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If you consider pursuing a physical therapy assistant career in Indiana, you should read below.
Our article contains info on the licensing process, so read on for info.
Article Table of Contents
Earning Your License as a Physical Therapist Assistant in Indiana
In Indiana, physical therapy assistants have to get certified to be eligible for work.
To get a certification, you should consider pursuing an associate’s degree.
The program you go to has to be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE).
Generally, a program for physical therapy assistants where you receive an associate’s degree lasts for around 2 years.
Students get to attend practical training but also theory classes, which include the following topics:
- Functional and applied anatomy
- Pathophysiology
- Patient care skills
- Medical terminology
- Cardiopulmonary rehabilitation
- Rehabilitative agents
You also have to complete 750 hours of clinical practice.
After you finish the program, you can get a degree like:
- Associate of Science in Physical Therapist Assistant Studies (AS)
- Physical Therapist Assistant Associate of Applied Science (AAS)
Then, you can start your application process to get licensed.
You will first have to pass the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE) for physical therapy assistants, provided by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT)
The needed fees are:
- A $100 fee for your license made payable to the Professional Licensing Agency
- A $400 credit or debit card payment to register online for your National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) for PTAs
- A $70 payment to the Prometric testing center when you schedule your exam
You will have to provide the following items when you apply for your license:
- Your application form with your social security number on it
- 2 recent passport-type photographs signed at the bottom in black ink
- A certified transcript of grades provided directly from your school(s)
- If you have married and changed your name, you need to provide a notarized copy of a marriage certificate.
- You must provide an official affidavit if you changed your name legally in a different manner.
After you gather the paperwork, you need to send it to the Physical therapy Committee Professional Licensing Agency, in Indianapolis.
You can also get a temporary work permit from the Indiana Physical Therapy Committee.
For that, you have to submit:
- An application form
- The affirmation of supervision
- $100 license application fee made payable to the Professional Licensing Agency
- $50 temporary permit application fee
- 2 recent passport-type photographs signed at the bottom in black ink
- Certified school transcript
The temporary permit is valid for only 90 days.
In addition to the documents, you also need to submit a background check.
For that you have to send in one of these documents:
- A valid driver’s license
- Valid passport
- Valid state-issued ID card
- Student ID card with picture and date of birth
- Work ID card with picture and date of birth
- Valid Alien ID card with picture and date of birth
To get licensed, you need to pass the NPTE-PTA test.
This exam is open-book and covers the below topics:
- Diseases/Conditions that Impact Effective Treatment (28%)
- Physical Therapy Data Collection (20.7%)
- Interventions (30.7%)
- Safety & Protection; Professional Responsibilities; Research (6%)
- Equipment and Devices; Therapeutic Modalities (14.7%)
You have to get a score of 600 out of 800 to pass the exam.
Physical Therapist Assistant Employment and Salary Information in Indiana
In Indiana, the largest companies that hire physical therapy assistants include:
- Kindred Healthcare, Inc.
- RehabCare Group, Inc.
- Life Care Centers of America
- Paragon Rehabilitation, Inc.
- Legacy Healthcare Services
- Genesis Rehab Services
- Community Health Systems, Inc.
- Genesis HealthCare
- Reliant Rehabilitation
- Select Medical – SMC
Generally, the more work experience you have, the higher salary you will earn.
The best places to get hired as a physical therapy assistant in Indiana are the larger cities.
Annual Salary Range:| Location | Avg. Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Indianapolis | $54,354 |
| Fort Wayne | $52,115 |
| Evansville | $52,800 |
| South Bend | $52,673 |
| Carmel | $54,287 |
| Fishers | $51,617 |
| Bloomington | $51,457 |
| Hammond | $56,238 |
| Gary | $56,238 |
| Lafayette | $54,019 |
Regional Salary in Indiana
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, IN | 30 | $57,710 | $27.74 | $74,650 | $47,670 |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | 40 | $66,650 | $32.04 | $72,970 | $60,880 |
| Evansville, IN-KY | 110 | $59,830 | $28.77 | $77,020 | $37,140 |
| Fort Wayne, IN | 210 | $56,870 | $27.34 | $66,400 | $46,170 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN | 640 | $64,190 | $30.86 | $79,360 | $48,250 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | 60 | $59,500 | $28.61 | $78,050 | $43,830 |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | 70 | $62,170 | $29.89 | $74,030 | $47,500 |
| Terre Haute, IN | 50 | $64,330 | $30.93 | $89,990 | $44,310 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Physical Therapist Assistant License Renewal Information
In Indiana, your physical therapy assistant license has to be renewed once a year.
To get it renewed, you also have to pay a $100 renewal fee.
To be eligible for renewal, you have to take 22 hours of extra education.
Two of these hours should be in ethics and Indiana jurisprudence.
After your license renewal is verified, you will get it back in one business day.
Read the full guide: How to Become a Physical Therapist Assistant
Physical Therapist Assistant Schools by State