7 Benefits of Becoming a Physical Therapist Assistant

Are you considering a career change? Do you want to work somewhere that is both emotionally and physically fulfilling? 

Perhaps you should consider becoming a physical therapist assistant. There are many different aspects to this job, and while it is not easy, it is one of the best jobs you can have if you enjoy helping people. 

Does this sound like it could be for you?

If so, keep reading to learn seven benefits of becoming a physical therapist assistant. 

1. Hands-on Work

If you’re someone that cannot sit still for very long, working in an office setting is probably not for you. Yet, finding a job that allows you to get up and moving is not as easy as it sounds either. 

Working as a physical therapist assistant allows you to get hands-on with your work and requires you to frequently move and be active throughout your day.

Your responsibilities will include helping move and set up equipment, guiding patients through their rehabilitation exercises, and physically helping patients when needed. 

2. Projected Job Growth 

When joining any new career path, you want to ensure that the job outlook is good. You don’t want to join a new career only for it to become obsolete in a few years. 

The physical therapist assistant career has excellent job projection, with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicting overall employment to grow 32 percent from 2020 to 2030.

This is a much faster growth rate than most careers, with the average being five percent.

This growth is explained by the Baby Boomer generation aging and needing increasingly more care every year. Physical therapist assistants are often used to reduce the cost of these physical therapy services. 

It is also thought that, as medical technology continues to make advancements to be able to save and treat people, more physical therapist assistants will be needed to give them care throughout their lives. 

3. Earning Potential

While you may want to become a physical therapist assistant for many different reasons, you cannot ignore the significant earning potential in this career. 

The median wage for physical therapist assistants was $59,770 in 2020, reported by the BLS. The top earners in the industry were those that worked at nursing care facilities and as home healthcare workers. 

4. Coaching Training

If you’re someone that enjoys coaching or teaching, a career as a physical therapist assistant could be perfect for you. 

While perhaps not what you may think of first when considering this career, much of your job will utilize the skills of a coach. You will need to be able to have strong judgment and decision-making capabilities while under pressure. 

You will need to be able to explain to your patients how to do something using the best learning strategy for them.

One of the most important things is using social awareness and perceptiveness to understand how your patients are reacting so you can better serve them. 

You are your patients’ coach, encouraging them and helping them through their physical therapy journey. 

5. Impactful Work

Not many careers are in the business of purely helping others, but a physical therapy assistant is. Your entire job will be to assist others in helping to improve their quality of life. 

You’ll be helping patients recover from serious injuries or illnesses, getting back their full range of motion, assigning exercises and stretches, and educating their family and friends about their treatment plan.

It is extremely rewarding work, as you will see the daily struggles your patients go through, and they will also require your assistance to overcome obstacles. 

Seeing patients get through their program to the end and successfully regain their mobility and independence is one of the most rewarding aspects of all.

6. Entrepreneur Opportunities

If you want to be your own boss, you can do so by becoming a physical therapist assistant. 

One way you can start is by partnering with a physical therapist and outsourcing your work. You would essentially work as a contractor and take on the clients you’d like.

Once you establish yourself in this industry, you can consider opening up your own practice. Becoming a business owner is a whole other field, but it can be quite lucrative if you have the entrepreneurial skills. 

This is perhaps the best way to make the most money as a physical therapist assistant. 

If you think this could be for you and you’re interested in what physical therapist assistant training consists of, check out this NPTE prep course. 

7. Travel Abilities 

If you decide to work for yourself, you can travel all around the world and work with different patients. 

Of course, this first requires you to prove your abilities by most likely working somewhere first that is a more stationary job. When you’ve built a reputation, you can begin contacting different places such as hospitals, private practices, outpatient clinics, schools, and home health agencies to offer your services. 

If you get a wide range of clients, you can enjoy your days by traveling around to serve your patients. 

Start Your Physical Therapist Assistant Training Today! 

There are so many benefits to becoming a physical therapist assistant; you should really start looking into if this career switch could be right for you.

If you enjoy active work, helping others, and traveling, you might have just found the perfect career path! 

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