Kinesiologists

Employers

The majority of kinesiologists work for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)."Kinesiotherapy provides a full scope of services to over 75 VHA sites of care, including kinesiotherapy outpatient clinics, inpatient settings, community living centers, veterans' homes, tele-rehabilitation, and spinal cord injury centers," according to the VA. Other kinesiologists work in public and private hospitals, sports medicine facilities, and rehabilitation facilities. Learning disability centers, grammar schools and high schools, colleges and universities, and health clubs also employ kinesiologists. Other kinesiologists work in private practice or as exercise consultants. Kinesiologists can also find employment with sports teams, or they may write for or edit sports, rehabilitative, and other medical journals. Many kinesiologists also teach in the field or do research.

Starting Out

Most colleges and universities offer job placement assistance for their alumni. Therapists also may apply at health facilities that have kinesiotherapy programs, including private and state hospitals, Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals, clinics, health clubs, chiropractic clinics, and rehabilitation centers. Many kinesiologists find employment by networking with other professionals in the field. Many professional organizations and associations maintain listings of open positions on their Web sites.

Beginning kinesiologists may obtain paid employment with a facility if they start out doing volunteer work. Some organizations prefer to hire therapists with some work experience, and volunteering gives the new kinesiotherapist a great opportunity to learn more about the field and a particular organization.