How To Become a Physiotherapist?

Physiotherapists help you to move and grow physically. Wellness, pain relief, and movement are their goals. Patients seek physiotherapists at clinics, hospitals, rehabs, and communities. These experts handle all physical health issues.

Physical therapists help mental, pulmonary, and musculoskeletal patients exercise with physiotherapy, mobility, function, and life quality increase. PTs address neurological disorders, sports injuries, chronic pain, and surgery. They help clients set goals, evaluate progress, and recover from therapy.

Here we discuss everything about becoming a physiotherapist.

Eligibility Criteria

Candidates for physiotherapy must meet the requirements. Below are some of the necessary qualifying requirements for your reference.

• Candidates from accredited schools must have earned 50% or more in 10+2 physics, chemistry, and biology.
• Candidates must engage in certification or diploma programs to learn the essential skills.
• Candidates must have a BPT or B.Sc. in physiotherapy.
• Top physiotherapy institutions in India require NEET, CET, and other tests.

Types of Physiotherapists

Mentioned below are the four major categories of therapists in India.

Types of Physiotherapist	Role Details
Sport Physiotherapist	Sports physiotherapists treat disease and injury. The patient undergoes mobility, functional, and physical examinations. Patients learn posture, cool-down, warm-up, and injury prevention. Exercise, electrotherapy, and massage all help with mobility, discomfort, and recovery.
Neurological Physiotherapist	Physical therapy helps neuro patients. Patients move joints and muscles via gait, strength, neuroplasticity, and simple exercises. They recommend home exercise, proper food, and lifestyle changes for strength.
Paediatric Physiotherapist	Brain diseases, developmental disabilities, and physical limits hinder children and teens’ movement and health. A paediatric physiotherapist speaks of neurodevelopmental, motor learning, and urotherapy to ease pain and increase skills. They counsel parents on diet, posture, exercise, home exercise, and emotional support to assist their child’s development. Schools and community centers can hire these specialists to promote kids’ mental and physical well-being.
Geriatric Physiotherapist	Seniors with coordination, function, and motor disorders see gerontological physiotherapists. Increased mobility, coordination, strength, flexibility, and pain. They use shockwave, cardio, balance, muscle-building, and electrical approaches. Physical therapists recommend elders exercise, eat, and change their lifestyle to build strength.

Steps of Become a Physiotherapist:

Becoming a physiotherapist involves these steps:

Step 1: Complete 10+2:

Physical therapists need 50% on 10+2. Physics, chemistry, and biology are required; math is optional. Higher education benefits from maths. Physiotherapy benefits from basic chemistry, biology, and physics.

Step 2: Bachelor’s degree:

After 10+2, consider physiotherapy or related degrees. BPT or diploma in physiotherapy. Both programs have separate entrance exams. Diploma programs last three years, whereas bachelor programs last four years plus a six-month internship. Study exercise therapy, sociology, physiotherapy orientation, clinical training, and allied therapies. Bachelor’s graduates must gain physiotherapy licensure.

Step 3: Get masters:

Your bachelor’s could lead to a physiotherapy or related master’s. Earn an MPT or PG to advance. Exams are required for both two-year master’s degrees. This program lets you specialize in sports, orthopedic, clinical electrophysiological, geriatric, and pediatric physiotherapy. MS degrees can increase hospital and medical organisations’ pay and seniority.

Step 4: Experience:

Hospitals, clinics, and medical facilities may offer experience beyond the six-month bachelor’s. As a new physiotherapist, consider working with sports teams, small clinics, gyms, and athletic teams. Care homes and special schools might help you obtain experience and exhibit interest. Medical centers practice hire expert workers: function knowledge and industry research speed hiring.

Physiotherapy Courses in India

Below is the list of top physiotherapy courses of 2024.

