How to become a Physiotherapist

Physiotherapists are health professionals who assess and treat people with a variety of injuries that impact on mobility.

You might travel with professional athletes and play a critical role in their success, managing injuries and helping maximise recovery and preparation so that they can be their best on the big day. Or you can assist in rehabilitating people who have been injured in accidents so they can get back to work and normal life.

If you love helping people and have a healing touch, and want a job that can provide a lot of variety and the chance to travel, this could be the ideal career for you.

About you:

Patient and kind
Strong interest in fitness and health
Ability to handle the physical demands of the job
Excellent communication skills
Get along with people from all walks of life

The job:

Assessing patients with injuries to identify the problem
Walking patients through recovery exercises
Using techniques such as massage and heat therapy to relieve pain and assist recovery
Designing appropriate treatment and recovery plans
Assessing whether a client is ready to return to work or sport
Developing plans to decrease the risk of future injury

Lifestyle Impact: Low

Part Time opportunities: Moderate – around 37% of Physiotherapists work part-time (source: labourmarketinsights.gov.au).
Average hours for full-time workers: 42 hours a week, which is average (source: labourmarketinsights.gov.au).
Physiotherapists’ salary (median) $65,000* per year (source: ato.gov.au). *Salaries greatly vary depending on your skills and experience.
Future career growth: Very strong (source: labourmarketinsights.gov.au).
You will be doing work in a variety of environments, both indoors and outdoors.
More than a third of workers reported regularly working overtime or extra hours (source: labourmarketinsights.gov.au).

Physiotherapists are most in demand in these locations:

There is demand for Physiotherapists in both metropolitan and regional areas – some rural areas in particular experience shortages of medical professionals, and are in high demand. Most Physiotherapists work in the Health Care and Social Assistance industry.

How to become a Physiotherapist

You must complete an approved university-level degree and register with Ahpra in order to work as a Physiotherapist in Australia.

Step 1 – Complete Year 12 with a focus on English and Maths. Biology, Chemistry and Health can also be useful.

Step 2 – Study an accredited program of study, usually a Bachelor of Physiotherapy. You can see a full list of approved qualifications here.

Step 3 – Once you have completed your studies, apply for general registration with the Physiotherapy Board of Australia.

Step 4 – Start working as a fully qualified Physiotherapist.

Step 5 – Engage in Continuing Professional Development (CPD) throughout your career, and renew your registration annually.

Find out more here –

https://www.ahpra.gov.au/

https://www.physiotherapyboard.gov.au/

https://australian.physio/

Similar Careers to Physiotherapist

Occupational Therapist

Registered Nurse

General Practitioner

Surgeon

Aged Care Worker

Disability Worker

Social Worker

Massage Therapist

Find out more about alternative careers.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What options are there for career progression?

You might start out working at a private clinic, before becoming a specialist Physiotherapist for a large sporting team. Once you have had lots of experience, you might also like to move into roles in research or upskill further to become a Doctor.

Do I need to go to university to become a Physiotherapist?

Yes, you will need to complete an accredited qualification and register with Ahpra to work as a Physiotherapist.

Where do Physiotherapists work?

Physiotherapists can work in a variety of environments, including private clinics, hospitals, aged care facilities, sporting facilities, schools, and in the community.

What are 3 things I can do right now to help me become a Physiotherapist?

If you’re in high school and you’d like to find out if a career as a Physiotherapist is right for you, here’s a few things you could do right now:

Start working on your own health and fitness, and consider taking classes at school such as Biology to start building your understanding of the human body and how it works.
See if you can find work experience in health. This will help you see if you might enjoy the work, and can help you start building important contacts for the future.
Talk to a Physiotherapist to see what a day in their life is like. If you don’t know anyone, see if you can watch videos or documentaries about a career in physiotherapy.