Occupation 1: Physical Therapist

 Primary Work Task  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.  Evaluate effects of treatment at various stages and adjust treatments to achieve maximum benefit.  Identify and document goals, anticipated progress, and plans for reevaluation.  Record prognosis, treatment, response, and progress in patient's chart or enter information into computer.  Obtain patients' informed consent to proposed interventions.  Test and measure patient's strength, motor development and function, sensory perception, functional capacity, or respiratory or circulatory efficiency and record data.  Typical Day  Review physician's referral and patient's medical records to help determine diagnosis and physical therapy treatment required.  Discharge patient from physical therapy when goals or projected outcomes have been attained and provide for appropriate follow-up care or referrals.  Instruct patient and family in treatment procedures to be continued at home.  Administer manual exercises, massage, or traction to help relieve pain, increase patient strength, or decrease or prevent deformity or crippling.  Direct, supervise, assess, and communicate with supportive personnel.  Inform patients and refer to appropriate practitioners when diagnosis reveals findings outside physical therapy.  Provide information to the patient about the proposed intervention, its material risks and expected benefits, and any reasonable alternatives.

 Education Required  A bachelor's degree is the minimum formal education required for this occupation.  All States require physical therapists to pass a licensure exam before they can practice, after graduating from an accredited physical therapist educational program.  According to the American Physical Therapy Association, there were 205 accredited physical therapist programs in Of the accredited programs, 94 offered masters degrees, and 111 offered doctoral degrees. All physical therapist programs seeking accreditation are required to offer degrees at the masters degree level and above, in accordance with the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education.  Suggested College and Postsecondary Majors  Health Professions and Related Programs  Suggested Instructional Programs  Physical Therapy/Therapist  Kinesiotherapy/Kinesiotherapist

Personality Characteristics  Social  Investigative  Realistic Abilities and Skills Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times. Talking to others to convey information effectively. Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents. Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems. Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do. Managing one's own time and the time of others. Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions. Actively looking for ways to help people. Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one. Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

 Physical therapists practice in hospitals, clinics, and private offices that have specially equipped facilities, or they treat patients in hospital rooms, homes, or schools.  In 2004, most full-time physical therapists worked a 40-hour week; some worked evenings and weekends to fit their patients schedules. About 1 in 4 physical therapists worked part time. The job can be physically demanding because therapists often have to stoop, kneel, crouch, lift, and stand for long periods. In addition, physical therapists move heavy equipment and lift patients or help them turn, stand, or walk.  Physical therapists need a moderate degree of strength in order to help move and place patients on equipment. Work requires a lot of kneeling, stooping, and standing for long periods of time. Hours and days of work vary depending on the facility; however, aides work both part-time and full-time hours, which may include evening and weekend hours.

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 There is a lot of opportunity for physical therapists. Many of them start in a clinic to gain work experience, deciding what they want to focus their careers on. If they decide to work in a hospital they will have potential in moving up the organizational chain to lead people and set policy. Some physical therapists opt to concentrate on something they find enjoyable to them such as working with the elderly. One of the specializations that is popular in physical therapy is working in sports medicine.

 Outlook ( ) ◦ National = 39% increase in employment

◦ Is this occupation limited to certain areas of country or particular kinds of places?

 Certificates  Bachelor’s Degree  What professional organizations are related to this occupation?  Athletic Trainers  Physician Assistants  Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists  What are some of the pros and cons of this work?  Pros  High level of education. You will gain advanced knowledge in many areas of health and science.  Excellent job opportunities. Physical therapists are in high demand.  Cons  Extended time required for education. Completing the rigorous course work can take at least five years.  Cost of education. Finishing school with student loans is very likely, and a large portion of your physical therapist salary during the first few years of employment will go toward repaying the loans.  Likes  I get to help people heal there injury and help them be able to use that injured body part normally  Dislikes  When you take the course of being a physical therapist it takes a long time to be finished with it

Mental Health Counselors:

