Physical Therapy Assistant Jobs: What Could I Do With My Degree?

Physical therapy has come a long way since its beginnings in World War I, when the need to treat soldiers' injuries and provide rehabilitative care was first recognized. In those days, care was provided by persons with degrees in other fields, but trained at Walter Reed Army Hospital and called "reconstruction aides." The field further evolved between 1920 and 1930, when physical therapy began to be prescribed for victims of the poliomyelitis epidemic. It was in that era that physical therapy (PT) was identified as a distinctive care-giving field.

Physical Therapist Assistants Operate in Myriad Settings

Today, physical therapists help patients recover from every injury or illness imaginable, and specialize in numerous areas of health care, including geriatrics, acute care, aquatic physical therapy, cardiopulmonary and pulmonary, hand, neurology, oncology, pediatric, sports, and many more.

Over the past 100 years, the benefits of physical therapy have become a given, and it is now even common for patients to seek physical therapy without a physician's referral for a wide variety of conditions. Called direct access, the practice of allowing a physical therapist to evaluate and treat a patient without a physician's referral is currently permitted in 43 states.

As our population ages, and PT's benefits become ever-more widely recognized, the need for physical therapists assistants is projected to grow by 31 percent through 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. These days, physical therapists and their assistants are found not only in hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitative care facilities, and outpatient clinics, but also in hotels and resorts, sports training facilities, homes, schools, occupational environments, fitness centers, and even aboard cruise ships.

What Kind of Patients Could I Help Serve?

According to the American Physical Therapy Association, new practice areas have emerged over recent years, such as these:

• Entertainment-- PTAs can care for figure skaters, dancers, gymnasts, and circus performers, helping with rehabilitation from injuries.
• Obesity management -- Obese people are at risk for health problems, including stroke and heart attack. Physical therapists are better suited to helping with these patients' recovery than personal trainers are.
• Health clubs -- PTAs are working in practices in health clubs, where patients can enjoy not only hands-on physical therapy care, but receive a wellness program.
• Women's health -- Many female patients prefer going to a practice with therapists and assistants who are familiar with women's issues, such as incontinence, post mastectomy care, osteoporosis, and others.

So, it's vibrant, growing field, offering a rosy future with a multitude of opportunities for those who successfully complete their training and find a good job. But if you're thinking about entering this field, just how do you envision your day-to-day work life?

You know the profession is physically demanding, and that you have to be in good physical condition with plenty of stamina to help your patients. But if you have what it takes physically and you're willing to put in the time to earn a degree, where do you see yourself fitting in to maximize your career potential?

Finding Your Niche in the Physical Therapy Field

Whether you're more drawn to working in a hospital environment as a member of the PT team, or you like the thought of being an employee at a health club, one thing is certain. That is that you will need to be properly trained in how to perform the needed job duties and work with a physical therapist to best serve their patient.

Once you start training, you might find that you work exceptionally well with children, or you have a real passion for assisting athletes. Wherever your interests take you, you can be assure that your educational background is essential to performing these vital tasks.

Additionally, don’t forget about your people skills. You will be working with a team that will include a therapist and possibly other aides and assistants. You will need to know how to work with patients to best encourage their progress. You will also need patience to help people who struggle with certain movements.

 

Are you interested in becoming a physical therapist assistant? If you want to earn an Associate of Applied Science in Physical Therapist Assisting Degree, ECPI University offers this health science program. For more information and for how to get started, connect with a helpful admissions counselor today.

It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!

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Gainful Employment Information – Physical Therapy Assisting - Associate’s

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