Things To Consider When Choosing Physical Therapy Assistant Schools Online

There are several things that you should consider when choosing online physical therapy assistant programs. Below are listed a few of the more important criteria that you have to keep in mind when deciding which of the many physical therapy assistant programs online you are going to attend. This is not a decision you want to make lightly.

• Check whether it is accredited by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) – if the program that you end up choosing is not accredited then you will be wasting your time and your money while you are there. Making sure that online physical therapy assistant programs before making your decision is literally the most important thing that you need to do. To write the exam you need to graduate from a program that is accredited. If you do not then you cannot write the exam and if you cannot write the exam then you can’t obtain your physical therapy assistant license. Many physical therapy assistant programs online are not accredited so be careful.

• Consider the tuition fees – the second thing that you need to consider is the tuition fee. Not all online physical therapy assistant programs offer tuition at the same rates so you need to look at prices and compare them. Make sure that you take the quality of the tuition into account as well as the price as this not always the most important criterion. Online physical therapy assistant programs that are expensive may not be the best and online physical therapy assistant programs that are cheap may not be the worst. There are many other things that you need to consider as well.

• Consider the extent of the medical database, instructional videos and teacher proficiency – all of this is related to the quality of the coursework. If the actual coursework is not of the best quality imaginable then you will find that you may not be fully prepared for the exam and, more importantly, your career as a physical therapy assistant. Therefore you should consider those online physical therapy assistant programs that have the most comprehensive and well laid out system in place above others. A good way to figure out if the course is of high quality is to research it online and see what other people have said about it in the past.

Coursework For Online PTA Programs

There are a number of different topics that most online physical therapy assistant programs will be sure to cover. These topics are:

• Introduction to Physical Therapy
• Gross Anatomy
• Clinical and Pathological Physiology
• Therapeutic Exercise

If you are concerned that any of these topics may be too difficult for you then you may want to reconsider this career pathway. These are things that you will have to understand fully if you want to be an effective physical therapy assistant in your real life. These topics become clearer as time progresses.

Qualifying with Physical Therapy Assistant Programs Online

Becoming a physical therapy assistant online can be easy, but there are a number of steps that you will have to follow if you want to achieve this. There are many good online physical therapy assistant programs out there, but there are also many bad ones, so be sure to try and filter the good form the bad during your selection process. If you don’t do this you may run into some serious trouble. Below are some steps to follow in order to make use of online physical therapy assistant programs:

• The first step is to choose a program. Some of the better online physical therapy assistant programs are listed below and you may want to start off by considering those. Remember that with an online program it doesn’t really matter which state it is in. You must just be sure to choose a program that is accredited and that will prepare you sufficiently for the examination. If you are not well prepared you will fail and you will have wasted the money you spent on the program. Be very careful when selecting a program.

• The next step is then to become licensed as a physical therapy assistant. Remember that there are some slightly different rules in each state regarding what requirements you have to meet in order to become licensed in that area. Make sure that you know what all of the licensing requirements are. Usually you will need to have a CPR certificate and you will definitely have to pass the examination. Other differences may exist. Make sure that the online physical therapy assistant programs you choose is able to prepare you to meet the various requirements that you will need to fulfill.

• Remember that your studies will be useless if you do not get the necessary practical experience. Not only will practice experience allow you to pass your qualification and become licensed, but it will also increase your chances of becoming employed once you have graduated from online physical therapy assistant programs. It is essential that you get this practical experience. If you are not willing or disinterested in doing this part of the qualification then you need to examine your motives and question whether or not online physical therapy assistant programs are what you should be doing with your time.

• If you want to get a job as physical therapy assistant then you will need to have a resume that reflects your strengths in that area. The resume you were using before you qualified will now be outdated. Once you have chosen from the many online physical therapy assistant programs out there and completed your qualification it is time o update your resume and make sure that it reflects you in the best light possible. Remember that your resume is the first impression an employer will have of you, so make sure it shows you in good light.

• Now that you have your resume up to date and the relevant qualifications it is time to start applying for physical therapy assistant jobs. There are many options out there. Good online physical therapy assistant programs will prepare you for all of the job options that you will have once you have graduated and you should have very little trouble finding the right jobs for you. Make sure that you apply for a variety of different jobs. It may be helpful to adjust your resume for each job application so that it is more relevant to that specific job.

The Best Physical Therapy Assistant Online Programs

There are a number of options out there for students looking for physical therapy assistant online training. Below is a list of some of the physical therapy assistant schools online that are offered all over the country. Of course this list is far from being comprehensive but it does outline some of the better online PTA programs that you could choose to enrol in to complete your qualification and start practicing as a physical therapy assistant. Remember to make sure that the school is properly accredited and that they offer clinical training. All good physical therapy assistant online programs will offer this.

• San Juan College
  4601 College Blvd.
  Farmington, NM 87402
  505-326-3311
  sanjuancollege.edu

• Whatcom Community College
  237 W. Kellogg Road
  Bellingham, WA 98226
  360-383-3000
  whatcom.ctc.edu

• Clark State Community College
  Leffel Lane Campus
  570 East Leffel Lane
  Springfield, OH 45505
  937-325-0691
  clarkstate.edu

• Stratford Career Institute
  1 Champlain Commons, Unit 3
  P.O. Box 1560
  St. Albans, Vermont 05478
  800-363-0058
  scitraining.com

• Ashworth College
  430 Technology Parkway
  Norcross, Georgia 30092
  800-957-5412
  ashworthcollege.edu

• Penn Foster Career School
  925 Oak Street
  Scranton, Pennsylvania 18515
  800-275-4410
  pennfoster.edu

• Metropolitan Community College
  3200 Broadway
  Kansas City, MO 64111
  816-604-1000
  mcckc.edu

Remember that some people struggle with online physical therapy assistant programs. This is because it requires you to be self-disciplined and to work by yourself. Not all people do well in these kinds of working environments. If you are worried that you are one of those people then you may want to try and attend a face-to-face program instead. If this is really not an option for you, try to find other online students to stay in touch with so that you can all guide each other through the online physical therapy assistant program. Online physical therapy assistant programs are a viable option, but you need to make sure it is the right thing for you and that you choose the best school.

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From a legal stand point a physical therapist that employs an assistant will be covered from malpractice law suits which have become common place and can cost professionals millions of dollars.

There are also benefits for a physical therapy assistant license in that on average licensed assistants get paid more and are also more likely to be employed than one who is not.

The Federation Of States Boards Of Physical Therapy

This an umbrella organisation was founded in 1986 and strives to protect the public by ensuring that physical therapy assistants are adequately trained and are competent to carry out the profession in a satisfactory manner and also to ensure that the public have access to best possible procedures and therapies available.

These boards are also there to protect the professional who are also open to abuse from both the public and professional employers. Regulation does exactly what it claims to do. It sets minimum standards which have to be met and practiced ensuring the best interests of all parties at all times.
The following is the mission statement State Board of Physical Therapy of Pennsylvania and gives one some idea of how the governments see its role.

Mission Statement:
“The State Board of Physical Therapy regulates the practice of physical therapy in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the Board’s duty to pass upon the qualifications of applicants for licensure as physical therapists and registration as physical therapist assistants. Among its other functions, the Board issues, renews, suspends and revokes licenses and registrations.“

“Citation: Physical Therapy Practice Act, Act of October 10, 1975, P.L. 383, as amended, 63 P.S. § 1301 et seq.”

“Regulations of the State Board of Physical Therapy, 49 PA. CODE § 40.1 et seq.”

Laws And regulations

In the United States of America licensing laws differ from state to state. The U. S. Bureau for Labor statistics mentions that most states regulate physical therapy assistants buy requiring them to register and or hold a physical therapy assistant license.

Requirements for Registration and Licensing

Before a person can register they will need to have completed certain minimum schooling and other training requirements which can vary slightly from state to state. Generally speaking a candidate needs to obtain an associate degree after completing high school which takes about two years. The course, physical therapy assistant degree offered by the school or college needs to be accredited by the regulatory bodies and it is advisable that the student enquire whether or not the school is registered with the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education. (CAPTE). On completion of the course the prospective assistant will be required to write an exam know as (NPTE) or National Physical Therapy Examination.

An example of a course that does meet with CAPTE approval would be Associate of Science in Physical Therapy assisting which can be taken in many schools and institutions across America.

A student can expect the course to start off with a whole lot of foundational subjects relating to the human anatomy and general medicine before moving on to more physical therapy type subjects. Core classes include therapeutic exercise, orthopaedics, pathology, neurological disorders and advanced physical therapy procedures.

Ethics

Ethics is most probably the founding reason for the formulation of regulatory bodies in any medical arena. Unethical practices are not uncommon in the physical therapy profession and the following are some examples of unethical behavior and related material.

It has been suggested that professionals break rules for four main reasons, namely, Stuff happens, Human error, negligence and recklessness. The worst offender is her or she who willfully and or purposefully violates a rule or standard of ethics.

Ethical decision making is something that takes time and experience and has to be regulated to a degree. The regulatory boards have over time worked out ways of accessing whether people have these abilities or not and hence the examinations and licensing procedures.

Reasons for a Physical Therapy Assistant License being Revoked

• Sexual misconduct. Very often healthcare workers are in a situation that makes this far easier than one would think. Often times a patient is very vulnerable and easy to take advantage of. The types of practices that could constitute sexual misconduct are, kissing, touching, inappropriate touching, male female physical contact, same sex contact in an inappropriate manner, speech and many others could have sexual connotations.

• Substance Abuse. It stands to reason the professional persons judgement could be impaired while under the influence which could result in bad decision making and poor judgement.

• Professional discipline. It is essential that accurate and honest records are professional kept for are patients and all correspondence and billing procedures.

• Fraud and misrepresentation. False record keeping and irregular billing procedures where private versus insurance companies are different. Billing of non-existent patients or patients who have not received all the care billed for to insurance companies.

