|
Day in the Life
The hours and days
that physical therapist assistants work vary with the facility. About 23 percent
of all physical therapist assistants work part time. Many outpatient
physical therapy offices and clinics have evening and weekend hours, to
coincide with patients' personal schedules.
Physical therapist assistants should be well-organized,
detail oriented, and caring. They usually have strong interpersonal skills
and a desire to help people in need.
Physical therapist assistants need a moderate degree of
strength because of the physical exertion required in assisting patients
with their treatment. In some cases, assistants need to lift patients.
Frequent kneeling, stooping, and standing for long periods also are part of
the job.
Some physical therapist assistants decide to specialize in a
clinical area. They gain expertise in treating a certain type of patient,
such as geriatric or pediatric, or a type of ailment, such as sports
injuries. Many physical therapist assistants advance to administration
positions. These positions might include organizing all the assistants in a
large physical therapy organization or acting as the director for a
specific department such as sports medicine. Other assistants go on to
teach in an accredited physical therapist assistant academic program, lead
health risk reduction classes for the elderly, or organize community
activities related to fitness and risk reduction.
Note: Some resources in this section are provided by the US
Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor
Statistics.
|
