Physiotherapist

About this occupation

Physiotherapists are autonomous health professionals who are responsible for developing, maintaining or restoring motor function and movement throughout the lifespan using evidence-based practice. They relieve pain and treat or prevent physical conditions associated with injury, disease or other impairments. Physiotherapists empower patients and their carers to manage the condition outside clinical settings. They work within their scope of practice and their professional Code of Conduct. 

• Plan, prepare, or carry out individually designed programs of physical treatment to maintain, improve, or restore physical functioning, alleviate pain, or prevent physical dysfunction in patients.
• Perform and document an initial exam, evaluating data to identify problems and determine a diagnosis prior to intervention.
• Record prognosis, treatment, response, and progress in patient's chart or enter information into computer.
• Instruct patient and family in treatment procedures to be continued at home.
• Evaluate effects of treatment at various stages and adjust treatments to achieve maximum benefit.
• Confer with the patient, medical practitioners, or appropriate others to plan, implement, or assess the intervention program.

Typical education (US)

Doctoral Degree

Preparation

Job Zone 5 of 5

Interests

Social, Investigative, Realistic

Top skills: Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Social Perceptiveness, Service Orientation

US median pay: US$102,760 a year (2025), 267,330 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.

Subjects this work relies on

How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).

• PsychologyO*NET: PsychologyVery important (4.1)
• English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageVery important (4.0)
• BiologyO*NET: BiologyVery important (3.7)
• PhysicsO*NET: PhysicsImportant (3.2)
• Business Studies or EntrepreneurshipO*NET: Administration and ManagementImportant (3.2)
• SociologyO*NET: Sociology and AnthropologyImportant (3.1)

O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.

Preparation needed

Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed

Most common education (US)

Doctoral Degree

Education

Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).

Experience

Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.

Training

Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.

O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.