• Patient Abuse. There are many cases where professionals are aware that their patients are being abused but do not report them. This could be spousal abuse, child abuse or others. Physical therapy assistants as well as other professionals are obliged to report any suspected cases of abuse to the relevant authorities.

• Medication violation. Where professionals assist patients in obtaining prescription medication for recreational use and abuse.

• Unethical behavior. Professionals may not be discriminatory in terms of race or sexual orientation. All patients deserve equal care. Other areas of unethical behavior may be in the case of advertising or false advertising.

• Poor documentation. Accurate and detailed reports are to be kept by medical professionals at all times and such records are to be kept in such a way as to protect and preserve them.

• Unlicensed practice. Certain medical disciplines have to be licensed and cannot under any circumstances be practiced without physical therapy assistant license.

• Boundary violations. This has to do with practicing in the states or areas where the licenses are valid. Geographical boundaries.

Frequently Asked Questions Asked by Candidates for NPTE

What are the steps I need to take to write the exam:

• Obtain application forms from the relevant licensing authority
• Register for FSBPT online
• If you have documented a disability you can arrange for special conditions for writing your exam
• The jurisdiction licensing authority will approve or disapprove the candidates eligibility
• The FSBPT will send confirmation of eligibility or authorization to write
• An appointment will be scheduled for the examination with Prometric
• Write the exam on the predetermined dates and confirmed location.

Must I sit the exam in the jurisdiction in which I am seeking licensure:

• You may sit the exam at any of the over 300 testing centers

May I register to license with more than one jurisdiction at the same time:

• You may only register in one jurisdiction at a time

What are costs involved with registration for the exam:

• The licensure fees vary from state to state but as of January the 1st 2010 the NPTE is three hundred and seventy USD.

What is Prometric:

• Prometric is the name of the company that provides computer based testing for NPTE.

When can I take my examination:

• Examinations are scheduled with the candidate and can be arranged at any time.

What information must I provide when applying to take my Prometric exam:

• Name of the examination (Physical Therapist, Physical Therapist Assistant, Jurisprundence Exam)
• Where and when the candidate would prefer the exam to take place
• The full names of the candidate
• Social security number or other identification number
• Contactable daytime telephone number
• Means of payment

What is the Prometric examination fee:

• National Physical Therapy PT’s is seventy dollars and sixty cents and for PTA’s the fee is fifty five dollars and sixty cents.

How long is the examination:

• Five hours are allowed for the candidates to write the exam. It is advisable to arrive half an hour before testing.

Can I cancel my exam and get a refund:

• Cancellations must be in advance and must be done in writing. Only cancellations done in writing are eligible for a refund.

How will I know what my scores were after writing the exam:

• Your scores will be available from the local licensing authority

How often can I retake an exam should I fail:

• This varies from state to state but as a general rule any candidate is usually allowed three attempts at the exam.

Who can I call if I have any queries regarding the NPTE programs:

• Write to: Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy / 124s. West street, 3rd floor / Alexandria VA 22314
• Email: npte@fsbpt.org
• Telephone: 703-739-9420

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Generally speaking, you would assist occupational therapists, doctors, surgeons and other professional rehabilitate patients who have been involved in accidents resulting from sports injuries, motor vehicle accidents and others as well as patients who have lost motor skills through head injury, strokes and the like. This field would be of interest to people who interested in pursuing a medical career and enjoy working with people and are practically minded. The basic aim of the therapy is to improve the quality of the patients life by assisting with the improvement of basic functions whether really practical ones such as mobility or more complex areas that involve memory loss, brain damage and other neurological problems.

Courses You Will Need To Become A Physical Therapy Assistant

You will need an associate degree obtainable through one of the hundreds of courses available in the field. It is most probably a good idea to work as a volunteer with a professional before embarking on a physical therapy assistant training program to establish if this is indeed the type of work that will suit your character. The course itself will vary from school to school but should cover the basics of medical science, the theory and practice of physical therapy as well as lots of hands on type practical training. Another thing to consider when becoming a PTA is whether you want to specialize or not. This is also something one can do as you progress and develop within the field. Specific PTA related subjects might include physiology, anatomy, sports performance and human development. One would also cover courses such as neurological development, pathology, therapeutic exercise and others.

Physical Therapy Assistant Work And Salary Prospects

PTA’s are in demand and will generally find a placement relatively easily with the right qualifications and registration. In this field there are no corporate ladders to climb, you are what you are but the physical therapy assistant salary scale will increase as experience is gained. Salaries vary from state to state and also depend on whether you work in the private or government sectors. Salaries above forty thousand dollars per annum are not uncommon and top salaries advertised are as high as ninety thousand USD per annum. The most common areas where work can be found are hospitals, home health care industries and private health care professionals.

Do PTA’s Need To Be Licensed?

Although many sates do regulate the PTA profession one does not need to be registered in order to work. However those companies and professionals who would require the services are more likely to employ a registered assistant. There are a number of reasons for this but most importantly they would want to protect themselves and their companies from possible legal implications and malpractice law suits. On completion of a two year degree candidates can write an exam, the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE). Courses that are accredited can be viewed on the website. Federation of State Boards Physical Therapy (www.fsbpt.org).

The requirements differ from to state to state and as such it is advisable to research what your needs are and what the minimum expectations are in your area.

Areas of Specialization with Physical Therapy Assistant Training

• Cardiopulmonary
• Geriatrics
• Neurology
• Orthopaedics
• Paediatrics

Physical Therapy Assistant – Areas Of Practice

As mentioned previously PTA’s assist physical therapists with the rehabilitation of patients and will work in places such as hospitals, sports facilities, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, extended care facilities, education centers, research facilities, schools, hospices, occupational environments, the military and many others. Common aids that PTA’s will work with would be things like artificial limbs, wheelchairs, various braces, crutches and canes. Very often specialized and purpose built devices will be custom made for the patient.

List of Typical PTA duties:

• Measuring the motor function of a particular patient
• Gauging balance and co-ordination
• Recording muscle strength and performance
• Finding out the range of motor function with a particular patient
• Create treatment plans
• Implement the treatment plan
• Monitor treatment plans
• Assessing to what degree a patient requires treatment and what can be done by the patient on his own.
• Writing progress reports for therapists and physicians.

A large portion of a physical assistants work revolves around documentation and note taking and as such those embarking on this career need to be focused and organised and be able to work within very structured parameters. You also need strong interpersonal skills and have the ability to communicate well with people.

An average work week for a physical therapy assistant will be in the order of forty hours but in extreme situations could be more. On the whole the work is interesting and varied and there is always a new challenge to look forward to.

Where And What To Study?

When deciding on which college or course to attend there are a number of factors that the individual needs to take into consideration.

• LOCATION: Where you live will affect your ability to attend classes and also affect the cost of studying. Studying closer to home will cost far less than studying thousands of mile away.
• FINANCIAL COSTS: This is a basic consideration and will generally speaking affect the quality of the physical therapy assistant degree course you attend. It is also valuable to find out what aids are available and if certain companies or hospitals are offering scholarships.
• FLEXIBILITY: For many students it is important that they are able to work while studying and to this end may need a course that offers some degree of flexibility in terms of course times.
• COURSES AND CURRICULUM: Not all schools offer the same courses and it is obviously important that you cover all areas in the field that you believe to be of value to your future as a PTA.
• RECOGNISED COURSES: It is important that you enrol with a school that is recognized by the regulatory bodies and that you will be eligible for certification in your preferred state of employment.

The courses are offered as part time and also as distant learning subjects but as a rule a full time physical therapy assistant training program in this field will be more useful and the graduate more employable. The following are common physical therapy assistant programs that students participate in:

Associate of Science in Physical Therapy Assistance:
This is a good all round platform course that usually requires about two years of study and covers all the general areas of interest in the field such as general academics and physical therapy. Subjects such as pain management, working with disease recovery, motor skills, mobility, accident recovery and neurological basics and the use of mobility and other physical equipment are covered.

Associate of Applied Science in Applied Health:
This course also offers a strong foundation on general health and physical assistant subjects and can also take about two years to complete.

Associate of Science in Occupational Assistant Therapy:
To enrol in this course the student will need to have completed a basic course in the applied field and is a popular choice for those ensuing a career as a physical assistant therapist.

Graduate Certificate in Paediatric Care:
This is course that would be undertaken by a person already qualified as a physical therapists assistant who wants to specialize in this particular area of expertise. In America there are over two hundred and fifty courses available and many specialist courses to compliment them with and can be studied at university and colleges throughout the country.

There are numerous specialist courses available and with time and experience the individual has the opportunity to expand their areas of expertise and to specialize.

With over two hundred thousand patients seeking assistance from physical therapists on a daily basis across the United States of America you can be assured of a career filled with promise and growth prospects. This not a career choice for everyone and requires a high degree of commitment and interest to the care of others. It is however a well-paid and rewarding career for those dedicated to it. Besides growth and relatively good earning potential the individual is able to pursue specific areas of interest and can continually grow and learn new and specialized forms of treatment. This career also allows the graduate the opportunity to study and work abroad with job openings all over the world. Place like The United Arab Emirates for example are often advertising for these positions with the promise of extremely good salaries and attractive packages.

In conclusion whether you choose physical therapy assistant training or physical therapy aide training, it is an attractive career prospect which allows for individuality in terms of personal areas of interest and also the prospects for growth and further study. A natural follow on from an assistant would be to become a fully qualified physical therapist with large numbers of graduates doing just that every year.

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A physical therapy assistant will earn a much higher income than that of a physical therapy aide. The reason for this is that the aide takes care of the manual labor only. Some of the manual labor tasks include things such as transporting the patient, making sure that the treatment area is clean and neat, cleaning the modalities as well as maybe being asked to set up the room where treatment will take place.

Salaries of physical therapy assistants do vary depending on where they are working from, how many years of experience they have, any certificates as well as the state they work in. The highest paid assistant will earn anything in the region of $60,000 annually, while the lowest paid assistant can expect an annual PTA salary of around $30,000.

