Click here to view video.
Click here to view video.
Physical Therapist Assistants (PTAs) assist the physical therapist in implementing treatment programs, training patients in exercises and activities of daily living, conducting treatments, and reporting to the physical therapist on the patient’s responses.
Physical Therapist Assistants work may occur in a hospital, in a school system, in an orthopedic or sports rehabilitation clinic, in the patient’s home through a home health agency, or in a hospital that specializes in rehabilitating patients after serious injury or disease.
The hours and days that physical therapist assistants work vary, depending on the facility and whether they are full or part-time employees.
Other workplace settings:
$49,800
Overall employment of physical therapist assistants and aides is projected to grow 32 percent from 2020 to 2030, much faster than the average for all occupations, according to the BLS.
About 23,800 openings for physical therapist assistants and aides are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Physical therapist assistants must complete a 2-year education program, typically offered through a community or junior college. Candidates receive an associate degree upon graduation. The course of study includes usually one year of general education and one year of technical courses on physical therapy procedures and clinical experience. The majority of PTA programs have specialized PTA courses across two years of study. There is a heavy emphasis on science courses.
Licensure is required in the state of Connecticut. Prerequisites: An approved Physical Therapy Assistant program or graduation from an approved US Physical Therapy school; successful completion of the National Physical Therapist Assistant Examination (NPTAE).
Please visit the State of Connecticut Department of Public Health website for more information.
American Physical Therapy Association
3030 Potomac Avenue
Alexandria, VA 22305
(800) 999-APTA
www.apta.org