Career Overview: All About Physical Therapist Aides

If you’re interested in helping people live healthy, active lives and ready to jumpstart your career in as few as nine months, then a career as a physical therapist aide might be ideal for you! Physical therapist aides help with tasks like documenting patient treatments, scheduling appointments, and taking clients to different areas of a healthcare facility. This guide walks you through the process of how to be a physical therapist aide by highlighting tips, skills, and important resources, including:

• Work environment
• Job outlook & overview
• Education programs and curriculum

Physical Therapy Aide Job Description

Physical therapist aides perform a variety of tasks that help keep the office running smoothly. Although physical therapist aides are supervised by physical therapists, they might collaborate with therapist assistants.1 Their day-to-day responsibilities include cleaning treatment areas, setting up equipment for appointments, washing linens, as well as performing clerical duties such as answering the phone, or submitting patient intake forms. In some cases, a physical therapist aide might be responsible for ordering supplies, completing insurance forms, and administering modality treatments.2
A physical therapist aide can also interact with patients, helping them move to different treatment areas.

The work and tasks that aides are allowed to do vary by state, and you may also see some variety in the responsibilities required by different employers.2 Jobs in offices or facilities that specialize in more intensive rehabilitation, such as helping patients recover from spinal cord injuries, may require aides to assist with more hands-on work with patients.1

In this environment, a physical therapist aide could help patients fulfill basic life skills, like showering or eating.

They can work in different treatment areas, including hospitals, nursing care facilities, physicians’ offices, and government settings.3 Many aides work full-time, though part-time opportunities still exist. Some physical therapist aides work nights and weekends to accommodate their patients’ work schedules.

Physical Therapy Assistant vs Aide

Physical therapist assistants and aides may work closely together in the same office, but there are several differences between the two roles.2 Physical therapist aides execute operational activities that help keep the office running efficiently. But their interaction with patients may be limited to scheduling appointments and bringing patients in and out of the therapist areas.

However, physical therapist assistants have much more patient interaction. They perform many direct care responsibilities, such as:

• Observing patients during therapy.
• Helping patients with certain exercises.
• Recording details about patients’ health status.
• Using techniques like manual stretching to treat patients using devices like walkers to help patients.

Because physical therapist assistants work closely with patients, assistants are managed by physical therapists. In contrast, a physical therapist aide is often supervised by a physical therapist and may collaborate with a physical therapist assistant.

Both physical therapist assistants and physical therapist aides ensure a seamless health care experience, as they provide patients with the care they need.

Why Become a Physical Therapist Aide?

There will always be a need for those who serve the physical rehabilitation of others. From short-term physical recovery from an injury to long-term conditions that require ongoing physical therapy a physical therapist aide can play a key supporting role around facilitating a better overall health outlook.

Benefits of Being a Physical Therapist Aide

Working as a physical therapist aide is rewarding in many ways. When you work in this industry, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that you’re helping to improve and maximize a patient’s quality of life.⁵ You will also have the ability to choose from various work settings, like rehabilitation centers, private practices, and more.³

Physical Therapist Aide Jobs

Physical therapist aides may work in the following environments:

• Physicians’ offices
• Skilled nursing facilities
• Physical therapists’ offices
• State, local, or private hospitals

Additionally, physical therapist aides may need to work extra hours since some offices offer flexible hours to meet their patients’ needs. Because there’s a large number of physical therapist aide responsibilities that include some administrative work, you may also need to learn technology skills and competencies.7 An aide works with emails, medical software like MEDITECH and Epic Systems, and programs like Microsoft Office, Excel, and Word. Possessing a wide range of skills, like performing physical activities like lifting and balancing, communicating with supervisors and peers, and moving objects like therapy equipment and supplies are likely necessary to succeed in this field.

How to Become a Physical Therapy Aide

If you think that becoming a physical therapist aide is the right career path for you, there are a few PT aide requirements. You may want to complete these steps to prepare for your new career.

• Earn Your High School Diploma or GED
  An entry-level physical therapist aide job requires that applicants have a high school diploma or GED.8 If you haven’t completed general education, try earning the credits you will need to graduate. And if you never graduated high school, you will need to earn your GED before applying for physical therapist aide opportunities.

• Enroll in a Physical Therapy Technology Program
  While not a physical therapist aide requirement, completing certificate courses can give you valuable skills and an advantage over your peers.8 In a Physical Therapy Technology program, you will learn and practice skills, such as therapeutic exercises, medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, plus much more.9 Professional training will leave you better prepared for your first job as a physical therapist aide. The fact that you’ve made the extra effort to earn a certificate in the field may also help you stand out to potential employers.

• Use On-the-Job Training to Improve Your Skills
  On-the-job training can last anywhere from one week to one month, and during this time, you will learn the remaining skills you need to perform your job well.8

Do You Need to Be Certified to Be a Physical Therapist Aide?

States don’t require you to be certified or licensed to become a physical therapist aide.

What to Look for in Physical Therapy Technology School

When choosing a Physical Therapy Technology program, it’s important to find a school that offers a quality certificate program that will truly prepare you for your physical therapy aide career. Consider the following qualities to determine which school is the right fit for you.

• Curriculum: Consider the skills that will be most important in your career and look for a school with a curriculum that teaches you those skills. As a physical therapist aide, you will want to have a knowledge of physical diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation principles; customer service skills including needs assessment and satisfaction evaluation; and a knowledge of injuries, symptoms, treatment alternatives, and more.7A quality certificate program’s curriculum should cover these topics and more.
• Cost: While enrolling in a certificate program is a great investment towards your career, you still need to balance a program’s cost with what you can reasonably afford.
• Accreditation: Choosing a school that’s accredited* confirms that you’ll be receiving a quality education.9Accreditation can also help to validate the school to a potential employer.
• Instructor quality: Consider the instructors who will be teaching the courses. Look for a certificate program taught by instructors who have plenty of experience not only in education but also in working in the physical therapy industry.
• Practical experience: Working as a physical therapist aide is a very physical job. While courses can help you acquire important knowledge that will benefit you on the job, gaining hands-on experience is an important step in your preparation. Programs that offer classroom study, lab exercises, and clinical training in professional environments can better prepare you for your career in the long run.10

*Carrington College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACCJC/WASC), 331 J Street, Suite 200, Sacramento, CA 95814; 415 506 0234, an institutional accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and the U.S. Department of Education. Additional information about accreditation, including the filing of complaints against member institutions, can be found at https://accjc.org.