Due to the high demand for skilled and certified physical therapist assistants and aides in the medical field, the educational requirements have recently increased. To become a licensed
physical therapy assistant or aide individuals must complete a program from an accredited college or university.
There are thousands of individuals that require physical therapy because of one reason or another. So individuals that dream of helping people get better and regain movement need to consider physical therapy. PT assistants provide treatment to help individuals develop, maintain and restore their maximum movement. Because the greater the movement and function a patient has the greater the greater their chances are of leading a normal life. Patients that require physical therapy may range in age from babies to seniors. So physical therapy aides will not only work closely with the patient but also other health professionals, family members, care givers, and communities as they assess their condition and set goals for their patients to meet. PTs formulate goals by studying their patients history, doing a physical examination, arriving at a diagnoses, and then establishing the plan.
There are many different specialties that physical therapists may choose from once they've earned their primary education, so assistants will be able to work specifically with one demographic or with many depending on where they work. They may work in pediatrics, geriatrics, cardiopulmonary, and neurology. And they have the opportunity to choose between a number of work settings including hospitals, private homes, rehabilitation facilities, extended care facilities, schools, industrial workplaces, fitness centers, and private clinics and offices.
Do you want to work in a medical field helping patients to recover from illness and injury? Do you want to be involved with making a real difference in a patient's recovery on a daily basis? If you answer yes to these questions, then a career as a physical therapy assistant or aide would be perfect for you. The majority, over 60 percent of physical therapists, work in hospitals, physical rehabilitation centers, and medical clinics. Physical therapists make a treatment plan for patients who are trying to regain use of different physical abilities involved in daily tasks and living. They assist patients with all kinds of things from using their hands, to speaking, to walking, and even too swallowing correctly. Physical therapy assistants work alongside physical therapists and they are vital to the recovery of patients from many types of illnesses and injuries, because they provide the daily therapy that is so vital to retraining and helping the body to heal correctly.
Employment Outlook for Physical Therapy Assistants or Aides
The field of physical therapy has a stellar employment outlook. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that physical therapy will experience an increase of at least 30 percent between now and 2018. This growth will come from a number of sources like the aging population. As the baby boomers get older, they will require more physical therapy resulting from injuries and illnesses pursuant to age. Also, more insurance companies are realizing the importance of physical therapy to illness recovery and are starting to cover more physical therapy treatments for insured patients that need them.
Salary Potential for Physical Therapists
Physical therapists can make excellent salaries. In 2008, physical therapists in the Unied States had average salaries between $60,000 and $85,000 annually. The top ten percent of therapists made over $104,000, according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook. And physical therapy assistants earned a median annual salary in 2008 of $46,140 while physical therapy aides earned an average salary in 2008 of $23,760 according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Degree Programs Available in Physical Therapy
Colleges have created some great physical therapy assistant and aide programs. And programs are available both on-campus in traditional classroom settings as well as online. Take the time to learn about this growing career field today.
If you are interested in earning a degree in Physical Therapy, click here to request more information.
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