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Physical Therapist
Physical therapists go through at least six years of education
after high school. They must attend schools
accredited
by the
Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education
(CAPTE), which is part of the American Physical Therapy
Association (APTA). As of 2015, all accredited schools have to
offer a doctorate, the degree required to practice physical therapy
anywhere in the United States.
The doctorate program usually runs for three years after a
student has completed a bachelor’s degree. Some schools specify
that the bachelor’s be in some sort of science. Other schools offer
six-year programs that let students do their undergraduate and
doctoral studies at the same place. Students who know they want
to focus on sports medicine and want more exposure to the field
can choose a school that offers a dual athletic training/physical
therapy degree. They do their undergraduate work in athletic
training and their graduate work in physical therapy. After
completing their doctorate, new physical therapists must take
exams for a license for the state in which they want to practice.
Newly graduated therapists can pursue jobs or
internships
to specialize in a current area within their field, including
orthopedics or sportsmedicine. For the latter, a studentmust have
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Health Careers in Sports