OSU Jobs Insider: A Look at the Physical Therapy Program
The OSU jobs outlook for physical therapy students should remain positive in the years to come. Several factors play a role in this trend. First, an upward trend in health and wellness consciousness means more people will be seeking physical therapy services. Second, the aging Baby Boom generation is expected to live longer, causing an increase in demand for trained rehabilitation professionals. Third, advances in technology enable medical teams to save babies with birth defects, who also require the services of trained physical therapists.
The OSU jobs path depends on the student’s choice of specialization. The university offers seven clinical specializations: Geriatric, orthopedic, pediatric, sports, clinical electrophysiology, and cardiovascular and pulmonary. As a career path, clinical specialization in any of these areas opens up numerous possibilities. Successfully completing a clinical specialization brings increased professional prestige, responsibility, and advancement opportunities.
More recently, the university has begun to offer training in Sports Physical Therapy as one of its OSU jobs path options. The program is a joint offering of the OSU Sports Medicine Center and the OSU School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. Accreditation has been received from the American Physical Therapy Association.
Students enrolling in this program as part of their OSU jobs path can expect advanced training and knowledge in five critical areas: (1) Health Promotion, Fitness and Wellness (2) Advanced Clinical Skills (3) Critical Inquiry & Evidence Based Practice (4) Consultation/Education (5) Foundational and Clinical Sciences.
Upon completion, residents should be prepared to become Board Certified in Sports Physical Therapy from the American Board of Physical Therapy.
As a potential OSU jobs opportunity, the program lasts 15 months and begins in September of each year. Mentorships for new residents are provided by experienced residents. The OSU program lasts longer than comparable residencies. However, this was a deliberate decision on the part of the university to allow residents to gain the full benefit of the OSU experience. This includes taking advantage of the academic, research, and clinic opportunities available on campus.
Weekly schedules for students in the Physical Therapy Residence Program include graduate course work, orthopedic and cadaveric lab instruction, and practice treatment with sports patients. The program also includes shadowing in a family physician’s office, quarterly Grand rounds, and regular conferences with experience Sports Medicine Physicians.
The program also features a one-quarter assignment with the university’s athletics department for residents who possess a background in ATC. Non-credentialed residents benefit from working with various OSU sports clubs and community outreach functions.
As a pre-professional program, the OSU jobs path in physical therapy provides students with paid staff positions at the OSU Sports Medicine Center. Compensation includes paid clinical time, health insurance, tuition assistance, and liability insurance.
Eligibility for enrolling in a clinical specialization, and embarking on the OSU jobs path in physical therapy, requires a valid U.S. physical therapy license. Candidates must have completed 2,000 hours of direct care in their chosen specialty within the previous 10 years, with at least 500 hours completed in the previous three years.
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