Those physical therapy assistants in the high annual income category are normally paid by the home health service facilities. The middle income category is normally assistants that work in hospital settings and their annual income of around $47,000 is paid by the nursing facilities. The assistants in the low category are normally those working in the offices of the physicians.

There is a yearly increase in this specific field and the salaries also depend on what experience and certification you have received and completed. The more physical therapy assistant training and certificates you have, the higher your chances of receiving an increase in your PTA salary as an assistant. There is a great demand for physical therapy assistants at the moment and you should also know that there are many more assistants than aides at the moment. The big reason for this is the fact that a physical therapy assistant earn so much more than a therapy aide. So, I want to encourage you to complete the special training needed to become an assistant instead of just an aide.

If you are an assistant that have special certification for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation or CPR you can expect anything from $18 – $25 per hour which is a lot more than just a normal assistant who no other certification would be able to earn. If you specialize and have received training or certification in the field of sport you can look forward to receiving at around $22 per hour. If you have done a course in massage therapy, you can expect to be paid around $30 per hour.

To try and understand the physical therapy assistant salary we need to look at the history of this specific profession.

Physical Therapy Assistant – From The Begining

Physical therapy came into play during the four wars. Injured soldiers needed assistance when injured during the war and because it was mainly women performing physical therapy on behalf of the military, they were not very well paid. It was only later, during 1946 that the “hospital survey and construction act” was passed by congress. Thanks to the act greater respect was shown with regards to this type of profession. There was also an increase in men joining this profession. However, it was only during the 1950’s that a therapist became a recognized professional practitioner allowing for an increase in wages.

Physical Therapy Assistant Salary Ranges

Salaries of physical therapist assistants had a dramatic increase during the 1990’s and 2000’s. The average physical therapy assistant salary back in 1999 would be somewhere in the range of $30,000 and has since then increased to about $40,000. As far as a physical therapist is concerned, their salary in 1999 was about $60,000 and has now increased to about $80,000. You can see that this is obviously great news for physical therapists as well as physical therapy assistants.

Current Data

In May of 2010 the bureau of labor statistics was able to estimate that there are around 66,000 people earning physical therapy assistant salaries, meaning that the mean hourly wage is around $24 per hour which gives you a mean annual wage of about $50,000. The following breakdown should be able to give you a clear idea of not only where you will be starting off as far as earning are concerned, but also what you will be able to earn if you are prepared to work for it.

Physical Therapy Assistant Salary Per Hour

Starting at the bottom of the income scale and working our way up, you will see that the bottom 10% will be looking at an hourly wage of about $15.00 giving them an annual salary of just over $31,000. The middle 75% can look at a well increased hourly wage of just over $28.00 giving them an annual wage of just over $59,000. As you can see there is quite a significant difference between the wages of the bottom 10% and that of the 75% in the middle.

If you are lucky enough to be one of the 10% of earners at the top of the income scale then you will be looking at an hourly wage of over $33.00 giving them an annual salary of almost $70,000.
Top Paying Industries:

Top Paying States:

Do keep in mind that all the figures given above were compiled over a year ago and are the average income figures for this specific occupation all over the country.

Industries For High Employment

If you are looking to find an industry with high employment and salary figures when it comes to this specific occupation then you should take a look at some of the following industries.

• Offices of Other Health Practitioners. They employ over 26,000.
• General Medical and Surgical Hospitals. They employ over 16,000
• Nursing Care Facilities. They have employed over 7,000.
• Home Health Care Services who employ 5,200.
• Offices of Physicians. They employ just under 9,000.

Of these four, the industry paying the highest wage according to the bureau of labor statistics is the Home Health Care Services. As far as this industry is concerned you can earn an average annual physical therapy assistant salary of over $59,000.

Looking at these statistics I am sure you have realized by now how rewarding a career as a physical therapist or a physical therapy assistant can be.

Increasing Your Salary

There are of course ways to increase your physical therapy assistant salary. Keep on gaining experience and earning your diplomas which in the end will make you the most valuable member of any team. The more experience you have, the more rewarding your PTA salary will become. Get training and experience in other areas as well, some extra physical therapy assistant duties like giving a massage, only if you have a license though, that you can do for bonus payments. By doing this alone, you can easily demand $30 per hour extra. So you see, by continuously gaining experience and earning certificates your earning potential will dramatically increase and you will be able to care for your patients properly making life easier for them while at the same time increasing your bank balance.

Did you know that in the USA, there are about 70,000 licensed physical therapy assistants and because of the ever increasing demand another 25,000 positions for physical therapy assistants will become available over the next couple of years in almost every state which is good news for people who don’t want to move to another state.

As far as physical therapy assistant salary is concerned, it all depends on whether you are working in an upscale area, the years of experience you have, whether you are working in a hospital or a private practice clinic and then of course the lower paying areas such as public schools.

Another way to increase your income is profit sharing. There are some employers that do offer you this option. The profit sharing amount can range anything from a couple of hundred dollars up to and more than $20,000 per annum.

Profit sharing is an option to consider but you need to discuss it in great detail with your prospective employer. Do yourself a favor and, if possible, talk to some of the current employers at the company. Try to find out whether they have profit sharing and what the average annual profit payment have been over the last couple of years.

When a physical therapy assistant salary offer has been made, take your time before accepting or declining the offer. Make sure you know exactly what the salary includes and what it doesn’t include, like health benefits for instance.

Sometimes a smaller salary is the better option if the benefits are worth so much more. Many employers offer benefits such as dental care, eye care, paid leave, health insurance, retirement plan and so forth.

Being a physical therapy assistant is actually very rewarding. People depend on you to make them feel better, heal them and giving them back the life, so to speak, in many instances. As a physical therapy assistant you always have to make sure that everything is set up and ready for treatment. If the therapist has to step out for a minute, you should be able to take over and help out with the remainder of the treatment or exercises provided you have been trained to perform the various exercises and treatments.

As an assistant you might also have to make difficult decisions where the patients are concerned. You will be asked for your advice or opinion in certain cases and you have to be confident when giving your opinions, advice and handing your reports to the therapist because if you for instance said that a person is ready to go back to work and something goes wrong it could become a worker’s compensation case in which you will have to explain your decisions made.

So, as you can see, being a physical therapy assistant can be very rewarding especially if you have the necessary people skills allowing you to communicate with all the patients you come in contact with.

You have to remember that as far as salaries are concerned that it will increase in the future. The demand for physical therapists and physical therapy assistants are increasing in demand and as the demand increases so will the annual wages and hourly rates.

As long as you keep on learning, getting experience and earning your diplomas in all the various fields, you as an assistant will become indispensable and will be able to assist the therapist in more ways than one, which will be even more rewarding and also allowing the therapist to take care of even more patients as she knows that you can be left alone with an injured patient as you have the experience as well as the diplomas allowing you to take care of a patient in need.

You cannot go wrong by choosing a future as a physical therapy assistant as your options, once you have gained all the experience you possibly can, are endless.

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When you get a physical therapy assistant degree you will be qualified to assist physical therapists in a wide range of daily activities. You will be eligible to work in nursing homes, home health care situations, health care practitioner offices and hospitals. You will need an associate’s degree in order to become a physical therapist assistant.

Training And Licensing

To be a physical therapy assistant you will need to get a physical therapy assistant degree. If you want to practice, you will also need to be certified. Something that is very important to keep in mind is that certification qualifications vary from state to state, so find out what the exact prerequisites in your state are.

There are several different courses that you can engage in order to become a PTA:

• Associate of Science in Occupational Therapy Assisting
• Associate of Applied Science in Allied Health
• Associate of Science in Physical Therapy Assisting
• Graduate Certificate in Geriatric Health

Some physical therapy assistants train on the job, but in most states you need to be fully qualified and licensed in order to practice as a physical therapy assistant. For this you will need an associate’s degree.

Online Physical Therapy Assistant Degrees

An online PTA degree is an easy and flexible way for you to become an accredited PTA, but you need to make sure that the online school that you get your Physical Therapy Assistant Degree through is actually one that is accredited and that you are not effectively wasting your time with the qualification.

The following are generally considered to be the 9 best online schools (in reverse order) for getting your physical therapy assistant degree in the United States:

• Florida Hospital College of Health Sciences
• Pima Medical Institute
• Keiser University Online
• Independence University
• Penn Foster Career School
• A.T. Still University
• Argosy University
• Herzing College
• Grand Canyon University

Your Learning Expectations

Different physical therapy assistant programs come with different curriculum’s, but there basics that you will learn will include:

• Theory and Practice of Physical Therapy (resuscitation (CPR) and other first aid, and field experience in treatment centers)
• Medical Sciences Courses
• General Courses (algebra, English, anatomy and physiology, and psychology)
• Practical Work
• You will also develop the skills needed to be well-organized, detail oriented, and caring, as well as being easy to lead and able to work in a team
• Interpersonal skills

More specifically, at the end of a physical therapy assistant degree:

• You should be able to become employed as a physical assistant in an entry-level capacity
• You should be able to comprehend and implement the various procedures that a physical therapy assistant will be responsible for easily and adequately (under the supervision of a Physical Therapist)
• You should be able to pass a licensing exam easily
• You should be able to put theory knowledge regarding legal and ethical considerations in the physical therapy arena into practice efficiently and consistently
• You should have developed an interest in constantly bettering your knowledge in the field through the acceptance and adherence to life-long learning standards for the industry
• You should be able to implement treatments plans and adapt them according to patient responses and interactions
• You should be able to take information you learn from literature reviews into practice efficiently and appropriately
• You should be able to report and communicate changes in patient status and patient progress
• You should be able to communicate effectively in terms of documenting information regarding the patent’s care, progress and responses
• You should be able to collect data and then apply that data appropriately to the plan of care formulated for the patient
• You should be able to identify how to interact appropriately with the various people with whom you will come into contact with and provide the appropriate support needed at a variety of levels

To enter a physical therapy assistant degree:

• You will need to have the comprehension skill of an 11th grader
• You will need to be able to function competently and safely if you are taking prescription or over the counter medication
• You will need to be able to communicate and assimilate information in a variety of different formats
• You will need to have personal and grooming standards that are appropriate for the work you will do as a physical therapists assistant, namely close contact with clients
• You will need to have the skills necessary to analyse and draw conclusions from data
• You will need to have the social skills necessary for this type of work
• You will need to have the physical ability to stand for a minimum of 2 hours
• You will need to have the emotional stability to keep your head under emergency circumstances
• You will need to have the physical ability to walk for a minimum of six hours
• You will need to have the natural ability to identify a potentially dangerous situation and intervene before the situation becomes severe and serious
• You will need to be physically able to stoop and bend for a minimum of 30 minutes at a time and to repeat this activity at uncertain intervals
• You will need to be able to respond well and appropriately to various skills and signals given by patients
• You will need to be physically able to lift a person weighing 40 pounds on your own, and you will need to be physically capable of assisting in moving a much heavier patient
• You will need to have the fine motor coordination necessary to do tasks such as assisting with dressing
• You will need to be able to determine what is going on with a patient by touch

Nature Of Work

You should note that there are differences between physical therapy assistants and physical therapy aides, but a physical therapy assistant degree should qualify you for both.

