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The Transition from Physical Therapy Assistants to Physical Therapist


Not as Easy as You May Think


Some jobs may allow you to upgrade to the next level without furthering your education but the field of physical therapy assistants is not one of those fields. You cannot simply go from being an assistant and move into being a physical therapist without intensive study and a higher degree.

In a very basic way, the transformation can be simplified like this. A physical therapy assistant can graduate with as little as two years of school while a physical therapist must have at least four years of schooling and needs a degree. A degree is advisable for an assistant but it is necessary have for a therapist.Many people have asked why such a noticeable difference in the educational requirements and what makes the additional years of school worth it. Well, one word can answer those questions…money. A physical therapist can realistically make $46,000- $82,000 per year while physical therapy assistants only average $33,000 to $48,000 per year.

As you can plainly see, the rewards (financial) of being a therapist over that of an assistant are almost double. If money is not your only motivation, you may also want to think about it this way, the more school you attend, the more you are able to help your patients. Physical therapy assistants are not able to treat patients without the guidance of a physical therapist. Once you have completed the training though, you will be the one that is the supervisor of your assistant. You can set the guidelines and you can set the rules.
If you do not like the way that your office is run or how they handle certain requests, it is your office; you can change it when you are the therapist. If however, you are the assistant and you do not like something, you very well may have to smile and just accept that the office is in the control of your therapist.

In short, there are two possible motivations that can lead physical therapy assistants to desire an upgrade of their employment status to that of a therapist; financial, and they want to help more people to a higher level. Either reason that motivates you, find a school that you can study and become the therapist you want to be.

3 Comments »

  • Charity said:

    I guess if you’re not sure, you can start off at the PTA level and get an Associates degree at a junior college. Once you are in the field, if you decide you like it, then go back to school and get the higher degree and become a PT. That way you are already making money to afford the university tuition costs and you already know you like the field.

    # 8 May 2010 at 3:20 pm
  • Frank Mir said:

    Education is definetely the key to increasing your opportunities for growth, marketability and earnings. Regardless of what health care profession a person is in, continung education is a general requirement. However the required CEU’s that care providers must maintain are not at all the same as the education necessary to move to higher levels of service, advancing to higher academic degrees and really excelling to the top of your particular profession. Education of this type comes with a hefty price in time, energy and money. For most it is more then worth the expense. Especially for those who have a passion for the career.

    # 8 May 2010 at 3:29 pm
  • Carmen said:

    If the difference in education is only 2 years why wouldn’t a PTA go for becoming a PT. You can work as a PTA and continue your education at the same time. It may be a little difficult but 2 years goes by pretty fast and before you know it you are now not only a PT but in charge and making more money.

    # 8 May 2010 at 4:15 pm