If a majority of people make career changes for the reasons listed above then working a physical therapist assistant is worthy of serious consideration as a new career. Physical therapist assistants are licensed healthcare workers that work under the supervision of a physical therapist. They provide physical therapy treatment to persons across all age groups and in all healthcare settings (hospitals, out-patient clinics, nursing homes, etc.). For more specific information about physical therapy, you can check out our blog: What is Physical Therapy?
Annual Salary
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual salary is $58,520 with an average hourly wage of $28.14. Annual salaries are impacted significantly by the healthcare setting where the physical therapist assistant works, with skilled nursing facilities and home health settings paying the best. Geographical location can also have a large impact on compensation. More specific salary data can be found at: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes312021.htm
Job satisfaction
Working in physical therapy provides a high degree of job satisfaction. I can’t count the number of patients who told me that physical therapy changed their lives. The treatment that PTs and PTAs perform can provide pain relief and restore the quality of life for patient’s that had little hope before seeking out our services. Making that kind of difference in people’s lives is what being a physical therapist assistant is all about.
Flexibility
The variety of job openings and work settings available provide the physical therapist assistant with a flexibility that is not always available in other careers. Much of the day-to-day routine of a PTA is determined by the type of patients they encounter and the healthcare setting where physical therapy treatment is provided. If you choose to work as a PTA, you will have the choice to work full-time, part-time or on an as needed basis based on your career goals and financial needs. In addition, providing physical therapy treatment in an acute hospital is a completely different work experience than treating patients in a sports medicine clinic. Therefore, if things get a little stale you completely change your daily experience without having to start a new career.
Advancement
As a physical therapist assistant, you can choose to focus on just providing patient care, however opportunities exist for PTAs to advance into management positions and even into ownership. I have had physical therapist assistant students that graduated and within 5 years had accepted clinic director positions. No matter what your level of ambition is, you can be sure to find it as a physical therapist assistant.blog
