Prephysical Therapy
Physical therapists serve in a dynamic, comprehensive health-care role as they plan, conduct, and evaluate treatment programs for medically referred patients—including children in public schools who are disabled or need special attention, senior citizens in nursing homes with arthritis or hip injury, patients in hospitals, athletes recovering from injury, employees in industrial plants injured in the workplace, and veterans coping with amputation or paralysis.
This responsibility often includes instruction of patients and their families and supervision of physical therapy assistants, physical therapy aides, students, and other health workers.
In planning a program of physical therapy, the therapist reviews the patient's medical records, evaluates the patient's condition, and attempts to identify the problems. After conferring with the physician and other health practitioners who referred the patient, the therapist establishes treatment objectives and a program.
Treatments include exercises for increasing strength, endurance, coordination, and range of motion. Accompanied by the use of heat, cold, sound, water, and other devices, these treatments are designed to relieve pain and stimulate motor activity.
Luther offers preprofessional courses necessary for thorough training in physical therapy. Students who choose to enter the field of physical therapy generally major in biology, health, physical education, or psychology.
After earning a bachelor's degree and taking the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), a student enrolls in a master's degree clinical program at the University of Iowa or Mayo Clinic, for example. After successful clinical work, the student is certified as a physical therapist.