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Physical Therapist (PT)

The road to becoming a physical therapist is longer than that of a physical therapy assistant or physical therapy aide. A physical therapist must first complete a four-year bachelor’s degree, usually in a related field such as kinesiology or exercise science, and then complete a doctor of physical therapy (DPT) degree that takes two and a half to three years.

DPT programs include education on topics not covered by a PTA program, such as imaging and differential diagnosis, and clinical rotations are significantly longer in a DPT program, providing graduates with more hands-on experience.

Related Article: How to Get into Physical Therapy School

With this longer education comes higher pay, more autonomy in practice, and more opportunities for advancement and specialization. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. mean salary for physical therapists is $100,440.

Physical therapists can take care of a patient from start to finish and have a great deal of independence. They can evaluate the patient, treat them, re-evaluate, and release them from care all by themselves. PTs work in all rehabilitation settings, including hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, home health, private practice, schools and more. 

Specialization comes in many forms, including board certifications from the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) with 10 specialty areas, such as neurology, orthopedics, pediatrics, and sports. Only physical therapists can become board-certified, and with this certification there is typically a pay increase and further career advancement.

Depending on your state's practice laws, a physical therapist can also practice using direct access, meaning they can treat a patient without a referral from a doctor or other healthcare provider. This is possible because of the advanced training in a DPT program. According to APTA, there are that have no restrictions or limitations for treatment by a physical therapist without a referral. Direct access only applies to PTs, not physical therapy assistants.

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Physical Therapy Assistant (PTA)

If you don’t want to earn both an undergraduate and graduate degree, consider becoming a physical therapy assistant. A PTA program typically takes only two years to complete. The program includes classroom instruction, and PTAs spend an average of 16 weeks in clinical educational experiences, working directly with a licensed PTA in a clinical setting. Graduates end the program with an associate's and/or a bachelor's degree.

As a physical therapy assistant, you have reduced educational costs but also have a lower salary compared to physical therapists. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2023) reports that the mean annual wage for a PTA is $65,860.

PTAs provide care under the direction and supervision of a licensed physical therapist. When a PT and physical therapy assistant are collaborating, the PT must be available in person or by telecommunication at all times while the PTA is providing care to a shared patient. The PT and PTA must also have scheduled and documented collaboration regarding the plan of care, and the frequency can vary depending on patient needs.

PTAs can practice in a variety of settings, including hospital-based inpatient and outpatient care, home health and skilled nursing, but according to APTA, .

If you begin your physical therapy journey as a PTA, you can transition to become a PT through a bridge program or apply to a doctor of physical therapy program like any other student.

Physical Therapy Aide/Tech

A physical therapy aide or tech is not synonymous with a physical therapy assistant (PTA), though this is a common area of confusion within the field. A physical therapy aide has on-the-job training and is not a licensed healthcare provider.

Physical therapy aides can work in a variety of clinical settings, but are most commonly found in private practice outpatient settings. Their daily tasks can range from assisting with exercise following training from a PT or PTA, maintaining cleaning standards, laundry, and patient scheduling. 

The requirements to become a physical therapy aide typically include a high school diploma or GED and Basic Life Support (BLS) training, as well as the ability to meet the physical demands of the job. A physical therapy aide makes a mean annual wage of $34,810.

Many students applying to physical therapy or physical therapy assistant programs first become aides to have clinical exposure to decide if this is a field of interest. An additional benefit of working as a physical therapy aide is to gain observation hours, which are required for most PT and PTA programs.

Now that you know the difference between the three, what’s the right choice for you? Factors to weigh include the length of time in school, how much autonomy you want in your career, educational costs vs. lifetime earnings, and quality of life. 

Tess Treinen Swake is a physical therapist, assistant professor, and assistant director of clinical education in 黑料网’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program in Oregon.