Course Name	Course Details
DPT Physiotherapy Diploma	Diplomas in science are available after the 12th. D.P.T. courses train skilled therapeutic science physiotherapists. D.P.T.s use massages, exercises, and movement to treat injuries, diseases, and abnormalities. Training can lead to professorship, therapy management, research assistantship, etc.
Bachelor of Physiotherapy	Four-year demanding physical movement science course. After graduation, physiotherapy students must complete months of clinical internship. BPT students study fitness, electrotherapy, and manual therapy. Students practise treating the spine, back, neck, and other diseases. The BSc medical colleges favour BPT grads.
Physiotherapy BSc	Developing diagnostic, technical, analytical, creative, new research, and critical body system thinking across three years. Trainees can become physiotherapists, lecturers, researchers, homecare therapists, etc.
Master Physiotherapist	Two years of professional education covers surgery, muscle and bone strengthening, and joint and deformity treatment. MPT specialises in cardiac, orthopaedic, neurology, musculoskeletal, sports, and geriatrics. Students learn modern physiotherapy and muscle relaxation. MPT physiotherapy leads to high-paying private and public jobs—physiotherapist, professor, acupuncturist, osteopath.
Physiotherapy PhD	PhDs integrate academics and fieldwork over three years. The class is practical. Students study basic psychology to comprehend patients. The course covers themes and problem-solving. PhDs can be academics, instructors, physiotherapists, or company leaders.

Top Physiotherapy Colleges

College Name	Location	Fees (approx.)	Ranking	Admission Process
Christian Medical College	Vellore	INR 54,000	3	IPU CET, BCECE, NEET
Jamia Hamdard University	New Delhi	INR 6.2 Lakhs	2	IPU CET, BCECE, NEET
Parul University	Vadodara	INR 1.42 Lakhs	7	Merit-based
Kasturba Medical College	Manipal	INR 8.4 Lakhs	9	Merit-based
Madras Medical College	Chennai	INR 10 Lakhs	11	Merit-based or TNPCEE

Advantages of being a Physiotherapist

Physiotherapists are esteemed; it gives great job satisfaction and various perks, including:

Why become a physiotherapist	Advantages
Lucrative Pay	Physical therapists earn well. They can make good money in hospitals or by starting their practice. The average wage is INR 6 LPA.
Work-life balance	Since physiotherapists have no set hours, they can work and live. Lack of personal time worries many doctors.
Stable Job	Since aging creates aches and pains, physiotherapy is popular.
Job Satisfaction	Physiotherapists enjoy helping patients get back to normal.
Flexibility	Private practice physiotherapists can determine their hours, making them quite flexible.

Physiotherapist Skills

Besides treating and recovering, candidates must have other technical abilities to advance their careers. Success in the field requires excellent technical and soft abilities. These skills also affect physiotherapists’ salaries.

For reference, below are some top skills.

• Communicating well
• Diagnose and plan treatment.
• Manage Pain
• Health and Wellness
• Deep neurology knowledge
• Good people skills
• A fit and healthy body
• Ability to connect with patients
• Physical therapy knowledge

Physiotherapist Salary

Physiotherapy offers several professional progression and salary options. Location, years of experience, specialization, and work environment can affect physiotherapist salaries. Urban or special healthcare physiotherapists may charge more than rural or primary care ones.

Experience	Average Annual Salary
0 – 2 Years	INR 385,300 LPA
2 – 5 Years	INR 548,500 LPA
5 – 10 Years	INR 721,600 LPA
10 – 15 Years	INR 887,100 LPA
15 – 20 Years	INR 943,800 LPA
20+ Years	INR 1,031,200 LPA

Conclusion

In the above, we discuss the process of becoming a physiotherapist. Helping people, working hard, and being patient make you an excellent physiotherapist. Your license enables you to help injured, sick, and infirm people of various ages and backgrounds recover, function, and enhance their lives. Physiotherapy can boost your prospects for growth and compensation with the correct license and commitment to continued professional development.

Frequently Asked Questions of Physiotherapist

How long is physiotherapy?

The Indian Bachelor of Physiotherapy involves four years and six months of rotatory internship. It covers cardio, neuromusculoskeletal, exercise, sickness, and injury treatment.

Becoming a physiotherapist after 12th?

Ans: After high school, physiotherapists need bachelor’s and master’s degrees. BPT and BSc are most post-12th-grade physiotherapy programmes.

Can non-MBBSians become physiotherapists?

PCB 12th science graduates can apply for a Bachelor of Physiotherapy. Apply for a Diploma in Physiotherapy if you completed 12 sciences with maths.

Is physiotherapy profitable?

India’s physiotherapists earn an average of ₹ 3.1 Lakhs yearly, ranging from ₹ 0.3 to ₹ 5.5 Lakhs.