As a Physical Therapy Assistant you will assist the physical therapist in:

• Providing care to the patient
• Providing exercise instruction to the patient (under supervision)
• Providing therapeutic methods to the patient (under supervision)
• Recording responses to and outcome of the various treatments that the patient is made to undergo

As a physical therapy aide you will:

• Assist in making the therapy session productive (under supervision)
• Keep the treatment area clean
• Keep the treatment area organised
• Prepare the treatment area for each therapy session
• Assist patients in moving from treatment area to another
• Deal with various clerical and administrative tasks (depends on the institute you are working for)
• Physical therapy assistant aides are not licensed to perform clinical duties

In general the work you will do with a PTA degree is:

• Assisting in improving patient mobility
• Assisting in preventing or lessening any disabilities a patient may have
• Assisting patients with exercising
• Assisting patients in learning to use aids, such as crutches
• Gathering and preparing therapy equipment

Environment and Hours

• Strength is required to a certain degree , something you need to keep in mind when applying for a physical therapy assistant degree
• Hours will vary depending on your place of work
• Part time and weekend hours are a possibility in this line of work

Future Prospects And Salary

You’ll be very happy to hear that jobs in the physical therapy assistant field are projected to grow faster than average in the future, making it a safe and secure bet for someone looking for a stable career. This is in fact true of many jobs in the health care industry, the fastest growing job industry at present. New technological advances create new jobs, and higher prevalence of certain conditions cause health care workers to be highly in demand.

It is important to remember, however, that you may face quite stiff competition when applying for a PTA job as more and more people are becoming qualified to work in this area.

There are several future plans you may be able to make once you have a PTA degree:

• You could enter an accredited physical therapy assistant school that will allow you to convert your PTA degree to a Physical Therapist Degree, opening up your career options even further.

The physical therapy assistant salary you can expect varies slightly, generally falling somewhere between $33,840 and $49,010.

In general it is easy to see that if you want to get your foot in the door of the health care industry without the years of study involved in becoming, for example, a doctor, then a physical therapy assistant degree is the perfect avenue for you to pursue. As far as employment goes, you should be able to find a job if you have the appropriate certification, and once you have entered the job market in this way you should never have any trouble staying employed.

The post Obtaining Your Physical Therapy Assistant Degree appeared first on Healthcare Careers Guide.

Administrative

• You will need to have good communication and reporting skills. This is one of the more important aspects of the physical therapy assistant job description as you will need to be in constant contact with the physical therapist you work for regarding the patients progress and so on. Your reporting skills come into play here as you will have to report things in a concise manner that allows for the minimum of misunderstanding possible.
• You will need to be able to gather data about your patients. This is a very important role in the physical therapy assistant job description, and you absolutely have to ensure that you are able to record this data accurately, and that you are able to assimilate this data into the plan for care that is being used with the patient in question.
• You will need to be able to communicate with patients and colleagues effectively in both written and spoken mediums.
• Not only will you be required to gather data, but you will also have to sue that data to draw conclusions. You will have to link that data to other information that you already have about the patient, and you will have to carefully analyse that data for patterns and any other important information that it may reveal.

Ethical

• As a PTA you will need to know all of the legal and ethical requirements for the job. You will need to be able to apply them in practice at all times while you are working, and all of the treatments and interventions you are implementing under supervision and careful instruction are in line with the policies put forward by the relevant agencies, namely Guidelines of Ethical Conduct and the Standards of Practice for PTAs.

Clinical

• Although you will be under close and careful supervision at all times, you will need to be prepared to help your employer, who will be a registered physical therapist, to administer the necessary treatment interventions in a clinical environment.
• Once you have qualified as a PTA one of the main parts of the PTA job description is to, under supervision (as will always be the case) put a proper treatment plan into practice. It is important to note that this includes modifying the treatment plan should the need arise in accordance with the patent’s reaction to the treatment and with their progress.

Physical

There are several basic physical requirements that you will have to meet if you want to fulfil the physical therapy assistant job description. If you are unable to do the following then you will most certainly find the job of a physical therapy assistant very difficult indeed:

• As a physical therapy assistant you will have to do a lot of standing during sessions and between sessions. Therefore if you are unable to stand for a minimum of two hours than you may find this line of work to be a very challenging one indeed.
• You will need to be able to walk for at least six hours, but remember that these six hours are stretched out over the day and are not always consecutive. This is another important thing that you will need to be able to do if you want to perform your role as a physical therapy assistant effectively.
• You will need to be able to engage in such physical feats as bending, stooping or twisting for 30 minutes at a time. These 30 minute periods may be repeated throughout the day and you will need to be able to maintain the required position as often as need be.
• It is important that you have a certain degree of strength. If you cannot lift a 40 pound person by yourself, then you may not have the strength requirements necessary to successfully work as a PTA. On top of being able to lift a 40 pound person by yourself, you will also need to be able to assist others in lifting heavier patients and moving them into the required positions. Strength is an important part of being a physical therapy assistant.
• You will need to be able to determine a certain amount of information from your patient based on touch. For example, how hot or cold is the patient and are they sweating or not?
• Your fine motor coordination needs to be at a good level. You will need to perform activities and duties that require small muscle dexterity. Such tasks include such things as operating controls and putting on the gowns necessary for the therapy session.

Academic

• To become a physical therapy assistant you will need to have more than basic reading skills. What this means is that you will need to understand text-book material presented at eleventh grade level as a minimum literacy requirement. If you do not meet this requirement, then you may find that you will struggle as a PTA.
• Your communication skills also need to be very good. You will, for example, have to be able to give a clear and concise message in a number of different formats, including speech, writing and computerized formats. This is a very important aspect for any health care worker. You need to be able to communicate in order to ensure the continuous and constant well-being of the patients who are in your care.
• Once you have qualified as PTA it is a part of the physical therapy assistant job description that you keep up to date with literature on the subject and that you are able to apply that literature to your daily activities in work, in so far as the literature in question is in line with the ethical and practical requirements for practicing as a PTA.
• A very important aspect of being a PTA is commitment to ongoing education in the area. It is very important that you commit yourself to constantly improving your skills in the field of physical therapy and that you engage in continuous learning and physical therapy assistant training opportunities in order to ensure that your skills are up to date and that you are aware of any new advancements or discoveries in the field. A commitment in this area goes a long way to impressing your superiors and colleagues in terms of your dedication to your job.
• There is a licensure exam that you will have to pass. If you are someone who struggles with exams or tests, than you may find it difficult to operate in these circumstances. However, if you feel that you are able to fulfill all of the other roles outlined, than you should not let an exam stand in your way of becoming a physical therapy assistant.

Interpersonal

• As you will be dealing with people all day long, your interpersonal skills will have to be very good. If you don’t like dealing with people, then this is definitely not the job for you. You will have to behave and interact appropriately with each of the people you come into contact with, including therapists and clients, and you will need to provide the appropriate psychological support and so on to patients who may need it during difficult times.
• You will need to be able to respond appropriately and quickly to signals given by both your patients and your employer in order to ensure that everything continue running smoothly. You will also need to know how to respond to the signals given by monitoring equipment and perform the necessary tasks required once you have interpreted the signal.
• A part of having interpersonal skills involves being able to interpret a situation as dangerous, or potentially dangerous, to the well-being of your patient. You will also need to know when to intervene and when not to intervene in order to ensure that no tragedies or catastrophes take place.
• A big part of the physical therapy assistant job description is to keep your head in a crisis situation. You need to be someone who can be relied on when things go wrong and who can cope under a great deal of pressure. This is a big part of being a physical therapy assistant and you will be required to be psychologically stable in this regard.
• You will need to look neat and tidy at all times. This means that you need to be clean and hygienic. The reason for this is that you will often be in close contact with patients and superiors, such as when you are lifting them and helping them from one place to another. It gives a very bad impression and is unpleasant for a patient if they have to put up with your unhygienic habits.
• If you take prescription or over the counter medication, you will have to be secure in the knowledge that this medication will not affect your functioning in any way as this will cause you to do your job less than perfectly.

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PTAs perform a variety of tasks, some of which are administrative and others which are clinical. They work under the direct supervision of a qualified physical therapist. Very often the PTA and the PT will work together on one patient as certain treatments require more than one individual to perform. All of the treatments and various tasks that are performed by a physical therapy assistant have one aim behind them, and that is to ensure the rehabilitation and comfort of a patient.

Physical Therapy Assistant Job Description

Physical Therapy Assistants, together with Physical Therapists, provide essential services to those who are injured, those who are suffering from a medical condition or have suffered some sort of trauma. The goal of physical therapy is the improvement of the patient’s flexibility, fitness and strength; to relieve them of pain and to improve their quality of life.

