How to become a Physical Therapist (PT/DPT)
Physical Therapists treat impairment, dysfunction, and disability through movement-based interventions. Per the American Physical Therapy Association, about 251,000 PTs practice in the US, with the largest practice settings being outpatient orthopedic clinics, acute-care hospitals, home health, and skilled-nursing facilities.
Pre-PT undergraduate
Most DPT programs require a bachelor's degree plus specific prerequisite courses: anatomy + physiology, general + organic chemistry, physics, biology, statistics, psychology, and sometimes exercise physiology. Many candidates major in exercise science, kinesiology, or biology; the specific major is less important than the prereq GPA + observation hours (typically 100-200 hours of shadowing across multiple PT practice settings).
DPT program
The Doctor of Physical Therapy is the only entry-level pathway since 2016, Masters-level PT degrees were phased out by CAPTE (the accrediting body). DPT programs run ~3 years (some 2.5, some 3.5) and award the DPT degree. Curriculum covers anatomy, kinesiology, neuroscience, biomechanics, therapeutic exercise, manual therapy, and ~30+ weeks of full-time clinical rotations across diverse settings.
Licensing
After graduation, candidates sit for the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE), administered by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy. Pass + state application = PT license. Some states also require a jurisprudence exam covering state-specific PT practice law. Most states have direct-access provisions allowing PTs to evaluate + treat patients without a physician referral, though insurance reimbursement sometimes still requires one.
Residencies + specialization
Optional 12-18 month residencies are available in specialty areas (orthopedic, sports, neurologic, pediatric, geriatric, cardiopulmonary, women's health, electrophysiology) and lead to board-certified specialist credentials via the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS). Residency is not required for general practice but expected for many academic + sports-medicine roles.
Compensation
BLS reports median annual PT salary in the $100k-$105k range nationally. Compensation varies by setting (outpatient orthopedic generally lower base + higher productivity bonus; home health + travel PT pay highest hourly) and geography.