Having a criminal record or a bad credit rating does not assure you will not be accepted into a physical therapy assistant program. Yes, you do have to pass a background history check and a credit history check but, it does not mean if you have unpaid tickets or any criminal history at all you will not be accepted.
It is however true that the better your record and the cleaner your police record, the easier time you will have finding an accredited physical therapy assistant program that will allow your enrollment. Being a physical therapy assistant is a job that requires a lot of trust.
You will be going into your patients’ homes or rooms. You will have access to your patients personal information and their personal possessions. The patient has the right to know you have been screened prior to your enrollment in school to see if you are a threat to them, their property, or their money. If a criminal background or a poor credit record are present for you, you should not give up on the idea of being a physical therapy assistant just yet. Find a few different locations in your area that have openings and talk to them about your past. Find out if anyone is willing to give you a chance at employment.
You may be able to suggest a period of probation where you are willing to have a trial period for you to show you are trustworthy enough. Many employers will look at your honesty about your mistakes and your openness to take responsibility for what you have done wrong and will give you a chance. If you cannot get a job as a physical therapy assistant but do not want to leave the field all together, you can check into the job of a physical therapy aid. Aids do not make as much money but, they also do not require a degree. You still will be helping a physical therapist help their patients but, you will not be required to have a degree. Therefore, you will not make as much money as if you were an assistant. Pick and choose carefully. Even with a criminal history it is still possible to obtain a job as a physical therapy assistant.