The duties of a Physical Therapy Assistant include:

• The preparation of physical therapy equipment.
• The observation of patients during treatment.
• Assisting patients with their exercises.
• Coordinating patient treatment in conjunction with physical therapy staff.
• Administering ultrasound, electrical stimulation and massages.
• Measuring a patient’s progress during the weeks or months of physical therapy.
• Reporting the outcome of treatment to the physical therapist.
• Recording a patient’s response to the treatment they are receiving.
• Assisting patients to move to or from a treatment area if necessary.
• Keeping the treatment area and the equipment clean and organised.
• Administrative duties like scheduling appointments, manning the telephone, ordering supplies, etcetera.
• Fitting patients with support devices such as walkers, crutches etc and instructing the patient on how to use them.

Physical Therapy Assistant Requirements

The one important fact about physical therapy which escapes most people is that it is not just about helping a patient to get back to complete health, it is also about knowing how to get through to people who are difficult cases in such a way that they respond positively to you, and to motivate them to want to do the exercises in order to help themselves. This means that you need to be able to strike up a rapport with patients and get them to trust you.

Before you can become a Physical Therapy Assistant there are certain requirements with which you need to comply, both personality-wise and academically:

Academic Requirements

• An Associate of Science (A.S.) in Physical Therapist Assistant is a 2-year associate degree.
• This physical therapy assistant degree can be obtained via attending a PTA Program at a Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education accredited institution.
• PTA Programs are offered by colleges, community colleges and universities.
• Hands-on clinical experience.
• Licensure in the state in which you wish to practise, via taking the National Physical Therapy Examination which is administered by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy.
• Certain states also require you to write a state exam.

Skills And Abilities

• Physical strength is important as the job includes a lot of heavy lifting and moving of patients and equipment.
• Physical flexibility is important as you will need to do a lot of kneeling and bending.
• A compassionate nature and the ability to assist people without allowing their circumstances to affect you emotionally.
• Organisation and detail is very important in this type of job.
• The ability to take instruction from one or more physical therapists and being a team-player is of the essence.
• Strong communication skills are important as you will be dealing with patients and other professionals.
• Patience is a personality trait which is very important as you will often be dealing with patients who have suffered brain trauma and do not always respond well.
• Logical thinking and the ability to come up with innovative solutions to problems is a blessing in the physical therapy assistant career.

Physical Therapy Assistant Work Environment

A Physical Therapy Assistant provides services to people of all ages in various types of facilities. Most Physical Therapy Assistants are employed in home situations, where they are privately employed in order to assist the patient to get back to their previous health condition or as close to it as possible. There are also many other types of workplaces where PTAs are employed.

Some of the workplaces where a Physical Therapy Assistant is employed:

• Home Settings – Apart from actual domestic homes, a Physical Therapy Assistant also often works in a home-setting where the patient resides, such as a community hospital, home for the elderly, a nursing home, or some other type of communal-living scenario.
• Hospice – A hospice is essentially a place where one goes to die, but that does not mean that one is just left without nay type of treatment. A PTA can be of great assistance to those in hospices as they can help to make them comfortable and to breathe and also to boost muscle-mass so that the patient is at least comfortable in the last days.
• Hospitals – Anyone who has ever had major surgery or has been involved in a car accident or bad workplace accident which has resulted in head, back, neck or other injury knows that the physical therapy they received was a major part of their rehabilitation.
• Inpatient rehabilitation facilities – These are facilities where patients get treated for acute or sub-acute problems which normally call for extended therapy.
• Schools and Sports Centers – Sports injuries occur quite often and may require a PTA to assist in the alleviation of pain, exercise the person to help them to regain mobility, and fit them with and instruct them in the use of canes, prosthetics and the like.
• Developmental – Children that exhibit developmental problems, have mobility problems and toddlers who were born with birth defects all prosper under the hands of a good Physical Therapy Assistant.
• Education and Research Centers – Many PTAs with some experience will work in research centers where they come up with new and improved therapies or swap the clinic for a teaching position at a college or other PTA program.

Physical Therapy Assistant Work Outlook

The Bureau of Labor Statistics has stated that the outlook for Physical Therapy Assistants is very rosy at a predicted 35% growth-rate in the 2008-2018 decade. These predictions are based on the fact that the changes to restrictions on reimbursement have increased patient access to PTA services, people are living longer due to medical and technological advances, but this means that there are more elderly who require care for longer.

The fact that the baby-boomer generation has now reached the prime of life, which is just the time that heart-attacks, stroke and various other health problems are a big risk. This means that the need for the services of Physical Therapy Assistants to provide cardiac and physical rehabilitation is growing.

Medical and technological advances also mean that more trauma victims and newborns with birth defects are surviving and in need of physical therapy in order to ensure that they live full lives.

Physical Therapy Assistant Programs

One of the requirements to be able to practise as a physical therapy assistant is that you are licensed in the state in which you wish to work. This licensure is obtained by sitting for the National Physical Therapy Examination. This examination is specifically for Physical Therapy Assistants, and is administered by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy.

How To Evaluate Physical Therapy Assistant Programs

Before making a decision as to which Physical Therapy Assistant Program to access for your studies, there are some important facts to consider:

• Accreditation – In order to be eligible to sit for the National Physical Therapy Examination to get licensure you need to have studied at an accredited institution. Accreditation is conferred by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education of the American Physical Therapy Association.
• Program quality – Check that the program contains sufficient clinical training and that the culmination results in at least an associate’s degree.
• Success of graduates – Check with the program how many graduates the program has produced and how many of them have gone on to obtain licensure and gainful employment.
• Financial assistance – Find out if there are any scholarship or financial aid opportunities and whether the program facilitates access to them for students.

Physical Therapy Assistant Programs – Prerequisites

To be eligible for admission to a PTA Program, you need to have successfully completed certain prerequisites. Acceptance into a PTA Program is hotly contested as there are normally more applicants than there are spaces on the course.

Academic Prerequisites:

• You need to have a high school diploma or your GED.
• You should have a minimum GPA of 2.5 in both science and non-science classes.
• Two years of high school-level Mathematics; Algebra and Geometry.
• Social sciences such as General Psychology, Growth and Development and Abnormal Psychology.
• English, Communication and Public Speaking or Interpersonal Communication.
• Physical Education or Health Education.
• Biology 160 or 241 is also very important.
• Doing volunteer work in a Physical Therapy work environment helps a lot towards your acceptance.

Other Prerequisites:

• Students will spend time at clinical sites and need to have reliable transport for this reason, especially when they will be required to spend some time at in the field and on campus on the same day.
• Students need to have health insurance cover during the periods that they are doing fieldwork in clinics. Some colleges provide access to this for students.
• Students must have malpractice/liability insurance – this can also usually be accessed through the college.
• Students must pass a mandatory drug test which they must pay for themselves.
• All healthcare workers must have current immunizations, TB tests and CPR training and students need to have these prior to entering a PTA Program.
• A Physical Therapy Assistant Program complies with the “Child/Adult Abuse Information Act,” RCW 43.43.830 through 43.43.840. and each student is thus required to take part in an investigation for criminal history information before entry into a PTA Program.
• Students are required to dress appropriately for professional settings.

The prerequisites for various PTA programs may differ somewhat, but the above is a good guideline. It is recommended that you contact various physical therapy assistant schools to find out what their prerequisites are.

Physical Therapy Assistant Programs – Course Content

A Physical Therapy Assistant Program takes 2 years, is a combination of academic work and hands-on clinical experienced and culminates in an associate degree. Whether you study online via computer-based assignments and video lectures, and have virtual classroom discussions or study on campus, the curriculum is basically the same.

The basic curriculum consists of:

• Patient Handling Techniques
• Physical Therapy Intervention Techniques I, II & III
• Gross Anatomy and Kinesiology of the Musculoskeletal System
• Orientation to Physical Therapy/Role of the Physical Therapist Assistant
• Kinesiology Integration
• Clinical Experience I, II & III
• Healthcare Delivery System
• Introductory Concepts in Paediatric Physical Therapy
• Advanced Geriatric Physical Therapy for the PTA
• Learning and Service through Immersion
• Specialized Clinical Experience

The modules will cover:

• Intro to Physical Therapy
• Algebra
• Anatomy
• Physiology
• Psychology
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Therapeutic Exercise

Apart from the academic side of the studies you will also do some laboratory work and, as you can see, a lot of clinical work too (approximately 18 – 24 weeks), during which time you will get the chance to experience real-life situations in a clinical setting. The specialized clinical experience is not offered by all PTA Programs, but is a section which gives you a chance to expand your knowledge base and utilize your newly learned skills in a specialist field.

PTA Programs – Licensure

Once you have completed your degree you can immediately apply to sit for the National Physical Therapy Examination in order to get licensure, without which you will not be able to work in most states. Some states may also require you to take a state exam in order to work in that state. Make sure that you check with your state as to whether they require you to take a state exam on top of the National exam in order to be licensed to work there.

PTA Reflections Program

The PTA Reflections Program is an arts recognition and achievement program for students. It was started in 1969 by National PTA board member Mary Lou Anderson, who describes it as “almost too simple.” The program has encouraged millions of American students to explore their artistic side. Students from preschool through grade 12 get the opportunity to create works of art for recognition and for fun. They are encouraged to submit works in six areas of the arts:

• Dance choreography
• Film production
• Literature
• Musical composition
• Photography
• Visual arts

Each year a different theme is chosen from suggestions made by the previous year’s students and they have has some wonderful themes over the years, such as “If I Could Give the World a Gift…,” “Exploring New Beginnings,” “Wow!” “I Can Make a Difference by…”, and many more. The 2011-2012 theme was “Diversity Means…”

Hundreds of thousands of students take part in the PTA Reflections Program annually, through their local PTAs. The program is structured in order for PTAs to recognize students at local, council, district, state and national levels.

The local winners move on to the district/regional and state levels, with the best of them going to National PTA to be considered for a National Reflections award.

