How Long Does It Take To Become A Physical Therapist (And Why)?

Exact Answer: 3 Years

If your initial education is complete, and now you are looking to start further education, there are quite a few options for you. You can select any opportunity of your choice.

However, you must choose your career path very carefully. Yes, there are a lot of options that one can select from available opportunities. You can go on to become a doctor or a lawyer or maybe an engineer.

Other than the mainstream, there are other professions too. For example, you can become a physical therapist too.

There are a lot of colleges and universities that will help you become a Physical Therapist. It’s a great professional choice and also pays out well.

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How Long Does It Take To Become A Physical Therapist?

Physical Therapists or PTs are professionals who are also known as movement experts. They help people in getting their physical exercise done. Physical therapy helps the patient to achieve good health or recover from an injury.

You can become a Physical Therapist if healing people and helping people is your calling. You can take up the traditional DPT Program to become a Physical Therapist.

It can take about three years to complete the course. After that, you start practicing. The tenure is long, but in the end, it is worth your effort. Although if you want to complete it sooner, then there are colleges that provide short-term courses too.

Short-term courses offer learning in a compressed sort. These courses can almost last for as short as two years. There are also few undergraduate programs in physical therapy that span for five years or four years, depending on your choice of program.

The course duration also depends on which university the college affiliations are. However, on average most colleges offer a 3-year course.

The syllabus almost remains the same with regards to what you will be learning during the course duration. The period in which the topics are covered increases or decrease.

Program NameDuration of the Program
BPT – Bachelor Of Physical Therapy4 years
Bachelor of Occupational Therapy3 to 5 years
BSC in Physiotherapy3 years
Diploma in Physiotherapy2 to 3 years

Why Does It Take So Long To Become A Physical Therapist?

After you complete high school, a lot of options are open for you. No matter what option you choose, you will have to invest some time to get educated.

The time that you invest is essential because it is when you learn the ropes. And you will have to invest months and sometimes years into the learning. The time depends on what your goals are.

For becoming a Physical Therapist, you will have to invest a minimum of 2 years and a maximum of 5 years. You have to put time into the learning so you learn everything you will need to know when you start working as a physical therapist.

The various reasons why it takes so long to become a physical therapist are as follows:

  • To Kickstart your career – If you want to make a career as a physical therapist, you must put in these years. The time that you will put in will decide your expertise when you get your license.
  • Every great thing needs time – Nothing happens overnight, so, to become an able physical therapist, you will need to attend college for several years to learn the practicality of being a physical therapist.
  • It Polishes your skills – If you want to mug up things, it is possible to do that in a few months. But when you decide to get a degree, you learn how to apply the knowledge. Becasue in the end, application knowedge is what will take you far.

Conclusion

It is significant to start early, as you get the opportunity to earn experiences soon enough. Becoming a physical therapist is not easy, especially when people will come to you after an injury. They should be able to trust you enough to approach you for recovery.

Success will only come if you are good at what you do. And you will become good with education and experience both. So it takes time, but once you find your place in the market, the sky is the limit.

References

  1. https://academic.oup.com/ptj/article/90/10/1479/2737732?login=true
  2. https://www.jospt.org/doi/full/10.2519/jospt.2011.3556

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AboutNidhi

Hi! I'm Nidhi.

Here at the EHL, it's all about delicious, easy recipes for casual entertaining. So come and join me at the beach, relax and enjoy the food.

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