Office of Rural Health & Primary Care
Health Workforce Analysis Program
Minnesota Physical Therapists Facts and Data—2006
The Office of Rural Health and Primary Care (ORHPC) asks physical therapists to answer
questions about their employment status and the nature of their practices each year when they
renew their licenses. Response to the survey is voluntary and does not affect license renewal.
Urban-Rural Definitions
Physical therapist workforce data has previously been reported for “urban” and “rural” portions of
the state. Urban has been defined to include seven Twin Cities metropolitan counties (Anoka,
Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott and Washington) and the cities of Duluth, Rochester and
St. Cloud. In 2005, we also included data for three groupings that focus greater attention on the 46
most rural counties:
•
•
•
Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) counties – 21 Minnesota counties included in seven
metropolitan statistical areas (Minneapolis-St. Paul, St. Cloud, Rochester, Duluth-Superior,
Fargo, Grand Forks and La Crosse.
Micropolitan counties – 20 counties surrounding smaller urban centers of at least 10,000
people.
Rural – 46 counties outside MSAs and Micropolitan areas.
Only the new three groupings (MSA, Micropolitan and Rural) are used for the 2006 data.
Numbers of Physical Therapists
In August 2006, 3,644 physical therapists held 2005 Minnesota licenses. Some of these were
retired or not working as physical therapists, and others lived or practiced in other states.
Based on survey responses, the Office of Rural Health and Primary Care estimates approximately
2,990 physical therapists were working at least part time at a primary practice site in Minnesota in
January 2006. Using the July 1, 2005, population estimate for Minnesota, this equates to about 59
active physical therapists per 100,000 people.
P.O. Box 64882
St. Paul, MN 55164-0882
(651) 201-3838
http://www.health.state.mn.us
November 2006
Minnesota Physical Therapists Facts and Data 2006
Geographic Distribution
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Physical therapist practice sites are distributed fairly similarly to population, but are
somewhat more likely to be located in metropolitan counties.
The 46 most rural counties have 13 percent of the state’s population, but only 9 percent of
the state’s physical therapists.
Minnesota Physical Therapists, 2006
Rural
Micropolitan 9%
13%
Metropolitan
78%
Minnesota Population
Rural
13%
Micropolitan
15%
Metropolitan
72%
Minnesota Physical Therapists Facts and Data 2006
Gender of physical therapists by age and location
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More than three-fourths (77 percent) of physical therapists are females.
The gender makeup of the profession is similar throughout all age groups.
Male therapists are more common in micropolitan and rural areas than in metropolitan
counties; nearly a third of all therapists in micropolitan and rural areas are male.
Physical Therapists by Gender, 2006
Male, 22.5%
Female, 77.5%
AGE
All physical
therapists
N
MALE
FEMALE
1,571
22.5%
77.5%
Under 35
35-44
45-54
55-64
65 and older
386
526
437
190
24
20.7%
21.3%
23.1%
27.4%
29.2%
79.3%
78.7%
76.9%
72.6%
70.8%
Metropolitan
Micropolitan
Rural
1,226
200
133
20.1%
31.0%
31.6%
79.9%
69.0%
68.4%
Physical therapist specialties
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49 percent of respondents reported specialized training in one or more physical therapy field.
The most common specialty areas are orthopedics, pediatrics and sports medicine.
Orthopedics
Pediatrics
Sports medicine
Neurology
Geriatrics
Cardiopulmonary
Other
19%
7%
7%
5%
5%
1%
17%
Totals add to more than 100 percent because some respondents have training in more than one field.
Minnesota Physical Therapists Facts and Data 2006
Age of Minnesota Physical Therapists
33.5%
35%
30%
27.8%
24.6%
25%
20%
12.6%
15%
10%
1.5%
5%
0%
< 35
35-44
45-54
55-64
65+
Age, January 2006
Age
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Physical therapists are relatively young; the median age statewide is 42.
Nearly one-third of therapists are 35 to 44 years old.
Micropolitan and rural therapists are younger than their metropolitan area counterparts.
Age Group
Median age
Less than 35
35-44
45-54
55-64
65 and older
Total
Statewide
MSA
Micropolitan
Rural
n = 1,571
respondents
n = 1,36
respondents
n = 200
respondents
n = 135
respondents
42
24.6%
33.5%
27.8%
12.6%
1.5%
100.0%
43
22.9%
33.6%
28.8%
12.8%
1.9%
100.0%
40
25.5%
38.0%
22.5%
14.0%
-0100.0%
Gender by type of primary practice setting
Type of Site
Office/clinic
Hospital – inpatient
Hospital – outpatient
Rehab agency/clinic
Home health agency
Long term care facility
Educational institution
Other
N
512
236
280
92
136
167
27
110
Male
30.3%
14.4%
27.9%
18.5%
20.6%
12.6%
22.2%
11.8%
Female
69.7%
85.6%
72.1%
81.5%
79.4%
87.4%
77.8%
88.2%
39
38.5%
25.9%
26.7%
8.9%
-0100.0%
Minnesota Physical Therapists Facts and Data 2006
Primary practice settings by location
Type of Site
All
Physical
therapists
Respondents to Question
1,572
Office/clinic
32.7%
Hospital – inpatient
15.1%
Hospital – outpatient
17.9%
Rehab agency/clinic
6.0%
Home health agency
8.7%
Long term care facility
10.6%
Educational institution
1.7%
Other
7.2%
Metropolitan
Micropolitan
1,236
35.1%
16.6%
12.0%
6.6%
10.1%
10.3%
1.9%
6.0%
201
28.4% 17.0%
10.0%
32.3%
5.0% 1.5%
4.0%
12.9%
1.5%
6.0% 7.4%
Rural
137
9.8%
51.1%
3.0%
10.4%
-0-
Forty-five professionally active respondents did not identify their type of practice setting
Race and Ethnicity
Physical therapists are overwhelmingly white. Micropolitan and rural areas produced only a
handful of survey responses from minority practitioners.
Responses
White
Black or African American
Asian
American Indian or Alaska
Native
Spanish/Hispanic/Latino
Other
Multiple race
Statewide
1,529
97.0%
.3%
1.1%
.1%
Metropolitan
1,206
96.0%
.3%
1.3%
.2%
Micropolitan
192
99.5%
*
*
*
Rural
131
100.0%
*
*
*
.6%
.3%
.7%
.8%
.3%
1.1%
*
*
*
*
*
*
Percentages based on those who answered the question. Ninety-six respondents did not answer the question about race
and ethnicity. The federal government defines Spanish/Hispanic/Latino as category of ethnic origin, independent of
race. Thus, a respondent of Spanish/Hispanic/Latino origin could be of any race. However, in this survey, nine of 13
respondents selecting Spanish/Hispanic/Latino did not select another racial category.
* less than .1%.