Become a Physical Therapist Assistant

Physical therapist assistants (PTAs) work as part of a dynamic healthcare team. Assistants help physical therapists maintain therapy facilities and monitor patient progress, while also helping patients by assisting them on difficult movements and instructing them on how to use walking aids. The PTA field is one of the fastest growing careers in health care, with even more jobs projected to open up over the next few years. Learn how to take the first steps toward this rewarding and challenging field.

Steps

Getting an Education

1. Take relevant high school courses. If you're considering a career as a physical therapy assistant, it's never too early to start preparing yourself. Taking advanced classes in biology, chemistry, and algebra - and earning high grades - can help you get into a college program that specializes in physical therapy assistance. Some PTA programs require a minimum average in algebra, so studying hard early on can help you go far in this field.
2. Consider volunteer work. Though it's not a requirement for getting into a PTA program, volunteering at a hospital or other health care facility will look great on a resume, and can help you decide if this career is right for you.
3. Find an accredited program. The minimum college educational requirement for PTAs is an associate's degree in physical therapist assistant education. It's important to ensure that the program you choose is accredited if you want to pursue a career as a PTA.
   • In the United States, the only agency that grants accreditation status is the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). You can find a database of CAPTE-accredited programs on the American Physical Therapy Association's website.
   • In Canada, accreditation is granted by the Physiotherapy Education Accreditation Canada (PEAC), and all physiotherapy programs across Canada are currently accredited by the PEAC.
   • If you're unsure of the accrediting board in your place of residence, you can find out by searching online for the PTA accreditation board in your region.
4. Get an education. There are many programs in PTA offered throughout the world. Accredited programs should mandate that at least 1/4 of a candidate's education be spent in a clinical environment. Other factors to consider while choosing a program include:
   • the structure and curriculum of a program
   • the types of clinical education and training opportunities offered through a program
   • available facilities at a program
   • the licensure pass rate of students in a program
   • post-graduate employment statistics
   • cost of attendance and financial aid options available at a program
5. Consider an internship. Undertaking an internship while you're studying to become a PTA can drastically improve a candidate's chances of gaining employment after graduation. That's because internships provide interns with hands-on training and experience, and allows the intern to make valuable connections with experts in the field.

Getting Licensed or Certified

1. Study for the National Physical Therapy Exam. Candidates in the United States who have completed the educational requirements must pass the National Physical Therapy Exam, which is administered by Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT). Candidates may not take the exam more than three times in a 12 month period, and may not take the exam more than six times overall.
   • Study guides and practice exams can be found online on the FSBPT website.
   • If you live outside the United States, you can learn about license/certification requirements in your country by searching online for your regional PT board.
2. Take the National Physical Therapy Exam. The exam consists of 200 questions, broken up into four sections with 50 questions each. Candidates have four hours to complete the exam, and should arrive at least 30 minutes before the exam time.
   • Exams are administered by Prometric at designated testing facilities on fixed dates throughout the year. Candidates can register for the exam and find testing locations and test dates on the FSBPT website, under "Registration Process".
   • The exam for PTAs costs $70, payable to Prometric at the time candidates register for the exam.
   • Bring two forms of ID, one of which must be a valid, government-issued photo ID.
   • Each section of the exam contains both scored and un-scored (pretest) questions. Candidates have no way of knowing which questions are scored and which are un-scored, so candidates should treat each question as though it will be scored.
3. Pass the exam. Candidates will be issued a score on a scale between 200 and 800. In order to pass the exam, candidates must have earned a score of 600 or higher. Scores are reported to a candidate's jurisdiction roughly five business days after the exam, and scores will be made available for free to all candidates after 10 business days. Scores can be found and downloaded on the FSBPT website, under the "Status of My Request" tab.
4. Learn your state's requirements. In addition to the National Physical Therapy Exam, some states also require candidates to complete and pass an additional state-wide exam and undergo a criminal background check. You can find your state's requirements by going to the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy website and clicking on "Licensing Authorities Contact Information".

