To go from being a Physical Therapy Assistant to a Physical Therapist, many people have the misconception that it is a simple step and you do not need to further your education. However as you will see, the steps to upgrade your physical therapist career take time, money, and further education. The first thing to do when you want to become a Physical Therapist and are currently a Physical Therapy Assistant is to find out which school you want to attend and what their class requirements are for a Physical Therapy degree.

Once you know what classes you must take, compare this to the classes you have received credit for when you were in school to become a Physical Therapy Assistant. In some cases, every class you took will also be required to receive a degree as a Physical Therapist. In other cases, some of the classes you have already taken will not apply to the Physical Therapist requirements. Either way, an education is never wasted. The next step is to find out how much the classes you are required to take will cost and to enroll in school. Many people also wonder what is the difference in income between a Physical Therapist and a Physical Therapy Assistant. The difference can be best summed up as follows. A Physical Therapist’s income is between $46000- $82000 per year depending on what specific specialty they have, while a Physical Therapy Assistant can expect to make between $38,000 and $48,000 per year.

Clearly, there are financial rewards for furthering your education and becoming a Physical Therapist rather than a Physical Therapy Assistant. However, remember that to become an assistant takes two years whereas it takes six years to become a Physical Therapist. If you are not prepared to work at school for the additional years, do not waste your time and money. Yes, it can be shortened by already meeting some of the class requirements but it is not a quick change to be made. You must meet the time, class, and financial requirements to go from a Physical Therapy Assistant to a Physical Therapist.

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