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Physical therapist assistants participate in providing rehabilitation for accident victims and persons with chronic or debilitating conditions. Working closely with a physical therapist, the physical therapist assistant helps to provide and document the physical therapy process. A physical therapist directs a physical therapist assistant to execute various tasks which could include:
A physical therapist assistant may be required to perform some clerical tasks. There may include answering phones, completing forms or ordering supplies.
Physical Therapy Assistant Schools and Licensing Requirements
Organizations hiring physical therapist assistants generally require an associate's degree. This is normally a two-year or four semester program that includes both coursework and clinical experience. The studies include courses in chemistry, biology, anatomy and physiology, algebra, and psychology. The hands-on clinical experience typically includes CPR as well as experience in a physical therapy environment in a clinical internship. While both coursework and clinical experience are required, employers are particularly interested in the clinical work which ensures that prospective physical therapy assistants have gained a solid understanding of their future role and responsibilities. There are over 250 accredited physical therapist assistant programs in the country.
Licensing is required for physical therapist assistants in some states. Licensing typically requires passage of a state examination. Other requirements may apply and can include CPR, first aid certification and a minimum number of hours in a clinical internship.
Job Characteristics
Skills that are helpful in pursuing a physical therapist aide position include good organizational skills, keen listening skills, reading and writing skills, strong interpersonal skills, a detailed orientation as well as a service orientation. Physical therapist assistants also need to be able to provide clear instructions to their patients and have strong coordination to aid patients with their therapy. It is helpful for physical therapist assistants to have a sensitivity for problem detection and to use critical thinking to appropriately adapt actions as necessary during physical therapy sessions.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics (USDL BLS), approximately 72% of physical therapist assistants and aides work in physical therapy facilities or within hospitals. The remainder work in other areas such as nursing facilities, physicians offices, home health care services or outpatient care centers. Approximately 28% of physical therapist assistants and aides work part time and often physical therapy facilities offer weekend and evening hours to accommodate the needs of their patients.
The need to assist and sometimes even lift patients requires the physical therapist aide to have moderate strength. In addition, the job is a physical one where the majority of the time is spent standing, stooping, bending, and kneeling.
Job Advancement
There are a number of ways that physical therapist assistants may advance in their chosen career. One option is to seek additional education and training to become a full fledged physical therapist. This requires a master's or doctorate degree as well as more stringent examinations and requirements. However, many physical therapist assistants choose to advance by specializing in a particular physical therapy area such as geriatrics, pediatrics or sports therapy. Others move into office management which might include organizing and managing a group of physical therapist aides or assistants or by directing a specific physical therapy area such as sports therapy.
Physical Therapy Assistant Employment Opportunities
Employment opportunities in the physical therapy field are growing at a "much faster rate than average" compared to other occupations according to the BLS. In addition, as physical therapists and physical therapy centers work to keep costs down they may rely more on physical therapist assistants to provide treatment. However, federal limits on physical therapy Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements in the short term may adversely affect the job prospects on both physical therapist assistants and physical therapist aides.
Forecasted growth for the 2008-2018 decade for physical therapy assistants and aides is 35%. This growth is projected based on a number of factors. First, the elderly population is growing and will continue to do so as baby boomers age and are more likely to experience ailments that require physical therapy. Moreover, as technology advances and better medical treatments become available more trauma patients will survive increasing the need for physical therapy services.
The income for physical therapist assistants averaged between $37,170 and $54,900 annually in 2008 and the median annual income for this group was approximately $46,140. In addition, the lowest 10 percent earned less than $28,580, while the highest 10 percent earned more than $63,830. The home health care services were strong employers of physical therapist assistants and provided the highest incomes. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of physical therapy assistants in May 2008 were as follows:
Typical Physical Therapy Assitant Programs May Include Courses in:
Physical Therapy Job Tools
PT Assitant Job Technologies
Resources for Physical Therapy Assitant Training
Schools for Physical Therapist Assistants are listed in the column to the left.
The Top Cities tab shows employment statistics for Physical Therapist Assistants by major metro area.
The Top Industries tab shows which industries have the most jobs for Physical Therapist Assistants, along with salary data by industry.
The Find Schools tab lets you search for schools by field of study, degree level, and location.
These schools offer particularly quick info upon request, and we have written detailed profiles for each (click school names to see the profiles).
Request info from multiple schools, by clicking the Get Info links.
| School | Locations | Degrees | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brown Mackie College | AZ, GA, IA, ID, IN, KS, KY, MO, NM, OH, OK, SC | Associate | |
| Carrington College | AZ | Certificate | |
| Everest College | ON | Diploma | |
| Hesser College | NH | Associate | |
| Kaplan Career Institute | PA | Associate | |
| Kaplan College KHE | CA | Diploma | |
| Keiser University Campus | FL | Associate | |
| Medical Careers Institute | VA | Associate | |
| New England Institute of Technology | RI | Associate | |
| Sanford Brown College | MO | Associate | |
| South University Campus | AL, FL, GA | Associate | |
| Stratford Career Institute | Online | Diploma |
We have some additional detailed pages at the state level for Physical Therapist Assistants.
Numbers in parentheses are counts of relevant campus-based schools in the state; online schools may also be available.
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