The following awards are awarded by the PTA each year at national level:

• Awards of Excellence
• Awards of Merit
• Outstanding Interpretation Awards
• Honourable Mention

Any PTA/PTSA who is in good standing is eligible to sponsor a Reflections Program. The rules and deadlines differ from state to state, and you should contact your state PTA for further information.

The Mary Lou Anderson Reflections Arts Enhancement Grant Program

The National PTA Mary Lou Anderson Reflections Arts Enhancement Grant Program was created to complement PTA’s enduring commitment to quality arts education. The grant provides funding to local PTAs to institute or improve arts programs in one or more arts areas: photography, music (including dance), visual arts, and literature (including theatre).

A limited number of Local PTAs are awarded matching grants of up to $1,000 every year for student-centered programs which focus on arts education. National PTA anticipates funding 3 grants of up to $1,000 each.

National PTA places a priority on funding projects representing research-based best practices in arts education, specifically programs which are of a sustained nature and reach multitudes of at-risk students.

According to research, students get the most benefit from programs which include sustained involvement in the arts, which is why National PTA funds proposals for sustained programs which culminate in an arts fair, a performance, field trip, or an assembly.

The post Physical Therapy Assistant Programs Available appeared first on Healthcare Careers Guide.

More people are living longer due to technological advances in the medical field and because more trauma victims and newborns with disabilities are surviving. This therefore means that more people require medical attention for longer, which means that the job prospects for physical therapy assistants are excellent. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, PTA jobs are projected to grow by 35% in the 2008-2018 time-span.

Requirements For Physical Therapy Assistants

Although most states have their own rules and requirements for Physical Therapy Assistants, most of them are basically the same nationally:

Education:

• In order to become a licensed PTA, you will need to obtain an associate degree at an accredited physical therapy assistant school.
• The program is approximately 2 years long.
• Classes consist of both academic classroom work at the PTA school and hands-on clinical experience, which most of the schools for physical therapy assistant courses organise for their students.
• Subjects include pathology, human anatomy, and physiology amongst others.
• Some states require additional training such as Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, first aid, and blood-borne pathogens training.

Clinical Experience:

• Most physical therapy assistant schools and physical therapy assistant colleges require that students participate in clinical rotations.
• These hand-on clinical stints allow the student to practise what they learn in class in a real-life situation.
• Various tasks such as documenting care, administering treatments, and educating patients will be undertaken during these periods of clinical work.
• Students are also exposed to various modalities such as sports medicine, wound care, pediatrics, and geriatrics, which can assist them to decide whether they want to specialise or not.

National Physical Therapy Assistant Exam and Licensure:

• All graduates of PTA schools have to undertake the NPTAE before they can practise as physical therapy assistants.
• This is a core requirement in order to get licensure.
• The exam is four-and-a-half hours long and consists of 200 questions.
• Only subjects which have been covered in the physical therapy assistant training will be covered in the exam, and generally include pathology, physiology, documentation, professional skills and anatomy.

Continuing Education Requirements:

• One of the requirements for license renewal, which needs to be done every 3-5 years, depending on the state, is continuing education.
• The exact kind and amount of educational practises which are required vary from state to state.
• You can either contact your State Physical Therapy Association to find out what their requirements are or the PTA school at which you study should also be able to provide you with the relevant information.

The Physical Therapy Assistant Job

A Physical Therapy Assistant works primarily with those who have suffered trauma or have a medical condition. Physical therapy improves a patient’s fitness, flexibility, strength and mobility, in order to help them to be pain-free and live a fully functioning life.

Physical Therapy Assistant duties:

• They assist patients with rehabilitative exercise routines to lessen the effects of a physical disability or chronic illness.
• These exercises are done to improve mobility, flexibility and strength, as well as to improve their balance and stabilize their walking.
• They monitor a Patient’s response and progress in report their observations to the Physical Therapist.
• The PT and PTA will review the treatments after each session and the PT will determine whether they are giving the patient the correct type of treatment or whether they need to change or adjust it.
• PTAs also monitor and record a patient’s continuing physical challenges and mental and emotional outlook.
• The PTA will help patients to adjust to their circumstances and teach them a new way of performing routine tasks so that they do not re-injure or strain themselves, and improve their healing time.
• The exercises they teach and help their patients with can also rebuild muscle strength or help to restore their full range of movement.
• They coordinate treatments with the Physical Therapist and administer massages, electrical stimulation and ultrasound.
• The equipment used by PTAs use can include elastic bands, balance balls, and other simple equipment which the patient can easily use at home to augment the exercise sessions they do with the PTA.
• They fit patients with support devices like crutches, prosthetics, walking frames etcetera and train the patient how to use them.
• They assist patients to move to and from the treatment areas and also to dress and undress if necessary.
• Physical therapy assistants also perform administrative duties such as telephone duties, manning the reception area, ordering supplies, and scheduling appointments for patients.
• They complete insurance claim documentation for patients and record patient information in databases.
• They also keep the treatment area and the equipment clean, tidy and organised.

Physical Therapy Assistant Schools

With the demand for physical therapy assistants increasing, there are in excess of 260 recognized physical therapy assistant programs and more than 1 000 schools for PTA training throughout the US. There are various physical therapy assistant degrees and certifications offered by PTA schools:

Associate of Science in Physical Therapy Assisting:

• An Associate of Science program, which is offered by most physical therapy assistant schools, offers a well-rounded introductory education in the fundamentals and general academics of physical therapy.
• The program lasts about 2 years and teaches working with patients who suffer from diseases or who are recovering from accidents, mobility, pain management, and working with physical therapy equipment amongst other subjects.

Associate of Applied Science in Allied Health:

• An allied health degree from one of the Physical Therapy Assistant colleges is beneficial for building a solid foundation in general health care systems and practices.
• The programs are between 1 and 2 years long and prepare students for entry-level work in a medical facility.
• They also provide grounding for more focused study for Physical Therapy Assistants.

Graduate Certificate in Geriatric Health:

• Once you have qualified as a physical therapy assistant and have practised as one for a few years you may wish to specialize.
• To get a graduate certificate you will have to go back to a Physical Therapy Assistant school to study further.
• Specializing in something like geriatrics or paediatrics can open many doors.

Associate of Science in Occupational Therapy Assistant:

• Occupational therapy is the strain of therapy which deals with patients who have physical and cognitive impairments.
• This course will give you a broader perspective and wider range of skills than a normal physical therapy assistant course and will qualify you to do entry-level Occupational Therapy work.

Physical Therapy Assistant Schools – Courses

Courses in most of the physical therapy assistant schools will include the following subjects:

• Clinical Training
• Geriatrics
• Human Anatomy
• Human Physiology
• Introduction to Physical Therapist Assisting
• Kinesiology
• Laboratory Practice
• Medical Terminology
• Medical Ethics
• Neurological Disorders
• Orthopaedics
• Pathology
• Pathophysiology
• Patient Communication
• Paediatric Physical Therapy
• Pharmacology
• Physical Therapy Fundamentals
• Rehabilitation
• Sports Injuries
• Therapeutic Exercises

Physical Therapy Assistant Schools – Curriculum

Although some of the schools for Physical Therapy Assistant training in various states may have a slightly different curriculum, the core subjects remain basically the same no matter which Physical Therapy Assistant school you attend.

Below is the general curriculum that is followed by many of the physical therapy assistant schools for the associate degree in Physical Therapy Assistance:

MODULE CONTENT:

PTA 101 Introduction to Physical Therapy

• Introduction to physical therapy.
• The role of the PTA in the healthcare team.
• The law as it pertains to Physical Therapy and ethical conduct.
• Patient motivation, interpersonal communication skills, and teamwork.

PTA 102 Physical Therapy Terminology

• Abbreviations & terminology used in PT to describe pathology of the body systems, physiology and anatomy.
• Terminology for patient care, laboratory tests, diagnostics, pharmacology, and surgery.

PTA 103 Applied Anatomy

• Human anatomy; external palpation, identification of structures and relationship to function and the musculoskeletal system.
• Kinesiology, motion, joint range of motion and manual muscle testing.
• The neuromuscular process; respiration.

PTA 104 Survey of Pathophysiology

• Overview of disease process, the physiology of healing and repair and general pathological responses.
• Systemic origins of musculoskeletal pain.
• Specific diseases and conditions and rehabilitation treatment.

PTA 105 Introduction to Neuroscience

• Introduction to basic functions and structure of the nervous system and their relationship to PT treatment of neurological diseases.

PTA 106 Regional Anatomy

• Function and structure of the human body; nervous, endocrine, and respiratory systems.
• Muscles, respiratory and circulatory systems.

PTA 110 PTA Procedures I (Basic PT Procedures)

• Basic care skills – vital signs, wound care, taping, aseptic techniques, and bandaging.
• Preparation of treatment environment and patient.
• Theory and application of cold, superficial heat, and hydrotherapy.

PTA 111 PTA Procedures II (PT Modalities)

• Theory and application of deep-heat modalities.
• Principles and application of basic massage techniques.
• Introduction to fundamentals of electrotherapy and traction.

PTA 112 PTA Procedures III (Functional Restoration)

• Principles of normal and abnormal movement.
• Functional restoration techniques.
• Ambulation, patient transfers, postural analysis, and bed mobility.
• Use of selected functional rehabilitation activities and assistive devices.

PTA 151 Clinical Experience 1

• Supervised clinical observation.
• Interpersonal communication and patient interaction.
• Written and oral patient progress reporting.
• Effective problem-solving skills.

PTA 201 Issues in Physical Therapy and Health Care

• Survey: psychological, medical and legal issues and the delivery of healthcare by a PTA.
• The achievement of goals of physical therapy and the physical therapy assistant’s influence.

PTA 202 Introduction to Orthopaedics

• Introduction to mechanics and biomechanics of orthopaedic injuries and diseases.
• Fundamentals of orthopaedic terminology.
• Survey: surgical repair; rehabilitation.

PTA 210 PTA Procedures IV (Therapeutic Exercise)

• Introduction to kinesiological principles related to exercise.
• Instruction in therapeutic exercises.
• Specific exercise protocols and their application.
• Selected physical therapy testing procedures.
• Working as a member of a healthcare team.
• Patient motivation.