 Typical day  Maintain confidentiality of records relating to clients' treatment.  Encourage clients to express their feelings and discuss what is happening in their lives, helping them to develop insight into themselves or their relationships.  Collect information about clients through interviews, observation, or tests.  Assess patients for risk of suicide attempts.  Prepare and maintain all required treatment records and reports.  Fill out and maintain client-related paperwork, including federal- and state-mandated forms, client diagnostic records, and progress notes.  Counsel clients or patients, individually or in group sessions, to assist in overcoming dependencies, adjusting to life, or making changes.  Primary Work Task  Guide clients in the development of skills or strategies for dealing with their problems.  Perform crisis interventions with clients.  Develop and implement treatment plans based on clinical experience and knowledge.  Evaluate clients' physical or mental condition, based on review of client information.  Modify treatment activities or approaches as needed to comply with changes in clients' status.  Act as client advocates to coordinate required services or to resolve emergency problems in crisis situations.  Evaluate the effectiveness of counseling programs on clients' progress in resolving identified problems and moving towards defined objectives.

◦ Education Required ◦ A graduate degree, and in most cases state licensure, is the minimum formal education required for this occupation. ◦ Postsecondary Majors and Programs  Suggested College and Postsecondary Majors  Health Professions and Related Programs  Suggested Instructional Programs  Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling  Clinical/Medical Social Work  Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling  Mental Health Counseling/Counselor

Personality Characteristics Social Investigative Artistic Abilities and Skills ◦ Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.  Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.  Talking to others to convey information effectively.  Actively looking for ways to help people.  Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.  Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.  Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.  Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.  Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one

 Mental health counselors work in a variety of settings. Some work for mental health clinics; others work in private practice. Work areas are usually well-lit, comfortable, and private. Self-employed counselors can set their own hours, while those that work for clinics usually work 40 hours a week. Most counselors are on call around the clock for emergencies, though those working in clinics usually share on-call hours among the other counselors they work with.  Some school counselors work the traditional 9- to 10-month school year with a 2- to 3-month vacation, but increasing numbers, especially those working in middle and high schools, are employed on 11-month or full-year contracts. They usually work the same hours as teachers, but may travel more frequently to attend conferences and conventions. College career planning and placement counselors work long and irregular hours during student recruiting periods.  Rehabilitation counselors usually work a standard 40-hour week. Self-employed counselors and those working in mental health and community agencies, such as substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors, frequently work evenings in order to counsel clients who work during the day. Both mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists also often work flexible hours to accommodate families in crisis or working couples who must have evening or weekend appointments.  Counselors must possess high physical and emotional energy to handle the array of problems that they address. Dealing daily with these problems can cause stress. Although the risk of litigation is relatively low, it is still prudent for counselors in all fields to hold some form of personal liability insurance. Because privacy is essential for confidential and frank discussions with clients, counselors usually have private offices.

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 Experienced counselors often hold administrative or supervisory positions at agencies and treatment facilities. Some return to school to pursue doctorates in counseling, which opens up new career opportunities in teaching and research.

 Outlook ( ) ◦ National = 36 % increase in employment

◦ Is this occupation limited to certain areas of country or particular kinds of places?

 Certificates  Graduate Degree  State Licensure  What professional organizations are related to this occupation?  School Psychologists  Clinical Psychologists  Counseling Psychologists  What are some of the pros and cons of this work?  Pros  The growing demand for mental health counselors means qualified counselors will find it easy to get work. Mental health counselors work in a range of environments, ranging from offices in private practice, university research positions and work with other public institutions, such as hospitals and prisons. Cons  Rewarding as it can be to help troubled people, it also can be highly stressful. For this reason, the field suffers a high burnout rate. To succeed as a mental health counselor, you need training and compassion as well as high levels of both physical and emotional energy and resilience.  Likes  I’ll have an opportunity to help people from diverse ages and help them get over there personal problems  Dislikes  There’s a possibility you can get hurt because of the mental problem the person has