Find Out Why People Are Excited! For PTs, National Physical Therapy Month—an event celebrated every October—makes Fall a stand-out season in healthcare, with reminders of how important maintaining our physical strength, mobility and, ultimately, our independence is in a life well lived.  With over 33,000 DPT graduates in 2010 and more graduating from accredited schools each year, physical therapists are well poised to become top earners in a field Time Magazine calls the sixth most recession proof career in the country! Now in full swing, National Physical Therapy Month is touting its considerable benefits on the APTA site, with statistics and talking points designed for the media, public and the physical therapists who deliver a healthier alternative to surgery and medication; it’s a message that resonates with millions. In fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is predicting a sharp 27% increase in physical therapy careers between now and 2016. This Year’s NPTM Theme Inspires Physical Therapists to Get Moving! A theme of sports injury prevention across the lifespan has inspired PTs across the nation to get moving, promoting physical therapy’s benefits in the lobbies of hospitals, out-patient centers and therapy clinics from coast [+]

Legislation Aims to Help Physical Therapists Pay Back High Cost of Education Loans In June almost 1,000 physical therapists met on Capitol Hill to lobby in favor of legislation that advances the profession. They were lobbying in support of the  Physical Therapist Student Loan Repayment Eligibility Act of 2011, which would make physical therapists eligible for repayment of their student loans under the National Health Service Corps (NHSC)  Loan Repayment Program. The bill forgives up to $30,000 in student loans per year, for a maximum of 2 years, in exchange for service in a disadvantaged area. The Loan Repayment Act provides incentive for physical therapists to practice in certain rural and urban communities, chiefly by easing the educational debts of physical therapists. The hope is that some of these therapists may continue to practice in these locations, once their NHSC service is complete. How to Speak Out You can track the status of this bill here. If you would like to weigh in on this legislation (H.R. 1426/S. 975), you can email your Congressional representatives directly or through the APTA’s Legislative Action Center . Travel Therapy Jobs - Managing Educational Expenses Some physical therapy grads have looked [+]

“Smart Moves for Families” This year’s physical therapy month is dedicated to helping families fight obesity through physical activity. For the entire month of October, physical therapists around the country are encouraged to initiate dialogue with parents and families over the role physical activity and healthy choices play in circumventing the consequences of obesity. “Children and adults who participate in sustained daily physical activity and follow a balanced diet enjoy improved cardiovascular fitness, greater bone mass and strength, and are better able to manage their weight ― all of which help prevent the onset of obesity and type 2 diabetes,” said sports certified physical therapist Teresa Schuemann, PT, SCS with the APTA. Schuemann and her colleagues at the American Physical Therapy Association are suggesting to physical therapists that they emphasize to parents the importance of being positive role models for health in the family, making it easier for children to adopt healthy lifestyles.  Physical activity must be made a priority, she said, as a means of preventing the loss of physical function and independence as children mature. Click here for Physical Therapy Jobs working with children, adults and the elderly. Once rare in American children, Type 2 diabetes accounts for eight to 45 percent of [+]

Physical therapists probably already realize they've chosen a health-care profession that happens to be highly in demand. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that employment for PTs is "expected to grow by 30 percent from 2008 to 2018, much faster than the average for all occupations." With that in mind, the folks at AfterCollege.com have put together a list of the Top 25 Metro Areas for Physical Therapists.  It contains great info about each area, from employment rates to expected salaries to average rents. Though the article is aimed at new grads trying to identify where to go for their first job, it’s highly useful for everyone looking for the best physical therapy jobs! These 25 metro areas are some of the most desirable locales in the country. And, guess what: American Traveler has PT jobs ready and waiting in several of these markets!  Check them out on our physical therapy jobs page; or, better yet, subscribe to our  Physical Therapist Jobs RSS feed and be updated regularly on all the hottest new therapist job offerings. Here are some destinations for physical therapists to consider: The great state of Texas Dallas/Fort Worth (No. 1 on the list): Typical salary for physical therapy jobs [+]

American Traveler continues its dedication to making its web site the most comprehensive and user-friendly resource possible for clients in the health care industry. New features were added to the Hot Jobs page including hourly updates on the latest health care jobs  and a Healthcare Jobs RSS feed for instant access to all the best nursing jobs and physical therapy jobs. American Traveler also reached out into the social media networks with an active presence and interaction in  Facebook and Twitter communities, which are both growing daily with new healthcare job seekers fans and followers. More details about these enhanced features are available in the latest American Traveler press release.  Read entire American Traveler Healthcare Job Search Press Release.