Careers in Physiotherapy: When our body or a part of the body fails to function normally as a result of the disease or injuries “Physiotherapy” is adopted to treat the disorders with the help of different physical exercises therapy and other agents like heat, radiation, electricity, water and massage to cure weaknesses of muscles, limitation of movements in joints of shoulder, knees etc.
Careers in Physiotherapy – Who is eligible?
Those who want to opt physiotherapy as their career are required to go for B.Sc degree in physiotherapy for which eligibility is 10+2 passed or equivalent examination with Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English with 50% marks in each subjects separately. After this one can also go in for postgraduation. Selection is made on the basis of Common Entrance Test (CET) conducted by different state govts. Some Universities and Institutes conduct their own entrance test. Degree level courses in physiotherapy generally range from 3 to 4 years. For a Degree Level course, the last six months involve an internship period at a hospital.
Careers in Physiotherapy – Personal attributes
Scientific reasoning and problem solving skill, excellent interpersonal skills, ability to instill confidence and courage in patients, average analytical and logical reasoning skills, ability to memorize and recall scientific facts, manual dexterity and physical stamina to work for long hours, patience and understanding of people, a sympathetic approach towards the patients, a keen desire to help people good observation power are some of the personal attributes required
to be a successful physiotherapist.
Careers in Physiotherapy – Nature of work
The professionally trained person who administers this treatment is known as Physiotherapist. A Physiotherapist works as a member of rehabilitation team in cooperation and consultation with specialists of medicine/ surgery. His first job is to examine the patients thoroughly to determine the degree of incapacity sustained by the patient by administering muscle and nerve tests. He reports his findings to the doctor. They may confer and decide together on a course of treatment which will seem to hold promise of success. Depending on the nature of the problem, treatment adopted for it will include massage to stimulate muscles, or relieve pain or improve blood circulation, it may be some sort of heat treatment or ultrasonic ray. He re-evaluates regularly the efficiency of the treatment programme, if necessary makes necessary alterations in the treatment programme.
A physiotherapist treats cases such as fracture, dislocation, amputation, deformities bom or acquired, nerve injuries, cerebral, heart and chest conditions, skin conditions, gynaecological cases, muscular diseases/wound, burns, plastic surgery etc. referred to him by a Physician. He may also have patients including those who have contracted polio, or who are suffering from an emotional illness. The Physiotherapist might work with any patient who need retraining in order to be able to carry on at least some of his former activities. Besides skill
and art in the profession, it is therapist’s own attitude which counts most in reassuring the patient that their case is not hopeless. The therapist is always a source of inspiration to the patients. He often gives courage to keep trying. Patients often need to learn on the therapist’s emotional as well as physical strength. Therefore, Physiotherapist is required to possess emotional stability, earnest desire to help others, good health, patience and cool temperament.
Employment Opportunities
Careers in Physiotherapy Employment Opportunities – A Physiotherapist can be employed in Rehabilitation/Orthopaedics departments of hospitals under the Central State Governments, Municipal Corporations and Private Bodies. Opportunities also exist in the institutes related to this field.
Promotion is open to senior positions like Senior Physiotherapist, Supervisor Physical Therapy, Superintendent of Physiotherapy in Government Hospital and to Demonstrators, Lecturers, Assistant Professors, Associate Professors and Professors in the Medical College/ Institutions. In Government hospitals, senior posts are filled by promotion from junior posts and partly by direct recruitment.
There is a considerable scope for private practice in Physiotherapy in Urban areas. Qualified personnel can establish their clinics independently or in partnership to offer professional service. Before setting up the clinic you have to enrol as member of Indian Association of Physiotherapist. Job opportunities for this profession are quite promising indeed.
Remuneration
Careers in Physiotherapy Remuneration – The gross salary of a physiotherapist at the entry level is approx. Rs.25,000 p.m. in a central government hospital and the maximum is Rs.75,000 p.m. In the private sector, in the beginning he or she is paid about Rs.10,000 to 15,000 p.m.
Some of the prominent institutes offering courses in physiotherapy are
- National Institute for the Orthopedically Handicapped, Kolkata
- National Institute for the Visually Handicapped, Dehradun
- Ali Yavar Jung National Institute for the Hearing Handicapped (NIHH), Mumbai
- National Institute of Rehabilitation, Training and Research, Cuttack
- Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Institute for the Physically Handicapped, 4, Vishnu Digamber Marg, New Delhi (Affiliated to University of Delhi)
- National Institute for the Mentally Handicapped, Manovikasnagar, Bowenpally, Secunderabad
- National Institute for the Visually Handicapped, 116 Rajpur Road, Dehradun
- National Institute of Rehabilitation, Training & Research, Oltapur, Bairoi, Cuttack 754010
- National Institute of Orthopedically Handicapped, B.T. Road, Hoogly, Kolkata
- Ali Yavar Jung National Institute for the Hearing Handicapped, K.C. Marg, Bandra Reclamation, Bandra (West) Mumbai
- Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh
- Amar Jyoti Institute of Physiotherapy, Karkardooma, Vikas Marg, Delhi (Affiliated to University of Delhi)
- Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Jamia Hamdard University, Hamdard Nagar, New Delhi
- Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Dwarka, New Delhi (www.ipu.ac.in)
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