Many physical therapists aspire to work for a sports team, but it is quite competitive. How does one become one, and what exactly does the job entail? The question came up in a facebook discussion amongst physical therapy students, and I thought Amy Arundale probably provided the most genuine and accurate answers about what the best options are, as well as what the job entails:

During my residency interviews, I was able to meet other stellar applicants. I would say 100% of us wanted to eventually work in a college or professional setting. The one common theme in our experience was that we all jammed our schedules with extra work involving sports. We saw work and/or school as the MINIMUM. We were all working on research projects, had a side gig, attended continued education course, and volunteered a lot of our time to sports-related events. We were all aware that sports physical therapy for a team takes a lot of sacrifices and commitment. I think I can speak for all of us when I say we enjoyed it all. It’s the type of people we are. We love the specialty, and love the fast-paced demands. So, if it offers any help, my personal advice would be to stay focused and busy in sports-related projects. It was the common theme I saw amongst those who were well on their way.

I’m excited to begin my journey toward my goal, and I hope Amy’s advice helps you out with your journey if you eventually want to be a physical therapist on a college or professional team.

– Vien