Therapy Careers

With a career in therapy and rehabilitation you often have the opportunity to see your patients recovery through to full health or ability. The potential to build close working relationships - moreso compared to most other fields of health care - through the continuous one-on-one sessions inherent with therapeutic treatment is something that draws many to choose one of the following professions. These careers are primarily based on improving either musculoskeletal, sensory, breathing, or social functionality.

Audiologist
Speech-Language Pathologist
Physical Therapist and PT Assistant
Respiratory Therapist

Audiologist

Audiologists treat individuals who have hearing- and equilibrium-related issues. By using a device called an audiometer and other auditory diagnostic tools, AUDs conduct tests to measure the decibel level at which a person starts to hear sounds (i.e. Diagnostic Audiologic Evaluation), their ability to differentiate between sounds (i.e. Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions), and determining the type and degree of hearing loss experienced. Audiologists then analyze this data and taking into consideration other health conditions and patient history, establish a diagnosis and therapy plan.

Degree Requirements

A 4-year doctorate in audiology (Au.D.) is the standard for those interested entering into this field moving forward and required in most states. Audiologists with a master’s degree and clinical training are still allowed to practice for the time being.

Certification

Certification through the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association OR American Board of Audiology. Both require applications to hold an Au.D. degree.

Licensure

Every state requires audiologists to be licensed, with exact criteria varying among each jurisdiction.

Operate various diagnostic devices to assess hearing loss
Create molds of the inner-ear to make and dispense custom-fitted hearing aids or earplugs
Instruct patients on how to use various assistive hearing devices devices
Perform balance, speech, bone conduction and air conduction tests
Conduct research on problems such as tinnitus (ringing in the ear), hearing loss, and impaired balance systems

34% job growth (excellent) with an employment increase of 4,300 audiologists between 2012 and 2022.

Average Salary
$72,890

Speech-Language Pathologist

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) work with people who have a variety of speech and language difficulties. They assess, treat, and help prevent communication disorders as well as problems affecting the ability to eat/swallow.

Degree Requirements

Master’s degree from a college or university that offers a Council on Academic Accreditation-approved speech-language program.

Certification

Earning the CCC-SLP certification from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association is required.

Licensure

Nearly every state requires SLPs to be licensed according to their requirements. Having a master’s from a CAA-accredited communications program and CCC-SLP credential fulfills requirements of most states.

Use various speech therapy tests including language (i.e. comprehensive, expressive, receptive, vocabulary), phonology, articulation and apraxia tests
Advise patients and their loved ones regarding speech/oral afflictions
Collaborate with family members of patient to identify and modify behavior patterns that get in the way of effective communication and therapy

19% job growth, which is more than average, with 26,000 new SLP employment opportunites becoming available from 2012 to 2022.

Average Salary
$72,730

Physical Therapist and PT Assistant

Physical therapists (PTs) work with people recovering from accident- and physical activity-related injuries such as such as slipped vertebral discs, bone fractures, ligament tears as well as acquired disabilities such as cerebral palsy and other neuropathies. They administer therapy to patients to bring back function, restore natural range of motion, alleviate pain, and protect against or manage risk of chronic physical impairments. PT assistants (PTAs) work alongside or under the supervision of PTs in applying therapeutic treatments such as ultrasound, cryotherapy and hydrotherapy, as well as exercise guidance to patients.

Degree Requirements

Physical Therapist
3-year graduate degree from a CAPTE-accredited Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program

Physical Therapist Assistant
2-year associates degree in physical therapy assisting from CAPTE-accredited program

Certification

Both PTs and PTAs are required to take and pass the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE) in their respective area of practice.

Licensure

PTs are required to be licensed in all states; PTAs require licensure in 49 states with the exception of Hawaii.

36% and 41% job growth is predicted for PTs and PTAs, respectively. This equates to 73,500 new employment opportunities for PTs and 29,300 for PT assistants between the years 2012 and 2022.

Average Salary

$82,930 for PTs and $54,520 for PT assistants based on a salary survey taken by Advanced Healthcare Network - physical-therapy.advanceweb.com/Web-Extras/Online-Extras/2013-Salary-Survey-Results-2.aspx.

Respiratory Therapist

The basic goal of respiratory therapists (RTs) is to help clients breathe more easily. They do this by helping assess, prevent and treat lung disease. Hospitals, nursing facilities, and clients’ homes are some of the more common settings where RTs work. Respiratory therapists also educate patients and train them on how to live with their disease. They can also service the community, for example, conducting smoking cessation clinics, asthma awareness camps, and lung disease management classes.

There are two main levels of practice in the respiratory care profession. The term respiratory care practitioner (RCP) applies to both levels. This term is also used by many states for licensure. These are:

Certified respiratory therapist (CRT), an entry-level position in the profession
Registered respiratory therapist (RRT), a more advanced role

In addition to obtaining the CRT and RRT credentials, a respiratory therapist can advance his or her education/training even further and choose to become a pulmonary function technologist (PFT). There are also two classifications for PFTs - certified (CPFT) and registered (RPFT).

Degree Requirements

CRT, RRT and PFT
Complete 2-year associate or 4-year bachelors degree program that’s approved by the Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC).

Certification/Licensure

Specific licensure requirements for respiratory therapy professionals are defined by each state. Becoming certified through the National Board of Respiratory Care or NBRC is a major component in meeting these requirements.

CRT
Earn certification from NBRC after passing the entry-level CRT examination.

RRT
Must have earned CRT certification prior to sitting for the NBRC’s RRT exam.

CPFT
Must hold either a CRT OR RRT credential OR have 6 months - 2 years of experience working in pulmonary function technology to take the CPFT exam.

RPFT
CPFT certification must first be acquired in order to be considered eligible for the RPFT test.

Perform spirometry and other lung capacity tests
Assess the need for therapeutic respiratory procedures
Determine the potential benefits of the therapy
Detect the presence or absence of lung disease
Measure the effect of a known disease on lung function
Measure the effects of occupational and environmental exposure
Monitor the outcome of the therapy to determine whether the treatment objectives were met

19% or better than average with 22,700 new job openings for respiratory therapists expected from 2012 - 2022.

Average Salary

$53,557 for CRTs and $61,497 for RRTs, respectively, according to Advance Healthcare Network - respiratory-care-sleep-medicine.advanceweb.com/Web-Extras/Online-Extras/Compensation-Your-Career-Path.aspx. As a pulmonary function technologist you can expect a $1,000 to $10,000 per year salary increase.