A Physical Therapy Assistant (PTA) works under a Physical Therapist (PT) to implement a treatment plan for patients to assist in their recovery from an illness, accident, or medical procedure. Let us see is PTA a Dying Field or not.
Is PTA A Dying Field?
Whether or not PTA is dying field is an ongoing debate. Some say that the pay is too little, the scope is limited due to saturation, and the work is very strenuous and demanding. However, statistics indicate that it is one of the fastest-growing fields and that demand for PTAs will continue to increase in different work environments. It is also a field that requires relatively less education for comfortable pay and a rewarding job, so the field should not die out. It can be a lucrative field for those who have the stamina and people skills.
We will look at
- Work done by a PTA
- Statistics, number of people in the field, and Average Pay
- What fields employ PTAs
- Which state is better for you to work in
- Benefits of being a PTA and why people enter this field
- Some concerns expressed by people
- The PTA Payment Differential 2022
Work done by a PTA
Work includes instructing and assisting patients through exercises, massages, and alternative treatments like hot/cold/electrical stimulus treatments. The PTA might need to perform the treatment or teach the patient how to do it. PTAs help patients adapt to supportive devices like crutches to recover from accidents or illness. They also maintain records of the patient’s progress and responses to the treatment for the PT’s use.
Statistics, number of people in the field, and Average Pay
According to the Bureau of Labour Statistics (BLS), demand for PTAs is projected to grow by a whopping 35% between 2020 and 2030. This is because of a large aging population, especially from the baby-boom generation. According to the BLS, in May 2021 the median annual wage for PTAs was $61,180. The lowest 10% earned below $37,280, and the highest 10% got over $80,170. In 2021, around 96,500 PTAs were employed. It is projected to go up to 122,100 by 2031, so growth is expected.
What fields employ PTAs?
PTAs can work in several fields, including hospitals, nursing centers, offices of other health practitioners, home healthcare, old-age homes, sports and fitness centers, schools, and many more, so there are several options.
Which state is better for you to work in?
Choosing which state to work in can be a difficult decision. To help you, BLS has compiled statistics for different states on different bases. You can find them here: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes312021.htm#st
You can check where employment is less concentrated and be a higher-paid traveling PTA, or go for a higher-paying state or one with more job openings: the data is all here!
Caution: Make sure you go through the requirements for working in each state; a license from one might not work in another.
Benefits of being a PTA, and why people enter this field
- It is rewarding to help patients on such a personal level and connect with them.
- Pay is generally good and improves with experience.
- There is a good demand for PTAs.
- Flexible working hours and employment opportunities.
- You do not need a complete bachelor’s degree, so it is not too heavy on student loans, etc.
- As a medical care worker, you can get perks and benefits like family health care, discounts, etc.
Looking at all these benefits, PTA does not look like a dying field.
Some concerns expressed by people
- It is physically strenuous.
- You require an associate’s degree and licensing, which can get expensive.
- You might get difficult patients or ones with disturbing backstories.
- It requires a lot of patience, compassion, and people skills.
- You might need extra certification to compete with potential saturation.
- You get paid less than a PT for doing similar work.
- You generally have to work under a PT.
- Licensing from one state may not work in another.
- You may be exposed to pathogens.
- The PTA Payment Differential 2022 is discussed below.
The PTA Payment Differential 2022
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a rule which would mean that PTAs expect to be paid less in 2022 than they did in 2020. Essentially, if the PTA treats the patient for over 10% of the total treatment time, their fee will be reduced by 15%. An extra 6% reduction for PT services means a net 21% reduction in pay, making some people think PTAs are being phased out.
Conclusion
PTAs are an integral part of the workforce and their field is unlikely to die out soon as statistics predict a large growth rate for it. There is plenty of demand in many sectors, and it is a rewarding job with many benefits and relatively lower requirements for qualifications. However, the physical and emotional stress involved, the risk of pathogens, having to work under a PT, issues involving licensing, the recent payment differential, etc mean that it is still a lucrative field, but not for everyone.
FAQs
Q: How much education do you need to become a PTA?
A: You need to complete an associate program (around two years), and then pass the National Physical Therapy Exam for PTAs to get your license. You might need to get some extra first-aid skills too. You must check with the state board for specific requirements.
Q: Do PTAs need to be licensed?
A: Yes; as mentioned above, you must pass an exam and some additional state-specific requirements.
Q: What is the difference between a PT (Physical therapist) and a PTA?
A: PTAs make the diagnosis for the patient and decide on the course of action, goals, etc. They earn more, but they have to spend more time studying – they need a doctoral degree that is much more expensive and harder to get into, but they end up managing the PTAs under them. PTAs spend more time with the patient and take them through the exercises etc.
