Physical Therapy Assistant Careers And Healthcare Industry Opportunities

Is helping people something you have a gift or inclination for? Have you ever considered a career in the healthcare industry? If this is something that is beginning to pique your interest, then perhaps you should look into a career as a physical therapy assistant.

Before making any decisions about this occupation it is important to understand that this job can require a great deal of physical interaction with patients. You should have a certain measure of strength because you may be lifting, supporting, balancing, pushing and pulling patients in any number of ways. Your hands can be assisting with exercises as well as providing deep tissue massages for the neck, torso and extremities.

As an assistant you will report to a physical therapist, and may help design and implement rehabilitation therapy's for patients, many of whom can require treatments over periods of days, months, even years. Certain therapy's can include clinical tasks such as implementing traction and other non-invasive mechanical devices, as well as conducting electrical stimulation for pain management.

A good way to test the waters, so to speak, and give the occupation a try before making the commitment of time, education and expense, is to start the process by becoming a physical therapy aid. Since the aid cannot assist the physical therapist in any clinical tasks, the educational and licensing requirements are avoided. By taking this avenue and working closely with professionals in the industry, you can gain a great deal of practical work experience and ensure that this is a career you are solidly gifted for.

The tasks performed by the physical therapy aid are not as demanding as the physical therapy assistant and can run the gamut from clerical or administrative duties such as record keeping and filing, ordering office supplies, answering phones and confirming appointments, cleaning and maintaining treatment areas, and completing patient medical forms for billing purposes.

Since the financial and future growth expectations of this career are also an important consideration, statistics from the Bureau of Labor indicate that employment growth is slated to increase by about thirty four percent through the year 2018. Since this occupation can be conducted in every state of the union, it is probably one of the better career choices for those who like to experience residential changes every so often. As an assistant you need not worry about closing and relocating a practice.

Salary levels vary from state to state and industry to industry, but it is worth noting that for a relatively minor commitment of just two years, a six-figure salary can be achieved without backbreaking student debt, and without years of formal educational requirements. That makes the return on investment for this occupation, one of the best bets of your life.

As indicated earlier, your desire to help people with healthcare needs, and an opportunity to have a career in a recession proof industry, coupled with the advantage of six-figure income potential, should be proof positive. You need to get cracking on a career as a physical therapy assistant.