extremely (63%) or moderately (29%) effective.
More than 100,000 physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and students are all represented by the American Physical Therapy Association.