Knowing What's Expected of a PTA

1. Learn about continuing education requirements. Some states require PTAs to take continuing education courses in order to maintain licensure. These requirements vary from state to state, and may not be required in jurisdictions outside the US. Contact your state/local board to learn about the licensing requirements in your region.
   • PTAs can find a list of continuing education courses offered by the American Physical Therapy Association by visiting http://learningcenter.apta.org/Student/Catalogue/Catalogue.aspx.
2. Know the duties of a PTA. PTAs work in a dynamic field, and the particulars of a PTAs work requirements will vary depending on the PTA's chosen work setting. Some common requirements of PTAs include:
   • working with physical therapists (PTs) and following a PT's orders
   • assisting patients with exercises and stretches
   • lifting or carrying patients as needed
   • massaging and/or bathing patients
   • applying heat/ice packs to patients
   • monitoring and recording a patient's progress
   • reporting all findings and results of patient care to the supervising physical therapist
3. Choose a work setting. PTAs typically work in a clinical setting, but there are a number of work settings within hospitals, schools, and private PT offices.
   • Acute Care - PTAs work with short-term patients in a hospital setting. PTAs only work with the patient until he or she is capable of being discharged from the hospital.
   • Rehabilitation Hospital - PTAs work with patients for intense therapy lasting three or more hours each day with the goal of helping patients become able to administer self care at home.
   • Sub-Acute Rehabilitation - PTAs work with patients at a special hospital facility with similar goals to those of a rehabilitation hospital, but with less-intense sessions.
   • Extended Care/Nursing Facility - PTAs work primarily with elderly patients in a facility designed for long-term care.
   • Outpatient/Private Practice Clinic - patients visit a clinic or facility to work with PTAs, primarily focusing on orthopedic and neuromuscular problems.
   • School - PTAs work with students in an educational environment.
   • Wellness/Prevention/Sports/Fitness - PTAs work with patients with an overall focus on physical wellbeing and injury prevention.
   • Home Care - PTAs visit patients at the patient's home, residential facility, or even hospital room. Home care PTAs primarily work with patients who are senior citizens and/or patients who have significant disabilities.
   • Hospice - PTAs work with patients who suffer from incurable ailments, with a focus on managing pain and increasing functional abilities for as long as possible.
   • Occupational Environments - PTAs work to help improve safety and productivity in a work setting and help patients regain the strength to return to work.
   • Government Settings - PTAs work with both civilians and military personnel at local, state, and federal agencies, including the Veteran's Health Administration and the Indian Health Service.
   • Research Centers - PTAs may work with physical therapists and other medical professionals on research to increase knowledge of physical therapy and find ways to improve patient care outcomes in all settings.

Finding a PTA Job

1. Build your resume. The most important things on a resume are your education, experience, and qualifications.
   • List your education first, in reverse-chronological order, with your most recent degree at the top.
   • Consider listing any relevant coursework that would qualify you for a position.
   • List any relevant employment experience in reverse-chronological order.
   • Summarize your background and experience (including any internships or volunteer work) under the "qualifications" heading.
2. Apply to jobs. You can find open positions by searching relevant PTA job boards, or by looking at the employment section on local hospitals' websites. Find PTA job boards in your area by searching online for physical therapy associations near you.
   • The American Physical Therapy Association lists open positions by category, practice settings, practice area, and location at http://www.apta.org/apta/hotjobs/default.aspx.
   • You may also want to consider sending your resume and cover letter directly to a human resources representative at a facility you'd like to work at. Even if there are no openings at the time, they may keep you in mind for future openings.
3. Make connections. Many PTAs get their first job by making connections during an internship. If you worked an internship or performed any volunteer work related to your field, contact the internship coordinator or a person of seniority at the facility where you worked and let them know that you're interested in working for them.

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