What's it like being a physical therapy assistant?

Can a BS in Exercise Science replace an AA/AAS in Physical Therapy Assistant to beome a Physical Therapy Assistant?

• My wife has a BS in Exercise Science and Nutrition(2009). She as looking to become a Physicaal Therapy Assistant. All of the job descriptions in require an AA/AAS as a Physical Therapy Assistant an state licensed. My questions are 1. Is my wife's degree considered superior(as far as a PTA job is concerned) and/or satisfactory for the job?  2. If my wife's degree meets or exceeds the AA/AAS req, can she sit for the state license as well?

• Answer:

  All state practice acts require licensed PTAs to have received there education from CAPTE accredited physical therapy assistant institutions. I am currently a doctor physical therapy student with a bachelors degree in exercise physiology, similar to your wife's. It is my understanding that PTAs undergo extensive education on anatomy and therapeutic exercise (similar to a BS in exercise science) but they also receive training in the use of thermal and non thermal modalities, multiple orthopedic/neurologic pathologies and impairments (usual lacking in most B.S. exercise science programs). PTAs often carry out a large percentage of the treatment as prescribed by the physical therapists. Your wife is however, eligible to be hired as a PT tech. Some clinica hire techs to fulfill understaffing and avoid the PTA salary. Unfortunately, a PT tech is less likely to be hired by a PT in some instances because of state practice acts requiring techs and other non-licensed personnel to have direct supervision by the PT. A PTA can treat a patient with general supervision (the PT is geographically available to communicate). Hope this didn't come off brash and was helpful! Best wishes.