Physical Therapy Assistants

Employment prospects are very good for physical therapy assistants. The U.S. Department of Labor predicts that employment will grow much faster than the average for all careers through 2033. In fact, the career of PTA ranks in the top 10 fastest-growing occupations in the U.S. through 2033.

Many new positions for physical therapy assistants are expected to open up as hospital programs that aid the disabled expand and as long-term facilities seek to offer residents more adequate services. Physical therapists can assign many parts of treatment to physical therapy assistants and aides, and thus reduce costs of physical therapy services.

A major contributing factor is the increasing number of Americans aged 65 and over. This group tends to suffer a disproportionate amount of the accidents and chronic illnesses that necessitate physical therapy services. Many from the baby boom generation are reaching the age common for heart attacks, mobility-related injuries, and strokes, thus creating a need for more cardiac and physical rehabilitation. Legislation that requires appropriate public education for all disabled children also may increase the demand for physical therapy services. As more adults engage in strenuous physical exercise, more musculoskeletal injuries will result, thus increasing demand for physical therapy services. In addition, medical and technological developments should permit a growing number of trauma victims and newborns with congenital anomalies to survive, creating more employment opportunities for therapy and rehabilitative services. The DOL says that "more physical therapist assistants and aides will be needed to help patients maintain their mobility and manage the effects of chronic conditions, such as diabetes and obesity."

Job opportunities will be especially strong in acute hospital, outpatient orthopedic settings, and skilled nursing and long-term care facilities (where the elderly are most often treated). Those holding a bachelor’s degree will have the best prospects.

Physical therapy professionals, including assistants, must stay up to date with emerging technology that is being used in physical therapy settings. This includes wearable technology that is utilized for diagnostics and remote monitoring; computer vision (a subspeciality of artificial intelligence), which is used in the assessment process of patients; and robotic physical therapy devices, which will reduce the need for practitioners to perform low-level therapy tasks, but free them to perform higher-level, specialized manual work on patients.