One way to combine your love of sports and medicine is to become a professional sports physical therapist. A sports physical therapist, also called a PT, is responsible for assisting athletes and patients with sports-related injuries. For instance, you create a treatment plan tailored to help patients prevent sports injuries. Also, you work to rehabilitate patients with injuries so they can return to their daily activities or to playing sports. Thus, sport physical therapy isn’t a career you can enter quickly. You must perform the tasks necessary to work in the field.

Volunteer in a health care setting. Many physical therapy programs want you to have some volunteer experience in a hospital, clinic or physical therapy department. Volunteer work prepares you to enter formal training and gain some practical work experience.

Study sports medicine. A major requirement to becoming a sports physical therapist entails having in-depth knowledge of how the human body functions. You can choose to pursue a four-year degree in sports medicine, kinesiology, chemistry, biology or exercise physiology.

Attain an internship to gain practical experience. Obtaining a sports physical therapist job requires completing an internship. Most colleges provide internships with local sports teams as part of the major requirements.

Earn a graduate degree. A graduate degree in physical therapy takes approximate three years. During that time, you obtain clinical experience working with athletics. Also, you take courses such as medical screening, pharmacology, therapeutic interventions, evidence-based practice and clinical reasoning.

Seek licensure. In all states and the District of Columbia, you’re required to take – and pass – the National Physical Therapy Examination or NPTE. Before you take the exam, the NPTE needs proof that you’re eligible for the examination. Thus, you must show that you graduated from an accredit physical therapy program. Also, you have to pay an application fee to take the licensing exam.

Obtain a sports physical therapist position. Employment opportunities are available with amateur and professional sports teams, colleges, private practice or fitness centers. You can also seek employment assisting athletics. Contact your college advisor, network with any of your internship supervisors and keep abreast of any job postings to find a sports PT position. As of May 2020, the mean salary for a sports physical therapist was $91,010 a year, reports the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, or BLS.

Physical Therapists salary

• Top 10% Annual Salary: More than $126,780 ($60.95/hour)
• Median Annual Salary: $91,010 ($43.75/hour)
• Bottom 10% Annual Salary: Less than $63,530 ($30.54/hour)