PTA 211 PTA Procedures V (Rehab Applications)

• Neurologic disabilities: stroke, head injuries, MS, spinal cord injuries, and other neurologic diseases.
• Development of treatment programs for orthopaedic patients; upper and lower extremity dysfunctions, lower extremity amputations and injuries to the spine.
• Developing of specific home programs, and instruction in family training.
• Selection of appropriate selective devices and equipment for geriatric, orthopaedic and neurologic patients.

PTA 212 PTA Procedures VI (Pediatric Rehab)

• Laboratory sessions – facilitation of developmental sequence.
• Human development, pediatric assessment tools, pediatric treatment philosophies

PTA 251 Clinical Experience 2

• Supervised clinical experience in various PT sites.
• Hands-on development of previously learned skills.
• Functional activities, documentation, etcetera previously evaluated in a lab.

PTA 252 Clinical Experience 3

• Supervised rotation in a clinic.
• Skills development in functional activities, patient care and documentation.
• Practical experience of coursework previously covered.

PTA 253 Clinical Affiliation (12 credits)

• Full-time Internship – appropriate application of PT techniques and procedures.
• Hands-on; understanding of clinical responsibilities and supervisory relationships and the application of PT procedures.

PTA 254 Clinical Seminar 2

• Discussion seminar and clinical lecture – cultural competence.
• Verbal and written communication.

PTA 255 Clinical Seminar 3

• Survey: Issues regarding teamwork and patient care.
• Adjustment to disability and grief, patient interaction, and ethics.
• Role and responsibilities of the PT and the PTA.

Physical Therapy Assistant Schools – List

Some of the best physical therapy assistant schools which offer Associate Degrees are:

• Brown Mackie College – Arizona, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina
• Carrington College – Arizona, New Mexico
• Florida Career College – Florida
• Hesser College – New Hampshire
• Herzing University – Florida
• Kaplan Career Institute – Pennsylvania
• Keiser University – Florida
• Medical Careers Institute – Virginia
• MedTech College – Indiana
• New England Institute of Technology – Rhode Island
• Pima Medical Institute – Arizona, Colorado, Washington
• Remington College – Ohio
• Sanford Brown College – Missouri, Virginia
• South College – Tennessee
• South University Campus – Alabama, Georgia, Florida

Online Physical Therapy Assistant colleges

• Bryan College
• Dawn Career Institute
• Fortis College
• Globe University
• Keller Graduate School of Management
• Liberty University
• Ottawa University
• University of Phoenix
• Virginia College

Whichever physical therapy assistant school you choose to attend, make sure that the program is accredited. Not all Physical Therapy Assistant schools are accredited, and if they are not you are wasting your time because you will not be eligible to sit for the National Physical Therapy Examination, in which case you will not be allowed to practise legally.

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How To Become A Physical Therapist In Oklahoma

In order to become a physical therapist in Oklahoma you need to first earn an undergraduate degree. This is a basic requirement for entry into a postgraduate degree program that will allow you to practice as a physical therapist. Topics that you should cover in this undergraduate degree program to be fully prepared include:

• Anatomy courses
• Physiology courses
• Biology courses
• Mathematics courses
• Physics courses
• Chemistry courses
• Social science courses

You will then need to enter a doctor of physical therapy program. This is one of the minimum requirements involved in preparing for licensure in the state of Oklahoma. If we look at the qualification offered by the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center we can see that there are a number of prerequisite courses you will have to complete before you can enter this degree program:

• Statistics
• Anatomy
• Physics
• Physiology
• Developmental psychology
• Chemistry

Students in the advanced program at University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center study:

• Exercise science
• Orthopedic management
• Human movement

Oklahoma requires physical therapists pass the National Physical Therapy Examination to qualify for a license to practice in the state. This exam includes sections on:

• The musculoskeletal system
• The cardiac and pulmonary system
• The nervous and neuromuscular system
• The metabolic and endocrine system
• The gastrointestinal system
• Physical therapy devices and equipment
• Physical therapy techniques

In total you will need to answer 250 questions on the test. Once you have passed the test and become licensed you will need to renew your license once every two years in order to continue working as a physical therapist in Oklahoma. This involves 40 contact hours of continuing education.

List Of Physical Therapy Programs In Oklahoma

There are only two schools offering physical therapy programs in Oklahoma:

University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
Location: Oklahoma City, OK
Degree: Masters
Website: http://www.ah.ouhsc.edu/rehab/
Accrediting Agency: Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education
Contact Information: 1200 North Stonewall Avenue, Room 3092, Oklahoma City, OK 73126
Phone: 405-271-2131
Fax: 405-271-2432
Email: alliedhealth-info@ouhsc.edu

Langston University
Location: Langston, OK
Qualifications: Doctor of Physical Therapy, Transition DPT
Website: http://www.langston.edu/academics/physical_therapy.aspx
Accrediting Agency: Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education
Contact Information: PO Box 1500, Langston, OK 73050
Phone: 405-466-3697
Fax: N/A
Email: LUpt@langston.edu

Although there are only two physical therapy programs in Oklahoma to choose from, you can be certain that these programs are of a high quality. Both are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education. When looking for a physical therapy program it is essential to ensure that it is properly accredited. If it is not accredited your qualification will not be much use to you and you will struggle to find employment. It is recommended that you apply to both of these programs when you begin your education as this will save you time in the long run. If both programs accept you, you will then need to analyze the tuition offered and decide which program is better. This could depend on which school is closer to you. It could also depend on what each school charges for tuition. If possible you should base your decision on which school you think is best equipped to prepare you for a career as a physical therapist rather than on which school is more convenient to get to or cheaper.

Salary

According to www.physicaltherapycareer.net there are 1820 physical therapists employed in Oklahoma who earn an average of $33.48 an hour and $69,630 a year. According to the following salaries can be earned in each of Oklahoma’s cities:

• In Enid you can expect to earn about $70, 026 a year as a physical therapist
• In Norman you can expect to earn about $65, 922 a year as a physical therapist
• In Lawton you can expect to earn about $88, 034 a year as a physical therapist
• In Oklahoma City you can expect to earn about $65, 922 a year as a physical therapist
• In Muskogee you can expect to earn about $77, 620 a year as a physical therapist
• In Tulsa you can expect to earn about $59, 351 a year as a physical therapist

According to www.alliedhealthworld.com the following salaries can be expected in the different parts of Oklahoma:

• In Oklahoma City you can expect to earn about $73,000 a year
• In Tulsa you can expect to earn about $65,000 a year
• In Norman you can expect to earn about $73,000 a year
• In Lawton you can expect to earn about $70,000 a year
• In Broken Arrow you can expect to earn about $66,000 a year
• In Edmond you can expect to earn about $74,000 a year
• In Midwest City you can expect to earn about $73,000 a year

Different sources give different estimates about how much physical therapists, who have completed physical therapy programs in Oklahoma, can expect to earn. This is because there are a number of important factors to take into account that play a big part in terms of your salary. As you can see from the numbers above, several sources agree that you will earn different salaries in different parts of the state, even if they cannot agree on the exact amounts that you will earn. If you choose to work in a city that has fewer physical therapists than most other cities, your skills will be in high demand and you will probably be able to ask for a higher salary. On the other hand if you work in a city where there are too many physical therapists you will earn less because the demand is lower. The actual employer that you work for will also play a role in how much you earn. For example there are a number of different industries you could work in as a physical therapist. Across the entire country the following salary averages have been observed in different industries:

• In Physical Therapy you can expect to earn $49,633 – $80,700 a year
• In Healthcare you can expect to earn $50,464 – $83,586 a year
• In Rehabilitation you can expect to earn $50,746 – $82,432 a year
• In Hospital you can expect to earn $51,937 – $85,976 a year
• In Home Health Care you can expect to earn $48,750 – $84,799 a year

Specific companies also pay different rates:

• At Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine you can expect to earn $40,268 – $79,463 a year
• At Gentiva Health Services, Inc. you can expect to earn $56,270 – $80,854 a year
• At Healthsouth Rehabilitation Hospital you can expect to earn $57,891 – $66,955 a year
• At Select Physical Therapy you can expect to earn $58,600 – $82,850 a year
• At Novacare Rehabilitation you can expect to earn $55,955 – $70,318 a year

Your gender may affect your salary. As a woman you can earn $57,701 – $71,562 as a physical therapist, and as a man you can earn $58,981 – $73,019 – these numbers are averages for the whole country. Your level of education is also crucial. With a Doctorate (PhD) you can earn $50,804 – $76,477 a year, with a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) you can earn $51,327 – $76,787 a year, with a Bachelor’s Degree you can earn $49,566 – $91,077 a year, with a Master of Physical Therapy (MPT) you can earn $58,373 – $88,282, and with a Bachelor of Science (BS / BSc), Physical Therapy you can earn $55,685 – $98,006 a year.

Career Outlook

It is interesting to note that, overall, the field of physical therapy in the United States is growing stronger. The unemployment rate is currently at 0.2%, which is lower than once was. It is also important to note that this unemployment rate is an expected to drop even lower during the next six years. In 2006, 172,900 physical therapists were employed in varying industries and that number is expected to increase by 27% by 2016, bringing the number of therapists in the field to just fewer than 220,000. This means that now is a good time to enter the field of physical therapy because the projected future for the profession looks extremely promising. According to www.alliedhealthworld.com, “Oklahoma had 2,160 physical therapists in 2006 and that number is estimated to rise by 17% to 2,530 during the same ten-year time-frame  Moreover, since September 2009, Oklahoma’s unemployment rate was less than half of the national average, with only nine states having a lower rate”.

Although there are limited opportunities in terms of education for prospective physical therapists in Oklahoma, it is still an excellent state to be a physical therapist in due to the fantastic career outlook and impressive salaries available.

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What Is Physical Therapy?

