If you want to become involved in the medical industry then first qualifying as a physical therapy assistant may be the way for you to go. This only takes two years to complete and you will be able to use the qualification as a stepping stone to greater things. Some people feel that they cannot study to be a physical therapist assistance simply because they do not have the time or the money. However there are a number of affordable and very flexible online physical therapy assistant programs out there which may allow you to study even if you have these constraints.
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.