Physical Therapy Assistant Schools and Career Info

Things you need to know, but nobody tells you

I was surprised the amount of responsibility I had directly out of college. I hadn't had much experience at all and my boss had me doing things in the office...[full comment]

The best part of my job is seeing my students make progress. It is very rewarding to actually discharge a student because he has achieved all his goals and is...[full comment]

If you are interested in physical therapy, I would visit several different settings to see which aspect of it you like the best. The expectations and responsibilities are different in...[full comment]

The best part of my job is watching my patients get better and knowing that I helped them achieve their goals, whether it is to get out of bed and...[full comment]

If you have an opportunity to volunteer your time, go to a nursing home and spend a little time with an elderly person. If you plan to work part-time, get...[full comment]

 
 

School and Career Surprises: Tips From People on the Job

Each comment from a physical therapy-assistant includes their career and school satisfaction ratings.

Career: "I was surprised the amount of responsibility I had directly out of college. I hadn't had much experience at all and my boss had me doing things in the office that I had never learned and it made me very uncomfortable."

School: Studied Natural Sciences, Pre Med at University Of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania; completed Bachelor degree in 2011.
Career: Physical Therapy Technician, female, 1 years of experience, currently based in Pennsylvania.

Best & Worst Things About This Career

As reported by people currently doing the job

"The best part of my job is watching my patients get better and knowing that I helped them achieve their goals, whether it is to get out of bed and into a chair when they feel like it, without having to wait for help, or taking a walk in the yard without using a walking tool, such as a cane or walker. The worst part of the job is that sometimes, people do not get better, which is very sad. Sometimes the patients are very sick or very old, and once in a while, they die. You have to be strong at these times and keep in mind that you did your best to help this person."

School : Associate's degree in physical therapy
Career: Physical Therapy Assistant, currently based in Massachusetts.;

Tips for Succeeding in This Career

Helpful Info From Insiders

"If you have an opportunity to volunteer your time, go to a nursing home and spend a little time with an elderly person. If you plan to work part-time, get work in a hospital or nursing home to find out if you would want to work there each day as your career."

School : Associate's degree in physical therapy
Career: Physical Therapy Assistant, currently based in Massachusetts.;