Physiotherapy — careers, salary and study routes
Restoring movement and function after injury, surgery, illness or with age — through exercise, hands-on therapy and education.
Check your fit for Physiotherapy →What Physiotherapy is about
Physiotherapists assess and treat problems with movement: sports injuries, back and joint pain, recovery after fractures or surgery, stroke and other neurological conditions, breathing problems and the effects of ageing. Treatment relies on exercise, manual therapy, electrotherapy and teaching patients to manage their own condition.
It suits students who are active, patient and good at motivating people over weeks of rehabilitation. Many physiotherapists work in hospitals and clinics or set up private practice; sports teams, fitness centres and home care also hire. Specialising through an MPT in orthopaedics, neurology, sports or cardiopulmonary care helps build a stronger practice.
What you'll study
- Anatomy, physiology and biomechanics
- Exercise therapy and kinesiology
- Electrotherapy and manual therapy
- Orthopaedic and sports physiotherapy
- Neurological physiotherapy
- Cardiovascular and respiratory physiotherapy
- Community and paediatric physiotherapy
- Clinical postings and an internship
Studying Physiotherapy in India
You need PCB with English in Class 12. Admission practice varies by state and institution: some use NEET-UG scores in their counselling, others run their own entrance tests or admit on Class 12 marks. Physiotherapy and other allied health professions are being brought under a national commission for allied and healthcare professions, and practitioners register with the relevant state council where one exists.
Typical degrees
- BPT — Bachelor of Physiotherapy (four and a half years, including a six-month internship)
- MPT — Master of Physiotherapy in a speciality (two years)
Entrance exams
- NEET-UG
Routes in the US and UK
United States
Physical therapists complete a bachelor’s, then a three-year Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), and must pass the National Physical Therapy Examination for a state licence.
United Kingdom
A three-year BSc (or two-year pre-registration MSc for graduates) in Physiotherapy, followed by registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC); most physios also join the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.
Frequently asked questions
Can a physiotherapist use the title “Dr”?
Rules on this have changed and been disputed in India, so follow current official guidance. What matters to patients and employers is your registration, skill and specialisation, not the title.
Is physiotherapy a good option if I miss MBBS?
It is a genuine clinical career in its own right, with good scope in private practice and sports. Choose it if you enjoy hands-on rehabilitation and long-term work with patients, not just as a backup.
Careers this major opens
The US Department of Education maps Physical Therapy/Therapist (CIP 51.2308) to 2 Standard Occupational Classification codes. Salary and employment figures come from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics via O*NET; the AI-durability signal is our own composite score.
Sources: NCES CIP-2020 → SOC-2018 crosswalk · US Bureau of Labor Statistics (via O*NET) · WhatTNext Ai AI-durability score. Careers ranked by US employment volume.