7 answers
Anne
Student
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
1
Question
Updated
3953 views
Is being a physical therapist assistant a good choice? How do I know if being a PTA is right for me?
Is being a physical therapist assistant a good choice?
I am interested in being a physical therapist assistant because I want to help people but I also want to have a good high salary. I have considered becoming a physical therapist because the pay is higher but I would rather be hands on with patients guiding them through their treatment. The average pay for physical therapist assistants in Oklahoma is not that low but I would prefer higher. Also, follow up question…how do I know if being a PTA is right for me? Is there a way to get experience in the field or volunteer so I know exactly what the job entails and if I want to become one?
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7 answers
Cynthia Doyle PT, DPT, CCI
Physical Therapist
18
Answers
Cheboygan, Michigan
Updated
Cynthia’s Answer
Hello,
Much good information has been presented to you in answers so far, so I won’t repeat that.
Most, if not all, PTA and PT programs require a certain number of Observation Hours in a variety of settings. Programs want you to know about the field, too, before deciding to start the program. If you happen to know which PTA or PT programs you’d like to attend, you may be able to find the required Observation Hours form on line. Call various settings and ask if you can schedule Observation Hours (most places are used to getting this type of request). Take the form with you that needs to be signed.
If the main reason you’d choose PTA over PT is because you want direct patient care, there are certain settings in which PTs provide direct care, too. Other things to consider between the two professions: PT programs are far more competitive for admission, far more expensive, and take far more time. That being said, as you acknowledged-PT salaries are higher. It is suggested that your total college debt not exceed your first year salary. PTs are responsible for evaluations, re-evaluations, and discharge summaries, so have much more paperwork than PTAs. And in some settings, PTAs have more direct patient care. Both careers are rewarding and attract people with similar interests. Good luck to you in your career decision!
Much good information has been presented to you in answers so far, so I won’t repeat that.
Most, if not all, PTA and PT programs require a certain number of Observation Hours in a variety of settings. Programs want you to know about the field, too, before deciding to start the program. If you happen to know which PTA or PT programs you’d like to attend, you may be able to find the required Observation Hours form on line. Call various settings and ask if you can schedule Observation Hours (most places are used to getting this type of request). Take the form with you that needs to be signed.
If the main reason you’d choose PTA over PT is because you want direct patient care, there are certain settings in which PTs provide direct care, too. Other things to consider between the two professions: PT programs are far more competitive for admission, far more expensive, and take far more time. That being said, as you acknowledged-PT salaries are higher. It is suggested that your total college debt not exceed your first year salary. PTs are responsible for evaluations, re-evaluations, and discharge summaries, so have much more paperwork than PTAs. And in some settings, PTAs have more direct patient care. Both careers are rewarding and attract people with similar interests. Good luck to you in your career decision!
Rachel Kavithe
Nutritionist
2
Answers
Kisumu, Kisumu County, Kenya
Updated
Rachel’s Answer
Thank you Anne for your question and i would want to commend you for a good career choice. From your question it's clear that this career choice is your passion and you'd not just been doing it as a profession, but a calling for that matter. This is the best thing that would happen to any professional, doing what they do for passion and not just for the pay. This is one of the careers where you get to interact one on one with patients and clients hence getting and opportunity to offer both physical and emotional support. Volunteer, do internships and learn as well as gain experience. For now prioritize to grow your knowledge and experience and better paying opportunities will present themselves, even if later.
Volunteer and learn
Start small even if its a lower paying job as you climb the ladder in your career
Rachel recommends the following next steps:
Xiorys M Montilla
Physical Therapy Assistant
3
Answers
Beardstown, Illinois
Updated
Xiorys M’s Answer
Hello
I am a physiotherapy assistant.
Yes, it's a very good career if you enjoy helping people and seeing their progress every day.
We work with patients who need to move, walk, or recover after an accident or surgery.
You must study anatomy and patient care, and learn to be patient and positive.
The work can be busy, but it's beautiful because you help people feel better.
If you'd like to try it, you could start by volunteering at a clinic or rehabilitation center to see if you enjoy it. 💪
I am a physiotherapy assistant.
Yes, it's a very good career if you enjoy helping people and seeing their progress every day.
We work with patients who need to move, walk, or recover after an accident or surgery.
You must study anatomy and patient care, and learn to be patient and positive.
The work can be busy, but it's beautiful because you help people feel better.
If you'd like to try it, you could start by volunteering at a clinic or rehabilitation center to see if you enjoy it. 💪
Natalia Lynch (Evgrafova) Schroth and MDT certified
Physical therapist
1
Answer
Riverhead, New York
Updated
Natalia’s Answer
Hi Anne,
PTA is a great career, as a PT I worked with some amazing ones . As a PTA can do almost everything PT does ( in most states ) except for evaluations and progress reports and work in different facilities . Volunteering is great way to get to know a profession and so is working as a PT aid - so you will get the exposure and the experience working with patients and being part of the team .
