Celebrating A Physical Therapist Assistant

The medical field is expanding ever so rapidly in today’s society. In the field of Physical Therapy one needs to have the understanding of how the human body works and the injuries one body could sustain. I have chosen a career to help others to battle back from life-changing injuries or surgeries. I will take the first step of joining the medical field by obtaining a physical therapist associates degree. I will become a Physical Therapist Assistant.

Colleges with a medical department often have a master’s program for physical therapy. (“Physical Therapists”) Physical therapy students have a required amount of field work in order to complete a program. Each candidate must work in an accredited workplace for the field work assignments. This part of the program is extremely valuable and helpful for a new therapist entering the field. Working one on one can be difficult even with all of the educational tools. (Curtis 37)

“Advancement prospects are excellent for Physical Therapy Assistants. Individuals can advance their career by becoming full-fledged physical therapists” (“Physical Therapy Assistant”) so it’s simple as that the advancement is just becoming a physical therapist. A physical therapist is pretty much the highest level in that specific area in the medical field they do everything for patients and the assistants just reinforce what their orders are. There are some extra things necessary to become a physical therapist though “in order to climb the career ladder, however, the Physical Therapy Assistant must take additional training. This usually includes at least another two years of schooling in an institution that has an accredited program in physical therapy” (“Physical Therapy

With the job outlook of the physical therapy field being expected to grow by 34 percent by 2024, faster than the average occupation, the average annual wage at a whopping $84,020, paid sick and vacation days and the flexible work environment, this seems like the perfect profession to enter. Having a career in physical therapy can be very rewarding because a physical therapist gets to watch as his or her patients improve every appointment through treatment. Unfortunately, this is not always the case in this profession. There are many disadvantages, and knowing these will help anyone interested in this field have a better understanding of how tough pursuing a career in this field can be. Being a physical therapist can be a rewarding experience and have amazing benefits. However, it is important to be aware of the disadvantages: the extreme amount of education, physical demands, emotional demands and the continuation of education requirements.

The day I attended physical therapy for a broken arm was the day I wanted to get into physical therapy. It taught me techniques to help me regain control of something that I have lost temporary of like an arm or leg. That day when I attended physical therapy was the day my life changed and only for the better, I hope. This is a career which I want to pursue and become part of. To start my career I would like to become a physical therapist assistant to learn the fundamentals and then later, move to become a physical therapist, and maybe have someone assist me. But to become a physical therapist assistant or PTA one must complete a program and have excellent grades to achieve this goal. The physical therapy assistant is a graduate of a

I believe that my personal and professional growth and behavior as a physical therapist is of utmost importance. I base this firstly on my strong connection to those in society who are disadvantaged when it comes to physical therapy, and also on the movement system, movement being “the key to optimal living and quality of life for all people that extends beyond health to every person’s ability to participate in and contribute to society” (American Physical Therapy Association, 2013). This perspective, I believe, is aligned perfectly with the vision statement for the physical therapy profession – to transform society through optimization of movement to improve the human experience (APTA, 2013). After reviewing the vision statement, I strongly believe it will act as my guide by strengthening compassion, reinforcing advocacy, improving quality of service, and strengthening cohesion.

The association started with 274 members and was led by Mary McMillan. In 1922, the association changed the name to American Physiotherapy Association. In the 1930s, APA introduced the first in its history a code of ethics and men were admitted thus membership swelled to just under 1,000 members.” (apta) With World War II looming on the horizon with Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan and then the national poliomyelitis outbreak during the 1940s and 1950s, physical therapists stood in more demand than ever. The association's membership swelled to 8,000 members and the number of physical therapy education programs across the US increased from sixteen to thirty-nine. By the late 1940s, the association changed its name again to the American Physical Therapy Association, and opened its first office in New York City. With the new office, sections were created to promote and develop specific objectives of the profession. The first two sections were the school and private practice sections. In the 1960s, APTA membership reached almost 15,000, and the number accredited institutions grew nationally to fifty two. Now headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, APTA represents more than 90,000 members throughout the United States. A national professional organization, APTA's goal is to foster advancements in physical therapy practice, research, and education. Currently two hundred thirteen institutions offer physical therapy education programs and three-hundred nine institutions offer physical therapist and physical therapist assistant education curriculums across the United States.” (apta) Physical therapist have seen their profession come from absolute nothing to a thriving career over the course of the twentieth and twenty-first

