Physiotherapist

Demand for physiotherapists is increasing in the medical services. Their job is to relieve physical stress, strain and orthopedics problems through light exercises and therapy. Many important facts should be kept in mind to become a physiotherapist.

Qualification
Students with a science background can explore career opportunities in this area. One should have qualified 10+2 examinations with minimum 50 percent marks in Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English  for admission in the relevant course.
The candidates have to clear an admission test to be enrolled for the course. For admission in BPT-Bachelor of Physiotherapy - a Common Admission Test (CET) is held annually. The admissions to the institutes are accomplished on the basis of this test.

Personal Skills
A physiotherapist should be a skilled communicator. He/she should also be diligent and hard working as the profession requires long hours of work under complex situations and with all kinds of people.

Opportunities
The health care sector is expanding at a rapid pace,  creating innumerable job opportunities. Future also holds promise for constant demand of trained hands in the health services sector. Physiotherapy is also a part of the health care sector. Nobody wants to undergo a surgical procedure in the first instance and seeks a physiotherapist’s help instead. A physiotherapist can work in  municipal corporations and  medical institutes. There is always demand in the orthopedics department in a hospital, in schools of mentally and physically challenged children and  health institutes. A physiotherapist can also open a private clinic. Their demand is not confined to India alone; the United States of America, Canada and Australia also hold promise for them.

Income
A physiotherapist can start his/ her career with a remuneration of Rs. 8,000-10,000 in a government hospital.  After gaining a few years’ experience a physiotherapist can earn up to Rs. 40,000 at a prestigious private hospital. A physiotherapist’s income is decided on the basis of the place of work. Some hospitals pay the physiotherapists on per patient basis. Most of the physiotherapists start their own practice after about 5 years of experience and  earn Rs 250-400 per  sitting.

Course
For a career as a physiotherapist  a Bachelor of Physiotherapy degree is necessary. The duration of the course is four and a half years. Last six months of the course involve an internship at a hospital.  An advance course of Master of Physicotherapy is also available.

Institutions
 1. Institute of Physically Handicapped, New Delhi
 2. Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh
 3. Integral University, Lucknow
 4. Sai College of Medical Sciences and Technology, Kanpur
 5. National Institute of Physiotherapy and Communication Disorders, Patna
 6. College of Physiotherapy for Women, Punjab
 7. National Institute of Rehabilitation Training and Research, Orissa
 8. National Institute for the  Orthopedically Handicapped, Kolkata
 9. Post Graduate Institute of Medical Research, Chandigarh
 10. SSB College of Physiotherapy, Ahmadabad
 11. Amar Jyoti College of Physiotherapy, Delhi
 12. IPEC Education Campus, Ghaziabad, U.P.