Wish you all the best ,
Natalia
PTA is a great career, as a PT I worked with some amazing ones . As a PTA can do almost everything PT does ( in most states ) except for evaluations and progress reports and work in different facilities . Volunteering is great way to get to know a profession and so is working as a PT aid - so you will get the exposure and the experience working with patients and being part of the team .
Wish you all the best ,
Natalia
Michelle M.
Actress
3284
Answers
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
Hello, Anne !
Working in Physical Therapy is an exciting career, for sure ! You will first need to read up on this field of work to get a basic and more familiar idea about what Physical Therapists and PT Assistants do on the job. A Physical Therapist in most settings does work hands on with people, so become more familiar with the actual work by reading and watching presentation videos on You Tube to see what you think.
Only you can determine if you'd like this career after being well informed. If you like working directly on and with a variety of types of people, enjoy school, like subjects like anatomy and the human sciences, you most likely would be a good Physical Therapy student. A Physical Therapist examines, diagnoses, develops care plans, and they do treat patient hands on. PT Assistants also work hands on with patients when they use electrical muscle stimulation, ultrasound, and heat or cold therapy to manage pain and improve circulation. They are also there while a patient is doing their exercise plan. So, knowing what both do, perhaps you can decide which one to choose. If you decide to become a Physical Therapist, at some point you could open your own practice. Both careers are very portable, meaning that anytime you move, wherever you go, you'd be able to find work.
Also think about how long of a duration you'd want to be at college. For Physical Therapist Assistant, it is two years. To be a Physical Therapist takes between six and eight years and you receive a Doctor of Physical Therapy - DPT Degree. So you can decide how long you want to stay in college and that may be a way to decide the career.
It is a process and you're NOT going to know beforehand what your experience will be like. You won't be able to work with patients until you are probably towards the end of your academic path. It's not something that someone just jumps into and you really don't have to, actually. You'll learn everything in college. If you're really unsure, give it more time.
I wouldn't recommend shadowing because of space issues in the facilities as well as privacy concerns that patients may have. You may be placed in an Internship in college once you have a strong, basic knowledge and aptitude for the work, but not now. Your college will tell you about internships if you become a PT or a PTA student.
I hope this helps for insight and I wish you all the best.
Working in Physical Therapy is an exciting career, for sure ! You will first need to read up on this field of work to get a basic and more familiar idea about what Physical Therapists and PT Assistants do on the job. A Physical Therapist in most settings does work hands on with people, so become more familiar with the actual work by reading and watching presentation videos on You Tube to see what you think.
Only you can determine if you'd like this career after being well informed. If you like working directly on and with a variety of types of people, enjoy school, like subjects like anatomy and the human sciences, you most likely would be a good Physical Therapy student. A Physical Therapist examines, diagnoses, develops care plans, and they do treat patient hands on. PT Assistants also work hands on with patients when they use electrical muscle stimulation, ultrasound, and heat or cold therapy to manage pain and improve circulation. They are also there while a patient is doing their exercise plan. So, knowing what both do, perhaps you can decide which one to choose. If you decide to become a Physical Therapist, at some point you could open your own practice. Both careers are very portable, meaning that anytime you move, wherever you go, you'd be able to find work.
Also think about how long of a duration you'd want to be at college. For Physical Therapist Assistant, it is two years. To be a Physical Therapist takes between six and eight years and you receive a Doctor of Physical Therapy - DPT Degree. So you can decide how long you want to stay in college and that may be a way to decide the career.
It is a process and you're NOT going to know beforehand what your experience will be like. You won't be able to work with patients until you are probably towards the end of your academic path. It's not something that someone just jumps into and you really don't have to, actually. You'll learn everything in college. If you're really unsure, give it more time.
I wouldn't recommend shadowing because of space issues in the facilities as well as privacy concerns that patients may have. You may be placed in an Internship in college once you have a strong, basic knowledge and aptitude for the work, but not now. Your college will tell you about internships if you become a PT or a PTA student.
I hope this helps for insight and I wish you all the best.
Lauren Ellis Triemstra
Physical Therapist Assistant
29
Answers
Joliet, Illinois
Updated
Lauren Ellis’s Answer
Hi Anne,
I wasn't sure if I wanted to go into PT school or PTA either. I had an unrelated Bachelor's degree and decided to change careers at age 27 (in 2009). I created a chart side-by-side and broke down: the costs to go to each school; the number of years I'd be out of work and how soon I'd get to working and making money; and how long I expected my career to last. For ME, I did NOT see the return on investment to attend PT school. Per my math at the time (based on base pay for each profession - and not even counting student loan interest), I would have been 50 years old when it would then become more financially profitable for me to have chosen PT. So I chose a PTA program.
