Rehabilitation ~ What is it? Physical Therapy Occupational Therapy

1. Rehabilitation ~ What is it?Physical TherapyOccupational Therapy Anne Comber Madison, MS, PT Assistant Facility Director Rehabilitation Services Department UPMC Shadyside Hospital

2. Rehabilitation: What is it? Rehabilitation = Treatment designed to restore some or all of a patient’s physical, sensory, and mental capabilities that were lost due to injury, illness, or disease. It can reverse many disabling conditions or can help patients cope with deficits that cannot be reversed by medical care. It is achieved by restoring the patient's physical functions and/or modifying the patient's physical and social environment. • Physical Therapy* • Occupational Therapy* • Speech/Language Pathology *Listed in Top 30 of America’s Best Careers of 2009 per U.S. News and World Report

3. What is Physical Therapy? • Allied medical career that focuses on promoting the patient’s ability to move, reducing pain, restoring function and preventing disability. • Work in many different settings & with many different age groups • Hospital, Rehab Facility, Skilled Nursing Facility, Assisted Living, Home Health, School, Education/Research, Outpatient, Sports Medicine --just to name a few!

4. Physical Therapist • Doctorate in Physical Therapy entry level degree (DPT) from an accredited program • Academic post-graduate work with clinical internships in a variety of settings • Training has an extensive clinical focus with a research base • Most schools require volunteer hours; prerequisites vary by school but are science-based • Must be licensed to practice in Pennsylvania (state exam) • Need to obtain continuing education credits to maintain credentials

5. What do Physical Therapists do? • Evaluate and Examine • Examples of PT treatment • Gait Training • Therapeutic Exercise • Balance/Coordination Training • Functional Transfer Training • Modalities i.e. heat, ice, ultrasound, electric stimulation, etc.. • Patient Education Just to name a few………..

6. Physical Therapy Career • Jobs are wide spread and PT’s are in demand • Average annual income (depending on the setting & location): $50,000-70,000 • Not shift oriented, normally office hours with some weekend coverage

7. Physical Therapy Assistants • Associate Degree level of education • Can also work in a variety of practice settings • Must work under the direction and supervision of a licensed PT • Must pass a national exam for licensure/certification/registration • Can perform treatments (no evaluations). • Average annual income (depending on setting/location): $30,000-40,000

8. What is Occupational Therapy? • Allied medical career that focuses on patient’s functional independence in everyday life activities and the overall improvement of their quality of life • Training has an extensive clinical focus with a research base • Work in many different settings & with many different age groups • Hospital, Rehab Facility, Skilled Nursing Facility, Work Hardening, Home Health, School, Daycare, Outpatient, Private Practice, Mental Health, Community Settings --just to name a few!

9. Occupational Therapists • Masters in Occupational Therapy entry level degree  moving towards doctoral level • Academic classroom work followed by fieldwork education in a variety of settings • Most schools require relevant volunteer hours; prerequisite courses vary but are science-based • Must be licensed & board certified to practice in Pennsylvania (national exam) • CEU’s required to maintain national registry

10. What do Occupational Therapist’s do? • Evaluation • Interventions • Activities of daily life = ADL’s • (bathing, dressing, grooming, cooking, cleaning, driving etc…) • Functional transfer training (chair, couch, tub, car) • Therapeutic Exercise • Splinting • Patient Education (home safety, energy conservation, etc) • Recommendations for use of adaptive equipment, durable medical equipment • Sensory Integration • Cognitive Training • Visual-perceptual Training • Home Modification

11. Occupational Therapy –Career • Employment is expected to grow much faster than average and job opportunities should be good, especially for therapists treating the elderly. • Annual average income (dependent on setting/location): $50,000-60,000 • Not shift oriented, normally office hours with weekend coverage

12. Occupational Therapist Assistants • Associate Degree level of education • Variety of practice settings • Still need to be licensed & board certified • Require supervision by a therapist • Collaborate with occupational therapist • Cannot complete evaluations, only treatments. • Annual average salary (dependent on location/setting): $30,000-40,000

13. Questions…? • Check out: • www.aota.org • www.apta.org • www.usnews.com/money/careers • Interested in shadowing experiences? … Call Shadyside Volunteer Office at: 412-623-2017 Call Rehab Services at: 412-623-2067 THANK YOU!