“ Physical therapists started their own profession association in 1921” (APTA History). The association, also known as the American Women’s Physical Therapeutic Association, was started by Mary McMillan who was the president. In 1922 she helped a committee vote to allow men to be part of the association, which caused the name to change to American Physiotherapy Association. The number of physical therapist grew in demand once World War II and Poli came into action. As the demand for physical therapist increased, the education grew across America as it went from 16 programs to 39 according to APTA. The name of the program changed again in 1940 to what it is now called, the American Physical Therapy Association. The association today is focusing on improving education, practice and research that can be used to improve the daily lives of the elderly, adults, and children according to APTA.

Many specialty areas in healthcare are rapidly changing as all are subject to the impact of disruptive technology and the continuous increase in the knowledge base. The physical therapy profession is, as with other health and medical specialty areas, concerned with currency in the education and training of certified specialists. In fact, many institutions, organizations, and companies insist that physical therapists in their employee pool regularly earn continuing education credits (CEC) to ensure that they keep up to date on changes in their fields.

In its work as an accrediting body, CAPTE has established programmatic standards and criteria for evaluation of Physical Therapist and Physical Therapist Assistant programs. These standards are influenced by “the profession in defining the nature of contemporary practice and determining practice expectations and the demands that are placed on graduates” (CAPTE Evaluative Criteria, p. i, 2014). CAPTE references five documents in the derivation of these standards: the Guide to Physical Therapist Practice, which describes patient/client management, and the Normative Model of Physical Therapist Professional Education, “which focuses on the prerogatives, perspectives, beliefs, and values relative to PT education,” the APTA Code of Ethics, the Guide for Professional Conduct, and the Standards of Practice (CAPTE Evaluative

Physical Therapy is a growing and excelling field with many opportunities involved. I have an abundance of professional goals that I am excited and eager to achieve in the physical therapy profession. After becoming licensed with a doctorate of physical therapy degree, I would like to advance and become a certified specialist in pediatrics. I know this specific interest could change as I complete my clinical experiences and am open to different specialties. Along with specializing, there are several more goals that I am motivated to achieve as a future physical therapist.

The physical therapy profession is one that can be extremely demanding from the perspective of the patient and the doctor. However, having balanced basketball, school, community service, work, and hours in the clinics, I have learned how to manage my time more wisely and I feel there is no doubt that I am ready to put forth the effort to make it through the doctorate program. I know that I am a representation of not only myself, but my family, my hometown, and my Alma Mater, and I am

On September 8th, 2015, I first began interning for Dr. Dawn Cox and her staff of experienced Physical Therapists at PRANA Functional Manual Therapy in Lancaster, PA as a Physical Therapy Aide. Intermittently, on the first day of my internship, I would ask the therapists “Why choose Physical Therapy as a profession?” One of the Physical Therapists conveyed that aside from the substantial benefits a job provides, it was the intangible materials that gave the profession a meaning. As a student exploring the field of Physical Therapy, I have infallibly witnessed professionalism at PRANA and other Physical Therapy facilities through the therapists’ altruism towards patients -without violating ethical practices as professionals; their apposite use of communication with each individual at the workplace; and their sense of accountability when things go unforeseen.

When I was in my junior year of high school, I had the invaluable opportunity to shadow a physical therapist in a hospital environment. I learned many things during my time there, including that, while physical therapy is often extremely beneficial for the elderly or infirm, many people don’t realize that it can, in fact, be quite helpful for the average person as well.

Being an aspiring student in a physical therapy program has driven me to embody the core values stated by the APTA and demonstrated by my coworkers. Working in the medical field means the well being of others is in your hands. The level of responsibility and accountability required is monumental, and you must be willing to step up to the task. Whereas many students only hold themselves accountable for their own benefit, as a DPT student, you must demonstrate initiative because your actions no longer affect just yourself. First and foremost, you must be responsible in the classroom. Prior to practice, a solid foundation of education and knowledge is critical. One should exercise due diligence in saturating themselves with the knowledge necessary to care for a patient in a safe, timely, and efficient