Up and coming careers in the medical field: Physical Therapy Assistant

Whether you are fresh out of high school or are interested in upgrading youreducation, it’s difficult to pin point exactly which field you shouldpursue.  4 year University educations are out of reach for those withfamilies or individuals who don’t wish to be saddled with huge studentloans.  Taking a course to learn a trade has become the hot thing to dowhen upgrading your education.  Trades allow you to learn the skills toperform a specific job.  When narrowing down your choices, consider themany job vacancies for a certain position and choose from there.  Currently, one of the most popular careers paths is that of a Physical TherapyAssistant.    

Physical Therapy Assistants perform their jobs under the supervision of aPhysical Therapist.   Physical Therapy is a popular option to assistin the recovery of chronic injuries, motor vehicle accidents, or other pain andinjury issues.  The therapy involves exercises, ultrasound therapy, and insome cases, massage.   The assistant to a Physical Therapistevaluates and assists patients by performing exercises, refilling supplies, andhelping where needed.   

As the US undergoes Health Care Reform, the industry is booming.  The baby boomers in the USA are aging, and there are bigger requirement forservices such as Physical therapy.  As well, our belief systems are moreopen to alternative approaches to healing, whereas 20 years ago the idea ofPhysical Therapy would have been scoffed at.  The demand for PhysicalTherapy Assistants is growing to the point that the jobs available outnumberthe qualified applicants graduating.  

Although some Physical Therapy assistants are trained on the job, themajority is required to have an associate’s degree.  To obtain anassociate degree, you are required to complete 4 semesters at an accreditedinstitution.  In some states, a license is required to work as PhysicalTherapist Assistant.   There are specific areas of specializing thatan assistant can focus on, including geriatrics or pediatrics.   

The outlook for employment upon completion of the program is extremely good,as the supply of assistants far outweighs the demand.  The number ofpositions has increased exponentially over the past 3 years, and is predictedto grow from 107,000 positions currently across the US to 137,000 positions by2016.   The average salary earned by a professional in this fieldstarts at approximately $23 per hour and goes up from there.

Although the need for Physical Therapy assistants is high, the educationalinstitutions that offer the course are smaller in number than needed. Programs across the USA reach maximum capacity each intake, and there is a needto increase the intake in order to fill job vacancies.  

As our population ages, the need for health care will increase exponentiallyrather than level off.    Careers in the health care field arerecession proof in most cases, as there is always going to be people who getsick and end up in hospitals or care facilities.  A career path such asPsychical Therapy Assistant is the beginning of a long and fruitful career.