Physical therapy (sometimes called physiotherapy, or abbreviated to PT) is a healthcare profession which is carried out by physical therapists and their physical therapist assistants. They help people who have certain medical problems, disabilities, or conditions which limit their mobility and therefore struggle to function regularly in the physical activities that they encounter on a daily basis. In order to reach a diagnosis, PTs will look at their patients’ medical history and the details of their physical examination (such as a regular check-up), and they will then establish and implement a management plan in order to improve the patients’ quality of life.

There are a number of PT specialty areas, these include:

• Cardiovascular & pulmonary
• Clinical electrophysiology
• Geriatric
• Integumentary
• Neurological
• Orthopedic
• Pediatric
• Sports
• Women’s health

What You Need To Know About Clinical Electrophysiology Physical Therapy

Clinical Electrophysiology Physical Therapy is ideal for those of you who are interested in the uses of electrotherapy and other therapeutic technologies in aiding patients. The use of electromyography (EMG) is also promoted in this field.

Electromyography is a diagnostic procedure which is used as an evaluation and treatment tool in detecting the electrical potential generated by muscle cells when they are activated electrically or neurologically. The results are then analyzed by a clinical electrophysiology PT and can indicate muscle weakness. It can also help in differentiating between muscle weakness which is the result of a nerve attached to a muscle, or the result of a neurological disorder.

Within this profession, you will also be involved in:

• Electrophysiology: the study of the electrical properties of biological cells and tissues.

• Wound management: how to effectively treat and manage wounds.

• Electrotherapy or physical agents: Electrotherapy is the use of electrical energy as a medical treatment, or the use of electric currents in order to speed up the process of wound healing. Physical agents are sources of energy that may cause injury or disease, such as noise, altitude, vibration, radiation, extremes in temperature and pressure, and exercise.

The use of electrotherapy may have been somewhat controversial in the past, however these days it has been widely researched and is used in, although not limited to, the example below:

• Pain management
• Improving the range of joint mobility
• Tissue repair
• Increase of blood circulation
• Relaxation of muscle spasms

What Steps To Take In Order To Specialize In Clinical Electrophysiology

This is not something you can simply dive into; in order to be a professional within this specialization you will first have to complete a postgraduate Doctor of Physical Therapy or a Masters of Physical Therapy degree; the latter is less common.

1. Complete Your Undergraduate Degree

The details of this will vary depending on which school or university you will be attending for your postgraduate degree, but you will have had to have passed some form of undergraduate degree. There are a handful of schools which will allow you to enroll in the postgraduate program without an undergraduate degree, provided that you have completed at least three years of prerequisite studies. A completed Bachelor of Science, Applied Science, or Exercise Science is usually enough to fulfill the requirements for your postgraduate degree. A science-based undergraduate degree which will take four years to complete.

Not all schools will have the same prerequisite studies, so it is important to do the necessary research in order to ensure that you complete the required subjects in your bachelor degree. It is best to contact the administrative department directly so that there is no room for error.

The most common prerequisite subjects are:

• Anatomy and Physiology: 99% of programs require you to complete at least one course in either of these fields, however many will also accept a combined course.
• Biology: over 80% of the programs will require this.
• Chemistry: 99% of programs will require this.
• Physics: Again, this will be required for 99% of the programs.
• Social and Behavioral Science: 95% will require one or more courses.
• Statistics: Over 95% of programs will require this.
• Math: Only 26% of the programs require math.

2. Complete Your Postgraduate Degree

The majority of postgraduate professional doctoral degree programs will take three years to complete and include eight to nine semesters, but there are also a few universities which offer a shorter program of two and a half years which will consist of only seven semesters. You also have the option of completing this degree part-time; this could take four to five years and will typically include 12 semesters.

It is most likely that you will complete 30 to 45 weeks of clinical education along with your regular coursework. This will, of course, vary depending on which university you choose.

Your coursework will most likely be comprised of the following curriculum:

• Evidence for physical therapy based practice
• Physiology
• Musculoskeletal anatomy
• Gait analysis
• Clinical biomechanics
• Exercise Physiology
• Neuroscience/neuropathology/neuro-anatomy
• Pharmacology
• Cardio-pulmonary pathology and management
• Electro-physiology
• Clinical imaging
• Patient management

After successfully passing your final National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE), you will then have your title of Doctor of Physical Therapy (DTP) and can then become a licensed physical therapist. Having this degree means that you have been highly trained and educated to assess, diagnose, prevent, and manage a wide variety of impairments, functional limitations, and disabilities related to movement, function, and health.

3. Complete A Physical Therapy Residency Program

You must be a registered physical therapist in your state in order to embark on a physical residency program. This program will typically be completed in one year, however the requirements are that it must be completed within a minimum of 1,500 hours; within a minimum of nine months, and a maximum of three years. You will then be eligible to sit the specialist certification exam. After passing this exam, you will finally be recognized as a physical therapy specialist; in this case, a clinical electrophysiology physical therapist.

This will be valid for ten years, after which you will be required to sit another competency exam in order to ensure that your skills have been kept up to date during your ten years of practice.

The American Board Of Physical Therapy Specialties

Contact information:
Specialist Certification Program
APTA
1111 North Fairfax Street
Alexandria, VA
22314
Tel: 1-800-999-2782, ext. 8520
Website: www.abpts.org
E-mail: spec-cert@apta.org

The American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS) is the governing body for certification (and recertification) of clinical PT specialists. This board is comprised of the following nine individuals:

• Five board-certified physical therapists, each from different specialty areas
• One physical therapist member of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Board of Directors
• One physical therapist who represents the APTA Council of Section Presidents
• One individual with expertise in test development, evaluation, and education
• One non-physical therapist who represents the public

In order to apply for any residency program at ABPTS, you must hold the following minimum eligibility requirements:

1. Licensure: You must hold a current license that allows you to practice physical therapy in the United States.

2. Fee schedule: You must pay the non-refundable application review and examination fees, after which you will be provided with a copy of of the Description of Specialty Practice (DSP) and the appropriate Self-Assessment Tool for Physical Therapists.

An APTA member will be charged a total of $1,300 ($500 for the application review fee, and $800 for the examination fee), whereas a non-APTA member will be charged $2,370 ($845 for the application review fee, and $1,525 for the examination fee).

In order to apply for a clinical electrophysiology residency program at ABPTS, you must hold the minimum eligibility requirements listed above, as well as the following:

1. Direct Patient Care/ Electrophysiologic Testing

•  Submission of evidence of 2,000 hours of direct patient care in clinical electrophysiology PT within the last ten years.

•  25% of this must have occurred within the last three years.

•  A minimum of 500electroneuromygraphy examinations must have been completed during those hours; include evidence of this.

•  The remaining patient hours may include observation of examinations and supervised examinations.

•  Direct patient care must include activities in each of the elements of patient/client management applicable to the specialty area and included in the Description of Specialty

• Practice: Clinical Electrophysiologic Physical Therapy (DSP). These five elements are examination, evaluation, diagnosis, prognosis, and intervention.

2. Clinical Education

• Submission of evidence of clinical education experience in electrophysiologic testing, preferably under the direct supervision of a clinical electrophysiologist who meets the requirements for specialist certification.

3. Patient Reports and Testing Logs

• Submission of actual patient records which have been completed within the past three years.

• These cases must indicate abnormal findings and include one report of a patient with a proximal level compromise representing a radiculopathic process, one report of a patient demonstrating a peripheral nerve entrapment, and one report of a patient demonstrating a polyneuropathic process.

• Copies of testing logs performed for these cases for a three month period must also be submitted.

Salary Expectation

The decision to become a specialist in clinical electrophysical physical therapy will open many doors for you. Your job opportunities will be greater than if you were simply to remain a physical therapist, and if that is not enough to motivate you to get through all the years of studying and training, the difference in salaries might.

Salaries will vary of course, but here are some examples of average salaries of electrophysical physical therapists as opposed to physical therapists who chose not to specialize (as of July 26, 2012):

• Virginia: $164,000 per year (PT $94,000 per year)
• California: $178,000 (PT $101,000 per year)
• New York: $190,000 (PT $109,000 per year)
• Chicago: $173, 00 (PT $98,000 per year)

The average salary throughout the entire United States of America is $162,000 per year. The PT equivalent is $92,000 per year. So as you can see, there is a noticeable difference, however this should definitely not be your main motivation for choosing this career path.

Other Universities To Consider

Below is some information on some of the best physical therapy universities which you can study at. Before applying for any universities always make sure that it is correctly accredited and make sure that you fully understand the requirements.

Alabama State University offers a Clinical Doctorate degree in physical therapy.
Address:
Physical Therapy Program Alabama State University
915 South Jackson Street
Montgomery, AL 36101-0271
Phone: (334) 229-4707
Fax: (334) 229-4945
Web Address: http://www.alasu.edu/academics/colleges–departments/health-sciences/physical-therapy/index.aspx
Program E-mail: asupt@myasu.alasu.edu

AT Still University of Health Sciences offers an entry level Doctorate degree program.
Address:
Physical Therapy Program
Arizona School for Health Sciences
AT Still University of Health Sciences
5850 East Still Circle
Mesa, AZ 85206
Phone: (480)219-6000
Fax: (480)219-6100
Web Address: http://www.atsu.edu/programs/physical_therapy.htm
Program E-mail:sbrown@atsu.edu

California State University offers a Master’s degree in physical therapy
Address:
Department of Physical Therapy
College of Health and Human Services
California State University, Long Beach
1250 Bellflower Boulevard
Long Beach, CA 90840
Phone: (562)985-4072
Fax: (562)985-4069
Web Address: www.csulb.edu/web/colleges/chhs/ada/pt/
Program E-mail: kcerny@csulb.edu

Arkansas State University offers a Master’s degree in physical therapy
Address:
Physical Therapy Program
College of Nursing and Health Professions
Arkansas State University
PO Box 910
State University, AR 72467-0910
Phone: (870)972-3591
Fax: (870)972-3652
Web Address: http://pt.astate.edu/
Program E-mail: jfarris@astate.edu

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