Working Conditions Working as a physical therapist assistant (PTA) or technician offers you opportunities to work under the direction of a physical therapist in order to aid patients or injured athletes whose ability to move is impaired.
I am proud to offer the Normative Model for Physical Therapist Professional Education (3) and the Normative Model for Physical Therapist Assistant Education (4) as evidence of the depth and breadth of our preparation to those who might question it.
While physical therapist aides are trained on the job, physical therapist assistants usually earn an associate degree from an accredited physical therapist assistant program.
One hundred percent of the Bay State College Class of 2007 Physical Therapist Assistant graduates earn certification on the first attempt BOSTON -- Defying the odds, 100 percent of the graduates of the Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) program at Bay State College have successfully passed the National Exam for Physical Therapists Assistants, on their first attempt and are now eligible to start working in the field of study.
Though, in recent times much medical and health-care centers are looking for PTAs who have earned an associate degree through an accredited physical therapist assistant program.
In a follow-up study, Resnik et al (7) reported that patients who spent more than half of their treatment episode of care with a physical therapist assistant reported worse functional outcomes and utilized more visits compared with patients with less physical therapist assistant involvement.
Whether individuals choose to pursue an Associate's degree as a physical therapist assistant or are seeking higher education like a Master's or Doctoral degree, physical therapy certification programs all begin with basic coursework in science including biology, chemistry and physics.
