Physical Therapist Assistants
Overview
Salary
Demand
Core Tasks
Technology Skills
Tools Used
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Top 10 Skills
Top 10 Abilities
Top 10 Work Activities
Detailed Work Activities
Work Context
Education
Majors
Interests
Top 10 Work Styles
Work Values
Related Careers
Overview
Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Experience
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Education
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Job Training
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Examples
These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include hydroelectric production managers, travel guides, electricians, agricultural technicians, barbers, court reporters, and medical assistants.
Assist physical therapists in providing physical therapy treatments and procedures. May, in accordance with state laws, assist in the development of treatment plans, carry out routine functions, document the progress of treatment, and modify specific treatments in accordance with patient status and within the scope of treatment plans established by a physical therapist. Generally requires formal training.
Salary Salary
Salary at 10th Percentile: $33K
Salary at 25th Percentile: $48K
Median Salary: $59K
Salary at 75th Percentile: $70K
Salary at 90th Percentile: $82K
Demand
Core Tasks
Document patient information, such as notes on their progress.
Instruct, motivate, safeguard, and assist patients as they practice exercises or functional activities.
Observe patients during treatments to compile and evaluate data on their responses and progress and provide results to physical therapist in person or through progress notes.
Instruct patients in proper body mechanics and in ways to improve functional mobility, such as aquatic exercise.
Secure patients into or onto therapy equipment.
Confer with physical therapy staff or others to discuss and evaluate patient information for planning, modifying, or coordinating treatment.
Administer active or passive manual therapeutic exercises, therapeutic massage, aquatic physical therapy, or heat, light, sound, or electrical modality treatments, such as ultrasound.
Transport patients to and from treatment areas, lifting and transferring them according to positioning requirements.
Clean work area and check and store equipment after treatment.
Communicate with or instruct caregivers or family members on patient therapeutic activities or treatment plans.
Measure patients' range-of-joint motion, body parts, or vital signs to determine effects of treatments or for patient evaluations.
Train patients in the use of orthopedic braces, prostheses, or supportive devices.
Monitor operation of equipment and record use of equipment and administration of treatment.
Prepare treatment areas and electrotherapy equipment for use by physiotherapists.
Administer traction to relieve neck or back pain, using intermittent or static traction equipment.
Assist patients to dress, undress, or put on and remove supportive devices, such as braces, splints, or slings.
Attend or conduct continuing education courses, seminars, or in-service activities.
Fit patients for orthopedic braces, prostheses, or supportive devices, such as crutches.
Perform postural drainage, percussions, or vibrations or teach deep breathing exercises to treat respiratory conditions.
Perform clerical duties, such as taking inventory, ordering supplies, answering telephone, taking messages, or filling out forms.
Perform therapeutic wound care.
Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Customer and Personal Service
91%
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Therapy and Counseling
85%
Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
English Language
84%
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Education and Training
79%
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Psychology
73%
Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Medicine and Dentistry
70%
Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
Computers and Electronics
69%
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Biology
68%
Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
Clerical
60%
Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
Public Safety and Security
57%
Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Top 10 Skills
Active Listening
80%
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Monitoring
75%
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Social Perceptiveness
75%
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Speaking
75%
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Learning
65%
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Critical Thinking
65%
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension
65%
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Service Orientation
65%
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Writing
65%
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Complex Problem Solving
63%
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Top 10 Abilities
Oral Expression
83%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Oral Comprehension
80%
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Speech Clarity
78%
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Speech Recognition
78%
The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Near Vision
75%
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Problem Sensitivity
75%
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Written Comprehension
75%
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Deductive Reasoning
65%
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Inductive Reasoning
65%
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Selective Attention
65%
The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
Top 10 Work Activities
Assisting and Caring for Others
100%
Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
99%
Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Documenting/Recording Information
96%
Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
Performing General Physical Activities
94%
Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
93%
Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
93%
Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
90%
Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
86%
Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
85%
Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
Getting Information
85%
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Detailed Work Activities
Engage patients in exercises or activities.
Encourage patients during therapeutic activities.
Document client health or progress.
Record patient medical histories.
Monitor patient progress or responses to treatments.
Prepare medical reports or documents.
Communicate patient status to other health practitioners.
Train patients, family members, or caregivers in techniques for managing disabilities or illnesses.
Hold patients to ensure proper positioning or safety.
Confer with other professionals to plan patient care.
Administer therapy treatments to patients using hands or physical treatment aids.
Move patients to or from treatment areas.
Adjust positions of patients on beds or tables.
Clean patient rooms or patient treatment rooms.
Teach medical procedures or medical equipment use to patients.
Assess physical conditions of patients to aid in diagnosis or treatment.
Monitor medical equipment to ensure proper functioning.
Assist patients with daily activities.
Attend educational events to update medical knowledge.
Teach medical procedures to healthcare personnel.
Fit patients for assistive devices.
Perform clerical work in medical settings.
Inventory medical supplies or equipment.
Prepare medical instruments or equipment for use.
Prepare patient treatment areas for use.
Administer basic health care or medical treatments.
Work Context
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
Physical Proximity
To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks in close physical proximity to other people?
Frequency of Decision Making
How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
Face-to-Face Discussions
How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
Deal With External Customers
How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?
Coordinate or Lead Others
How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job?
Work With Work Group or Team
How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
Exposed to Disease or Infections
How often does this job require exposure to disease/infections?
Education
Interests
Social
96%
Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Realistic
77%
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Investigative
58%
Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Conventional
39%
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Enterprising
34%
Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Artistic
24%
Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Top 10 Work Styles
Dependability
96%
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Integrity
96%
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Cooperation
93%
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Self Control
93%
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Concern for Others
91%
Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Attention to Detail
89%
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Stress Tolerance
88%
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Initiative
85%
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Independence
84%
Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Social Orientation
83%
Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
Work Values
Relationships
96%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Support
72%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Working Conditions
72%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Achievement
67%
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Independence
67%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Recognition
48%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