-I was able to work part-time during PTA school as a rehab tech/PT Aide and gain in-person experience in the field while I was also learning it in the classroom. (For many PT students, SCHOOL is a full-time gig, and they weren't able to hold a job also.)
-I was able to start working full time as a PTA after my 2 year program. (I would have needed 1 year of pre-reqs +3 years of PT school.)
-I was able to pay off my schooling very quickly. When I attended PTA school, tuition then was close to $12K for the whole program. Unlike $100,00+ for a PT program.
-I knew that I had my own physical health/orthopedic issues that would prevent me from working in physical therapy long term. I've lasted 15 years and I'm getting tired and have backed down to part-time/PRN.
So for ME, PTA was a great choice! Everyone's situation is different. You'll have to figure out yours - get it all written down and organized - and decide what's most important to you with the information you have to make the decision at this time.
I've met PTs who've said they wished they were a PTA so they didn't have student loans and had less paperwork.
BUT, I missed out on many benefits of having become a PT. What I did NOT consider when I was looking at schools, I'm noticing now that there are more non-clinical opportunities available for DPTs than there are for PTAs. So if I ever want to stop treating patients, I'd have more administrative-like/desk job options as a DPT. Also, I can't even count the number of times patients have asked me why I'm not a PT, or if I'm going to PT school, or get discredited because I'm not a DPT and I'm JUST an assistant.
As for both PT and PTA, there is a lot of flexibility and availability to work PRN to pick up extra hours if you have the time/energy to work more than full-time and make more money.
Best of luck, Anne!
Make a chart and compare pro's and con's of PT vs PTA
Start working an entry level position as a rehab tech/PT aide to get experience in-person and see how it looks in a real-world setting
I wasn't sure if I wanted to go into PT school or PTA either. I had an unrelated Bachelor's degree and decided to change careers at age 27 (in 2009). I created a chart side-by-side and broke down: the costs to go to each school; the number of years I'd be out of work and how soon I'd get to working and making money; and how long I expected my career to last. For ME, I did NOT see the return on investment to attend PT school. Per my math at the time (based on base pay for each profession - and not even counting student loan interest), I would have been 50 years old when it would then become more financially profitable for me to have chosen PT. So I chose a PTA program.
-I was able to work part-time during PTA school as a rehab tech/PT Aide and gain in-person experience in the field while I was also learning it in the classroom. (For many PT students, SCHOOL is a full-time gig, and they weren't able to hold a job also.)
-I was able to start working full time as a PTA after my 2 year program. (I would have needed 1 year of pre-reqs +3 years of PT school.)
-I was able to pay off my schooling very quickly. When I attended PTA school, tuition then was close to $12K for the whole program. Unlike $100,00+ for a PT program.
-I knew that I had my own physical health/orthopedic issues that would prevent me from working in physical therapy long term. I've lasted 15 years and I'm getting tired and have backed down to part-time/PRN.
So for ME, PTA was a great choice! Everyone's situation is different. You'll have to figure out yours - get it all written down and organized - and decide what's most important to you with the information you have to make the decision at this time.
I've met PTs who've said they wished they were a PTA so they didn't have student loans and had less paperwork.
BUT, I missed out on many benefits of having become a PT. What I did NOT consider when I was looking at schools, I'm noticing now that there are more non-clinical opportunities available for DPTs than there are for PTAs. So if I ever want to stop treating patients, I'd have more administrative-like/desk job options as a DPT. Also, I can't even count the number of times patients have asked me why I'm not a PT, or if I'm going to PT school, or get discredited because I'm not a DPT and I'm JUST an assistant.
As for both PT and PTA, there is a lot of flexibility and availability to work PRN to pick up extra hours if you have the time/energy to work more than full-time and make more money.
Best of luck, Anne!
Lauren Ellis recommends the following next steps:
James Constantine Frangos
SOFTWARE ENGINEER SINCE 1972; NUTRITIONIST SINCE 1976.
7094
Answers
Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Updated
James Constantine’s Answer
Good Day Anne!
If you find human movements easy to remember and to instruct clients in, if you enjoy this job, then PTA could be for you. Seek internships with local physical therapy establishments such as academic institutions and practices in OK. SEE https://physical-therapy-assistant.org/pta-schools-in-oklahoma-ok/ ALSO https://www.occc.edu/health/pta/
You will soon know if this job is the one for you! You will get excited about starting study, then work and helping the clients.
Give It A Try Anne,
JCF
If you find human movements easy to remember and to instruct clients in, if you enjoy this job, then PTA could be for you. Seek internships with local physical therapy establishments such as academic institutions and practices in OK. SEE https://physical-therapy-assistant.org/pta-schools-in-oklahoma-ok/ ALSO https://www.occc.edu/health/pta/
You will soon know if this job is the one for you! You will get excited about starting study, then work and helping the clients.
Give It A Try Anne,
JCF