Among the most rewarding jobs in the country today is that of the occupational and physical therapists. Apart from the issue of reward, there are also openings in the sector. According to statistics, physical and occupational therapist jobs are expected to grow at the rate of between 21 and 35{a090313c524763ad35c338d0941c6e5e266e5237d5b7f3be81470a8de3304f12} in 2008. The jobs also allows for flexibility. The physical and occupational therapist can operate as the situation demands. Practice facility, position, location, and position can be adapted to quite easily by the professionals. There are other sources of information besides the ones stated above using which you can make a presence in the sector you are planning to get into.
NATURE OF WORK
The therapist can work through many formats. They can make their work to be short term or long term, full time or part time, permanent or temporary, depending on the options available, the temperament of the person involved, the remuneration attached to the appointment, the location of the job, and the conditions given by the employer. Some therapists take the job on travel basis, while some make it Per Diem. However, both permanent therapist and those, who prefer a Per Diem arrangement, have bonus packages and benefits suitable to their situations.
EMPLOYER
Occupational and physical therapists can be employed by institutions in the health, sports, and education sectors. Examples of the institutions are community health centers, nursing homes, nursing schools, university health centers, teaching hospitals, geriatric centers, private and public hospitals, and other similar places. Institutions in the sports sector for instance make use of physical therapists to take care of sportsmen and sportswomen, while therapists are needed in schools for teaching and other purposes.
FUNCTIONS
Therapists can function as athletic therapy assistants, counselors, and occupational therapy assistants. The work of an occupational therapist is to cater for patients with behavioral troubles and hearing impairment, as well as to handle cases that concern premature babies in private and public hospitals, children who are afflicted with illnesses such as Down syndrome and cerebral palsy, and people suffering from illnesses like stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, and mental health problems.
REMUNERATION
Many factors determine how much the therapist earns. Examples such factors are years of experience, qualifications, location, and position of the therapist involved. For therapists with years of experience on the job, annual salaries can be quite high. Reports say that experienced therapists can earn as much as $63,000 per annum. Added to this are incentives like extra pay, free housing, referral bonus, life insurance, healthcare insurance, and relocation allowance.
