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What is an outpatient physical therapist assistant and how to become one
An outpatient physical therapist assistant works under a licensed physical therapist to provide rehabilitation and treatment for patients with physical injuries or disabilities. They assist patients in performing exercises, monitor their progress, and update medical records. Outpatient physical therapist assistants also educate patients to prevent further injuries and manage their condition. They may work in settings such as hospitals, clinics, or private practices. Overall, they help patients improve their physical function and quality of life.
Avg. Salary $54,009
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 24%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.40%
Asian 9.34%
Black or African American 6.60%
Hispanic or Latino 12.13%
Unknown 4.76%
White 66.77%
Genderfemale 73.28%
male 26.72%
Age - 37American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 37Stress level is high
7.1 - high
Complexity level is intermediate
7 - challenging
Work life balance is good
6.4 - fair
What are the pros and cons of being an outpatient physical therapist assistant?
Pros
Competitive salary and benefits
Opportunities for career advancement
Flexible scheduling options
Constantly learning from experienced physical therapists
High demand for skilled physical therapist assistants
Cons
Physically demanding job that can cause strain on the body
Emotionally demanding job that can be emotionally draining
Limited opportunities for creativity and innovation in treatment plans
May require long hours of standing or walking
Potential for burnout due to high workload and demanding nature of the job
Outpatient physical therapist assistant career paths
Key steps to become an outpatient physical therapist assistant
Explore outpatient physical therapist assistant education requirements
Start to develop specific outpatient physical therapist assistant skills
Skills Percentages Patients 38.09% Rehabilitation 17.32% PTA 11.09% Home Health 5.26% Physical Therapy 4.42% Complete relevant outpatient physical therapist assistant training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New outpatient physical therapist assistants learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an outpatient physical therapist assistant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real outpatient physical therapist assistant resumes.Obtain the necessary licensing
Becoming an licensed outpatient physical therapist assistant usually require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed outpatient physical therapist assistant in most of states. 40 states require outpatient physical therapist assistants to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.State Education Exam License url Alabama - - Licensed Physical Therapist Assistant Arkansas Specific course required State exam required Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) California Degree required Third-party exam required Physical Therapist Assistant Connecticut Specific course required Third-party exam required Physical Therapist Assistant Delaware Degree required State exam required Physical Therapist Assistant Research outpatient physical therapist assistant duties and responsibilities
- Manage a diverse caseload including, but not limit to CVA's, cardiac care, Alzheimer's and sub acute orthopedics
- Work as PTA in outpatient clinic and home health.
- Work as PTA as part of team to execute proper care of body mechanics and safety of patient.
- Prepare garments and accessories for processing through ALM's for contamination detection.
Prepare your outpatient physical therapist assistant resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your outpatient physical therapist assistant resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an outpatient physical therapist assistant resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable outpatient physical therapist assistant resume templates
Build a professional outpatient physical therapist assistant resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your outpatient physical therapist assistant resume.
Apply for outpatient physical therapist assistant jobs
Now it's time to start searching for an outpatient physical therapist assistant job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first outpatient physical therapist assistant job
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Average outpatient physical therapist assistant salary
The average outpatient physical therapist assistant salary in the United States is $54,009 per year or $26 per hour. Outpatient physical therapist assistant salaries range between $40,000 and $71,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do outpatient physical therapist assistants rate their job?
Outpatient physical therapist assistant reviews
Work schedule flexibility in the rehab and home health settings. I love problem-solving and finding solutions to improve the pts success at home. I love helping patients regain their PLOF or independence. I love meeting and working with a variety of people from differnt walks of life.
Inflexible or unrealistic patients or family members. So much paperwork. About every 7 years I just change careers for a while or take a break. Dynamic can be challenging when you work in Home Health because you work in a lot of assisted living facilities each with their own staff and policies which my differ from your own. It is a balancing act.
The relationship with the pts and seeing progress made for their return home
Cooperate money relations
Rehabilitating impairments
Lifting patients who couldn’t able by themselves from bed
Updated January 8, 2025
