5 minute read
HUMAN CAPITAL Career Trends
Physiotherapists
Foreign - trained Physical Therapist career path in the U.S.
There is a shortage of physiotherapists, and demand is growing, especially in developed countries like the USA and UK. Although a growing demand for physiotherapy, it certainly worsened by Pandemic. We listed the main factors that indicates the developed countries, especially Europe, UK, New Zeeland, Canada, Australia, and the U.S. are increasingly concerned:
a. post-Covid rehabilitation needs,
b. Ageism, an aging population is more susceptible to chronic conditions, and the baby boomer generation is entering the prime age for strokes and heart attacks.
c. The overall low population growth rate in these countries, with limited new entrants in the labor market,
d. Growing numbers of people with multiple long-term conditions,
e. An increased survival rates following stroke, trauma, and cancer,
f. Rehabilitation needs in some nations, injured and debilitated men and women that return from wars.
Physical therapy (PT) is a patient preferred, non-pharmaceutical approach for addressing injury, chronic pain, or restricted mobility. As a less-invasive approach than surgery, PT can help patients rehabilitate and regain bodily function, manage pain, prevent injury, and improve mobility, flexibility, and balance.
Physical therapy is prescribed most often to patients with serious pain or mobility issues, ranging from athletes and individuals recovering from injuries to individuals with chronic conditions and developmental challenges.
Physical therapists (PTs) are state licensed healthcare professionals. Physical therapist assistants (PTAs) are healthcare professionals who provide physical therapy services under the direction and supervision of a licensed physical therapist.
Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2020 29-1123 Physical Therapists:
Human Capital Award 2022
License and Accreditation
Physical therapists need a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree from a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). DPT programs typically last three years.
All U.S. States require physical therapists to be licensed, including passing the National Physical Therapy Examination administered by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy. Other requirements vary by state. After gaining work experience, some physical therapists choose to become board-certified specialists. The American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties offers certification in physical therapy clinical specialty areas, such as orthopedics, sports, and geriatrics. Board specialist certification requires passing an exam and completing clinical work in the specialty area.
1. Obtain authorization to work in the U.S.
2. Qualify for a PT license
A foreign-trained physical therapist will need two parallel steps: obtain authorization to work in the United States and qualify for a PT license. For the first step, I highly recommend you engage with our law firm, which is specialized in non-immigrant and immigrant visas (green cards), and they are best suited to explain that step.
For the second step - licensing - a foreign-trained physical therapist will need to prove that his (her) education is the equivalent of a DPT and pass the NPTE.
So, you will need to qualify to work in the US as a healthcare worker. While you do that, I recommend doing steps a and b, which allow you to register for the NPTE, and the third step qualifies you to practice Physical Therapy in the US.
Shortages are unlikely to be met from domestic supply alone, but it does not make sense to give someone a work visa if they aren’t correctly credentialed. So, as part of the requirements, you will eventually need to show that you have valid credentials to work in the US as a PT.
Foreign educated physical therapists credentialing agency, education credentials, coursework tools (CWT)
In order to become licensed as a physical therapist, a Foreign Educated physical therapist's education must be deemed equivalent to a first professional physical therapy degree in the United States.
There is no national licensure, and each state has its own set of rules and requirements for licensure. A Foreign Educated physical therapist is responsible for coordinating a review of his education credentials.
The information below may help you understand what is needed to have an educational credentials review completed.
Additionally, some states may require verification of eligibility work authorization, fingerprinting, background checks, and U.S social security number.
Currently, only two agencies, the Foreign Credentialing Commission on Physical Therapy (FCCPT) and the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) are recognized by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Steps To Work in The United States
1. Complete Education Evaluation and Remediation (based on state requirements and the CWT)
2. Receive verification of substantial U.S. equivalency of professional degree
3. Receive authorization for the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE)
4. Pass the NPTE Pass the TOEFL Exam Complete a period of board approved supervised practice.
Ana Paula Montanha
Editor-in-Chief
Mrs. Montanha is a seasoned executive and entrepreneur with global human resources experience in recruitment. Mrs. Montanha’s industry and consulting experience enable her to assist companies seeking to drive significant change, ranging from turnarounds to high growth. She served as a strategy, finance, and executive for distinguished companies such as Shell, Vésper, Pamcary, Tandberg, DHR International, and Jobplex Inc. In early 2020 she Co-Founded HAYMAN-WOODWARD Human Capital Services, where she serves as Managing Partner. Mrs. Montanha holds a master’s in business administration from Stephen M. Ross School of Business, the business school of the University of Michigan, a graduate degree in marketing from Fundação Getúlio Vargas, and a bachelor’s in economics from Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro.
