Physical Therapist Assistant (A.S.) (222A)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, overall employment of Physical Therapist Assistants and Aides is projected to grow 24% from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations.

The Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) is a skilled technical health care provider who works under the supervision and direction of a Physical Therapist (PT) in the assessment, treatment, and prevention of physical disability resulting from injury, disease, pain, birth defects, and other health-related conditions. The PTA, working as a member of the rehabilitation team, assists in implementing the treatment program according to the plan of care developed by the PT. Typical duties of the PTA include training patients in exercise, ambulation and activities of daily living, conducting treatment using specialized equipment, administering therapeutic physical agents such as heat, cold and electrical stimulation, assisting in the performance of tests, and observing and reporting patient responses and changes in condition to the PT.

The Dictionary of Occupational Titles rates the strength demands of a PTA at the medium level. This translates into lifting or exerting a force of 20 to 50 pounds occasionally, 10 to 25 pounds frequently and 10 pounds or less constantly.

Interested students can learn more about the profession of physical therapy and the role of the PTA by contacting the American Physical Therapy Association, 3030 Potomac Ave. Suite 100, Alexandria, VA, 22305-3085; telephone: (800) 999-2782.

Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for state-specific laws exams and the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE) for the physical therapist assistant administered by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT).

If you are considering employment in a state other than Florida, click here to ensure the program curriculum meets the requirements to sit for licensure or certification testing in that state.