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What is a staff physical therapy assistant and how to become one
A staff physical therapy assistant works with licensed physical therapists to provide patient care. They help patients recover through performing exercises, massages, and treatments under the supervision of a physical therapist. Staff physical therapy assistants also help patients with mobility and balance, and teach them to use devices such as crutches or walkers. They document progress and communicate with healthcare professionals. A staff physical therapy assistant needs communication, patience, and a desire to help others.
Avg. Salary $51,881
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 24%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.40%
Asian 8.85%
Black or African American 6.75%
Hispanic or Latino 12.46%
Unknown 4.77%
White 66.77%
Genderfemale 65.12%
male 34.88%
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 a staff physical therapy assistant?
Pros
Job stability with a growing demand for physical therapy services
Opportunity for career advancement and specialization
Competitive salary and benefits packages
Variety of work settings including hospitals, clinics, and rehabilitation centers
Ability to work independently and as part of a team
Cons
Physically demanding work that can lead to injuries if not careful
Requires long hours on your feet, which can be tiring
High stress environment when dealing with patients who have severe injuries or illnesses
Can be emotionally challenging to see patients who are not improving or deteriorating
May require working evenings, weekends, or holidays to meet patient needs
Staff physical therapy assistant career paths
Key steps to become a staff physical therapy assistant
Explore staff physical therapy assistant education requirements
Start to develop specific staff physical therapy assistant skills
Skills Percentages Patients 26.70% Rehabilitation 14.14% CPR 12.11% Home Health 10.39% Customer Service 4.43% Complete relevant staff physical therapy assistant training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New staff physical therapy 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 a staff physical therapy assistant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real staff physical therapy assistant resumes.Obtain the necessary licensing
Becoming a licensed staff physical therapy assistant usually require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed staff physical therapy assistant in most of states. 40 states require staff physical therapy 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 staff physical therapy assistant duties and responsibilities
- Perform ultrasound massage on patients and effectively manage pain level of patient using heat therapy.
- Train patients on the use of braces, canes, crutches, walkers and prosthetic/orthotic devices.
- Provide outpatient physical therapy rehabilitation services to patients with orthopedic, post-surgical problems, chronic pain issues.
- Teach patients how to use and care for wheelchairs, walkers, braces and artificial limbs.
Prepare your staff physical therapy assistant resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your staff physical therapy assistant resume.
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Apply for staff physical therapy assistant jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a staff physical therapy 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 staff physical therapy assistant job
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Average staff physical therapy assistant salary
The average staff physical therapy assistant salary in the United States is $51,881 per year or $25 per hour. Staff physical therapy assistant salaries range between $37,000 and $71,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do staff physical therapy assistants rate their job?
Staff physical therapy 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
