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Physiotherapists

OaSIS code 31202.00

Physiotherapists assess clients and plan and carry out individually designed treatment programs to maintain, improve or restore physical functioning and mobility, alleviate pain and prevent physical dysfunction in clients.

Overview

Also known as

  • Physical therapist
  • Physiotherapist
  • Registered physiotherapist
  • Research physiotherapist

Main duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

  • Assess clients' physical abilities through evaluative procedures such as functional ability tests and make a physiotherapy diagnosis
  • Establish treatment goals with patients based on diagnoses
  • Develop and implement physiotherapy treatment plans including therapeutic exercise, manipulations, massage, education, electrotherapy, hydrotherapy and other modalities
  • Evaluate effectiveness of treatment plans and modify accordingly
  • Provide advice on exercise and strategies to implement at home to enhance and or maintain treatment
  • Communicate with referring physician and other health care professionals regarding clients' problems, needs and progress
  • Maintain clinical and statistical records and confer with other health care professionals
  • Develop and implement health promotion programs for clients, staff and the community
  • May conduct research in physiotherapy
  • Provide consulting or education services as required.

Additional information

  • Progression to management positions, such as director of physiotherapy, is possible through experience and additional training.
  • Physiotherapists may focus their practice in particular clinical areas such as neurology, oncology, rheumatology, orthopedics, obstetrics, pediatrics, geriatrics, in the treatment of patients with cardiovascular and cardiopulmonary disorders, burns or sports injuries or in the field of ergonomics.

Similar occupations classified elsewhere

Exclusions:

  • Physical rehabilitation therapist (in 32109.04 Physical Rehabilitation therapists)
  • Physiotherapy assistant (in 32109.05 Physiotherapy assistants and occupational therapy assistants)

NOC hierarchy breakdown

NOC version

NOC 2021 Version 1.0

Broad occupational category

3 – Health occupations

TEER

1 – Occupations usually require a university degree

Major group

31 – Professional occupations in health

Sub-major group

312 – Therapy and assessment professionals

Minor group

3120 – Therapy and assessment professionals

Unit group

31202 – Physiotherapists

Occupational profile

31202.00 – Physiotherapists

Work characteristics

Work characteristics gathers the various components describing the work environment of each occupation, such as employers, work activities, and the work context. Each category displays up to 10 descriptors in descending order based, firstly, on their attributed ratings by the level of complexity (for Work Activities) or other measurement dimensions (for Work Context), and secondly, in alphabetical order. The whole list of descriptors and their ratings can be expanded at the bottom of each page.

Work Activities

Proficiency or complexity level
Assisting and Caring for Others
5 - Highest Level
Developing Objectives and Strategies
4 - High Level
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
4 - High Level
Making Decisions
4 - High Level
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
4 - High Level

Work Context

Structural Job Characteristics

Structured versus Unstructured Work
Degree of freedom to determine tasks and priorities
4 - High amount of freedom
Work Week Duration
Worked hours in a typical week
2 - Between 35 to 40 hours

Physical Work Environment

Physical Proximity
Physical distance from others
5 - Physically touching or very close

Physical Demands

Sitting
Duration
2 - Less than half the time
Standing
Duration
4 - More than half the time
Bending or Twisting the Body
Duration
3 - About half the time

Interpersonal Relations

Contact with Others
Frequency
4 - Every day, a few times per day
Duration
5 - All the time, or almost all the time
Work with Work Group or Team
Importance
4 - Highly important
Frequency
4 - Every day, a few times per day

Workplaces/employers

  • Clinics
  • Extended care facilities
  • Hospitals
  • Industries
  • Private practice
  • Rehabilitation centres
  • Sports organizations

Skills and abilities

This section displays the various competencies required for an occupation. Each category displays up to 10 descriptors in descending order based, firstly, on their attributed ratings by the level of proficiency (for Skills and Abilities) or importance (for Personal Attributes) and secondly, in alphabetical order. The whole list of descriptors and their ratings can be expanded at the bottom of each page.

Abilities

Proficiency or complexity level
Deductive Reasoning
4 - High Level
Inductive Reasoning
4 - High Level
Memorizing
4 - High Level
Problem Identification
4 - High Level
Verbal Ability
4 - High Level

Skills

Proficiency or complexity level
Decision Making
4 - High Level
Evaluation
4 - High Level
Instructing
4 - High Level
Monitoring
4 - High Level
Oral Communication: Active Listening
4 - High Level

Personal Attributes

Importance
Concern for Others
5 - Extremely important
Independence
5 - Extremely important
Social Orientation
5 - Extremely important
Active Learning
4 - Highly important
Adaptability
4 - Highly important

Interests

The OaSIS uses the Holland Codes to describe the work-related interests. According to the Holland model, people work best in work environments that match their preferences, which means that people and work environments can be matched for a best fit. Occupational environments in Holland’s theory are described according to a combination of main interests and the activities they represent. There are six interests in the Holland typology: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising and Conventional. All occupations in OaSIS have up to three interests assigned to them.

Interests

Preferences for work environments and outcomes.

Interests profile: SIR

Social (S)

Social occupations are characterized by the dominance of activities that entail the interaction with others to inform, train, aid, develop, cure, or enlighten. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others, teaching, working or communicating with people.

Investigative (I)

Investigative occupations are characterized by the dominance of activities that entail the observation and systematic or creative investigation of physical, biological, or cultural phenomena. These occupations require an extensive amount of thinking and frequently involve working with ideas, searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Realistic (R)

Realistic occupations are characterized by the dominance of activities that entail the explicit, ordered or systematic manipulation of objects, tools, machines and animals. Many of these occupations do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Employment requirements

Employment requirements includes the education, training, certifications and the knowledge required to work in each occupation. The Knowledge category displays up to 10 descriptors in descending order based, firstly, on their attributed ratings by the level of proficiency, and secondly, in alphabetical order. The whole list of Knowledge descriptors and their ratings can be expanded at the bottom of each page.

Education, certification and licensing

  • A master's degree in physiotherapy and a period of supervised practical training are required.
  • A licence or registration with a regulatory body is required in all provinces and territories.
  • Completion of a physiotherapist competency examination is required in all provinces and territories.

Knowledge

Knowledge level
Performance Measurement
3 - Advanced Level
Physical Health
3 - Advanced Level
Biology
2 - Intermediate Level
Languages
2 - Intermediate Level
Mathematics
2 - Intermediate Level

Skills for success

 
Skills for Success Model
 
Skills for Success are skills that help you in a quickly changing world. Everyone benefits from having these skills. They can help you to get a job, progress at your current job or even change jobs. The skills also help you become an active member of your community and succeed in learning.
 
 
Linkages Between ESDC Skills Models and Frameworks
 
ESDC makes available a dictionary of over 300 terms (or descriptors) and definitions, known as the Skills and Competencies Taxonomy (SCT). Descriptor information from the Taxonomy is used in the Occupational and Skills Information System (OaSIS).
 
While there is general commonality of meaning between the descriptors in the SCT and the Skills for Success model, there are some differences in their definitions due to their distinct purposes. The Skills for Success Model [9 broadly defined skills] identifies the skills that are universally applicable. The SCT displays specific skills and competency requirements for 900 occupations. Users of the Skills for Success Model and Essential Skills content may find competency information from the Taxonomy and the OaSIS to be complementary.
 
Stay tuned to this section for more information and updates regarding linkages between the Skills for Success model and the OaSIS.

O*NET in-it

This page includes information from the O*NET 27.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Employment and Social Development Canada has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.

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