14 Pros and Cons of Being a Physical Therapist Assistant

Does a career as a physical therapy assistant sound intriguing to you?

Maybe you are interested in this profession but not sure where to start or how to prepare for it.

Physical therapy assistants help patients with different exercises, balance, ambulation training, and more.

This guide will present you with a list of pros and cons so you can determine whether this is a good career for you.

Pros of Being a Physical Therapy Assistant

1. Quick Training Duration

Compared to actual physical therapists, assistants have a much shorter training period.

To start work as a physical therapy assistant, all that is needed is an associate’s degree, which will only take up about two years of your time.

Once you have completed the PTA program, you may have to sacrifice three weeks to several months of in-person training to gain the needed experience.

However, it’s less than seven years, which is required to become a physical therapist.

If you’re not interested in obtaining a bachelor’s and master’s degree, this could be a great opportunity.

2. Rewarding Benefits & Salary

Physical therapy assistants nationwide make an average salary of $74,932 per year.

For many people, this is an exceptional salary to make, especially when you consider the inexpensive costs of educational programs.

Besides the excellent salary, physical therapy assistants receive great benefits, including dental insurance, health insurance, 401k, and life insurance.

These benefits will vary by employer, but will typically remain the same in terms of worthiness.

Besides, what else beats having a good career with excellent pay and benefits?

3. Satisfactory Occupation

As mentioned earlier, many PTAs love their job because of the benefits and salary they offer.

But we can’t forget to mention how rewarding working as a physical therapy assistant is.

If you thrive on helping people, this profession provides ample opportunities to do just that.

You’ll be doing what you love daily.

Your goal is to help improve patients’ quality of life by assisting them with exercises to decrease pain.

Many physical therapy assistants find that helping patients every day results in a more fulfilling experience overall.

4. Good Job Outlook

The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that physical therapy assistant jobs will increase a whopping 24% from 2021 to 2031, which is a total of 10 years.

Physical therapy assistants may also experience an increase of 26% in employment.

Overall, this growth rate is much faster than the average for any other occupation.

The increase and rapid growth of this career are likely due to an aging population that is in increasing need of care.

In addition, there’s an increase in people who have chronic conditions or problems with mobility.

5. Various Specialties to Choose From

Physical therapy benefits people of all ages and backgrounds.

As a result, this creates more opportunities for physical therapy assistants to take on a specialty in a certain type of setting.

For instance, if you are someone who loves working with children, you can specialize in pediatric physical therapy.

Another example is for people who want to particularly work with athletes.

With this type of care, you can specialize in sports medicine or sports physical therapy.

The number of options available to you is endless when it comes to physical therapy.

6. Varying Work Environments

Besides taking on a specialty in physical therapy, you can also take advantage of various work environments.

If you want to work as a physical therapy assistant, you have the opportunity to choose from different settings.

For instance, physical therapy assistants work in private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and other healthcare facilities.

If you prefer to travel, you can even provide in-home services to patients for sports teams and beyond.

There are so many different avenues to take when working as a PTA.

7. Even Work-Life Balance

The majority of physical therapy assistants are either found working in private practices or a doctor’s office.

Working in these types of settings usually means you’ll stick to a regular and consistent work schedule.

So, what does this mean for you?

If you prefer a career that provides you with a consistent work schedule where you are given the same hours every week, a job as a physical therapy assistant may be perfect for you.

After all is said and done, you’ll have a healthy work-life balance to provide you with some sort of organization in your life.

Cons of Being a Physical Therapy Assistant

1. License Required

Being a physical therapy assistant means you have to hold a license in the state you are practicing in.

No matter the state you live in, you’ll be required to pass the National Physical Therapy Exam.

You cannot receive your license until you pass the NPTE exam.

This could be one of the biggest downsides of becoming a physical therapy assistant if you aren’t big on careers that require certification.

To top it off, the exam must be completed in seven and a half hours and consists of 225 questions.

2. Certification Is Necessary to Remain Competitive

Many people working in the physical therapy world often take it a step further by earning a certificate to stay competitive.

As much as you may not want to, earning a certificate is necessary in a profession that changes day by day.

It’s not uncommon to see physical therapy assistants have various certificates under their belts to support their specialties.

This could be seen as a disadvantage for many, since earning additional certificates will cost you more of your time and money.

3. Physically Demanding

Another disadvantage of working as a physical therapy assistant is that it’s physically demanding.

Physical therapy assistant jobs are one of the most physically demanding professions to have.

Having such a job can put you at risk of injuring yourself.

And if you become injured, you won’t be able to work.

To make matters worse, if your injuries result in permanent damage, it can take a toll on your finances.

4. A lot of Emotional Stress

Besides having a physically demanding job, working as a physical therapy assistant can be emotionally stressful.

This is something you may want to think about before you leap into the physical therapy world.

Physical therapy assistants work with patients who are extremely ill.

While it may not be all the time, you will run into those often.

Some of those patients may even pass away as a result of their injury or illness.

As a result, you may experience a tremendous amount of emotional stress.

5. Must Be a People Person

If you aren’t someone who has good people skills, being a physical therapy assistant isn’t the best career choice for you.

As a physical therapy assistant, you must be easy to get along with.

That is the best way to succeed at this type of job.

While you don’t have to form friendships with everyone you cross paths with, your patients will feel more comfortable if they can trust you.

But besides your patients, you must get along well with your team members and supervisors.

6. Exposure to Pathogens

Working in the healthcare field always means you’ll be exposed to pathogens of different kinds.

Unfortunately, working as a physical therapy assistant is no different.

Some of the pathogens you encounter can make you and your family sick if you bring them home.

It could harm those you work with, including your co-workers and patients.

7. May Have to Work Evenings

Physical therapy assistants are required to work evenings sometimes, which may be seen as yet another disadvantage.

Moreover, this may be the only way you get to see some of your clients if they work during the day.

Evening work may not be your cup of tea, and this could make or break your decision on whether you choose to become a PTA.

Working evenings may also leave you feeling exhausted and absent from family time.

So, if you’re still considering becoming a physical therapy assistant, you should consider whether working evenings is something you’re willing to do.

Pros and Cons of Being a Physical Therapy Assistant – Summary Table

Pros of Being a Physical Therapy Assistant	Cons of Being a Physical Therapy Assistant
1. Quick Training Duration	1. License Required
2. Rewarding Benefits & Salary	2. Certification Is Necessary to Remain Competitive
3. Satisfactory Occupation	3. Physically Demanding
4. Good Job Outlook	4. A lot of Emotional Stress
5. Various Specialties to Choose From	5. Must Be a People Person
6. Varying Work Environments	6. Exposure to Pathogens
7. Even Work-Life Balance	7. May Have to Work Evenings

Should You Become a Physical Therapy Assistant?

For most people, the idea of working as a physical therapy assistant is more than just intriguing.

It’s a great choice for people who are itching to have different environments to choose from.

It’s perfect for those who love helping people of all ages and backgrounds.

It’s also a career that provides exceptional growth opportunities.

While it’s also a profession that can be emotionally draining, the good always outweighs the bad.

So, if you can see yourself through the disadvantages and continue marching forward, a career as a physical therapy assistant is a rewarding one.

Read the full guide: How to Become a Physical Therapist Assistant