2 answers
2 answers
Updated
Barry’s Answer
There are many companies looking to hire physical therapy assistants.
The best way to improve your skills is to study hard in school in every subject. You need to work on your writing skills, math skills, and science skills. Physical therapy assistants have to write or type a lot. So you need to work on those skills. Spelling is important.
Healthcare companies want to hire people that do well in school, and that are nice to their customers. They want honest employees. So those are the first steps.
Being a physical therapy assistant is a good job. You will have a lot of good opportunities to help people. Be patient. It takes time and you must work at learning as much as you can in school.
Ask someone that you know that is a nurse or works in the medical field their advice about being a physical therapy assistant. They should be able to point you in the right direction.
The best way to improve your skills is to study hard in school in every subject. You need to work on your writing skills, math skills, and science skills. Physical therapy assistants have to write or type a lot. So you need to work on those skills. Spelling is important.
Healthcare companies want to hire people that do well in school, and that are nice to their customers. They want honest employees. So those are the first steps.
Being a physical therapy assistant is a good job. You will have a lot of good opportunities to help people. Be patient. It takes time and you must work at learning as much as you can in school.
Ask someone that you know that is a nurse or works in the medical field their advice about being a physical therapy assistant. They should be able to point you in the right direction.
Updated
Beth’s Answer
Thank you for your interest in a career as a Physical therapy assistant. (PTA)
Physical Therapist Assistant is a 2-3 year college program. You can be admitted right out of high school but it is very competitive and most people do not get in the first time they apply. If you do not get in, you can go to college and work on your basic studies and apply for the next year. This way many PTA’s graduate with a bachelors instead of an associate degree.
To be admitted into a PTA program, they will look at your grades, your SAT/ACT scores, your writing skills (grammar, spelling, content), any sports you play, community activities like volunteering at nursing home or school.
In college, you go to multiple facilities in multiple settings to see what therapists do, and to practice those skills under supervision. You may go to a nursing/rehab home, a hospital, home health care, outpatient clinic or others. When you graduate you can decide what type of facility you want to work in. It is very common to change jobs several times in your career to change the type of patients you work with.
Physical therapist assistant is a good job and you will make a comfortable salary. You will follow the treatment plan the physical therapist has created for each patient. You will do more hands on care, and less paperwork than the physical therapist. However, you will have fewer responsibilities and fewer opportunities for advancement.
Another possibility is to work as a physical therapy technician. There are certificate programs which last about 3-6 months. You make a living wage and help the physical therapist and assistant with patient transportation, clean the gym space, help with basic exercise and treatments.
The APTA.org can give you more information about college programs, and areas therapists work.
Visit APTA.org for more information
Shadow a therapist at a local clinic.
Work on your communication skills - spelling, grammer
Physical Therapist Assistant is a 2-3 year college program. You can be admitted right out of high school but it is very competitive and most people do not get in the first time they apply. If you do not get in, you can go to college and work on your basic studies and apply for the next year. This way many PTA’s graduate with a bachelors instead of an associate degree.
To be admitted into a PTA program, they will look at your grades, your SAT/ACT scores, your writing skills (grammar, spelling, content), any sports you play, community activities like volunteering at nursing home or school.
In college, you go to multiple facilities in multiple settings to see what therapists do, and to practice those skills under supervision. You may go to a nursing/rehab home, a hospital, home health care, outpatient clinic or others. When you graduate you can decide what type of facility you want to work in. It is very common to change jobs several times in your career to change the type of patients you work with.
Physical therapist assistant is a good job and you will make a comfortable salary. You will follow the treatment plan the physical therapist has created for each patient. You will do more hands on care, and less paperwork than the physical therapist. However, you will have fewer responsibilities and fewer opportunities for advancement.
Another possibility is to work as a physical therapy technician. There are certificate programs which last about 3-6 months. You make a living wage and help the physical therapist and assistant with patient transportation, clean the gym space, help with basic exercise and treatments.
The APTA.org can give you more information about college programs, and areas therapists work.
Beth recommends the following next steps: