Should I Get a Master's or a Doctorate in Physical Therapy?

Physical therapy is attracting a great number of students who are interested in working in the health care industry. With an impressive job growth of 30% expected in the next ten years, there's no wonder that this career path has become very popular in recent years. Students have recognized the potential for an abundance of job openings, opportunities for advancement and a steady stream of significant annual income. Additionally, the physical therapist's work hours are very conducive to family life since most of these professionals work a typical 40-hour week with no on-call hours required, unlike many other health care positions which involve working directly with patients.

It's clear that physical therapy is an attractive field for health care students. However, many students are confused as to the best way to become a physical therapist. There are two kinds of degree programs that can lead to a career in this field: master's degree and doctorate degrees. There are several differences between the two, and students should carefully consider which of these degree programs in physical therapy is right for them.

Before deciding which type of degree program to pursue, it's important to understand how these programs are set up. Every student who wants to become a physical therapist needs to attend a school that has been approved by the Commission on Accreditation of Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). As of 2010, there were 212 degree programs accredited by the CAPTE. Of these programs, 200 are doctoral degree programs, while only 12 award a master's degree in the field of physical therapy.

Why is there such a difference between the number of master's degree programs and doctoral degree programs? Previously, many physical therapy programs were master's level degree programs. However, a large number of these programs have transitioned to a doctoral program. One of the reasons for this transition is the expectation that educational requirements for physical therapy may become stricter in the future. Therefore, in order to attract more students and remain relevant in the field of physical therapy, many schools have transitioned their master's of physical therapy (MPT) program to a doctorate of physical therapy (DPT) program.

Because many experts believe a doctorate will offer a physical therapy student more opportunities in their field, more students tend to choose a DPT program over an MPT program. Fortunately, the time commitment involved in earning a doctorate degree in this field isn't very different from that of earning a master's degree. Most MPT programs take two to two and a half years to complete, while a doctorate degree program takes about three years. Therefore, students can choose to earn a doctorate without worrying that they will be in school for several years longer than they would have to be to earn a master's degree.

Overall, doctorate degrees are the more popular choice for students entering the field of physical therapy. On top of the fact that it provides a more in-depth education for the student, many physical therapists believe that this may eventually become the minimum requirement for working in this popular branch of health care.