Physical Therapist Assistant Benefits

There are many physical therapist assistant benefits from great job satisfaction to a good salary to good prospects for promotion. Recent statistics in the USA also show that it is a rapidly growing industry with no shortage of job prospects which is due in part to an aging population and an increasing amount of acute physical conditions.

Salary Levels

The average wage in the US for physical therapist assistants is $49,810 according to Occupational Employment Statistics from the Bureau of Labor statistics. In the UK the wages range from £8 to £15 an hour depending on experience and areas of expertise. Physical therapist assistant usually has a good living wage.

Job Satisfaction

Another physical therapist assistant benefit is great job satisfaction from seeing patients improve their mobility and independence.

Physical therapist assistants are working closely with patients to achieve their goals and encouraging them to push through their pain to strive for the best health and mobility they can achieve.

Therapists working in the neurological physical therapy field have testified to the great satisfaction they see in patients who are wheel chair bound but through therapy learn to walk again.

Working with patients’ families to help them take part in the therapy and encourage independence in their loved ones has also been cited by many therapists as a huge source of personal and job satisfaction.

Physical Therapist Assistant Benefits in Various Fields

Other benefits for this career choice include a variety of fields to work in, from home health care environments to hospitals to nursing homes and to private health care practices. With the choice come variations in salary rates as well as a range of different clientele. There are also opportunities to specialize in sports therapy which can involve working with famous athletes.

Flexibility

The role of the physical therapist assistant is also flexible enough to lend itself to part time work and is also generally carried out during normal office hours. Assistants can also choose to work out in the field or at a base such as a hospital or nursing home.

Expand Skills

There are also always opportunities to expand skills as a physical therapist assistant in areas such as education, specializing in orthopedics, movement expertise and risk management. This means there is no reason to stand still and there are always ways of advancing knowledge. There is also the opportunity to become a physical therapist which involves more responsibility in planning patients’ rehabilitation programs and a higher salary.

Job Security

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics the demand for physical therapist assistants is expected to increase by 35% over the next 10 years, which is a much higher rise than average. This is another physical therapist assistant benefit because it means there will be no shortage of jobs like there are in other areas of the labor market.

Real Difference To People’s Lives

The physical therapist assistant benefits that we outlined here make it a realistic, satisfying and interesting career prospect for anyone who wants to make a real difference to other people’s lives.