Those of you who got a PT Aid job, what kind of experience did you have when you applied for PT Aid position?
anyone got PT Aid paid job?
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What kind of previous experience did I have before starting the job? None. I applied and explained that I wanted to go to PT school and I thought an aide position was the best place to start. It turned out the clinic manager loved hiring current and future PT students and that was precisely what he wanted to hear; he hired me immediately.
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Volunteer at a clinic to get to know people, gain experience, and learn the inner workings of that clinic's system. Then, when it's time for them to hire an aide if you've done a good job they'd be silly not to hire you.
i had worked in my college's athletic training room as well as spent time as an administrative assistant for the athletics department so i had experience with desk work and working with athletes through their exercise regiments.
I started volunteering and got hired when they needed a tech. As a result I have met the regional director and Vice President of my company. Don't be intimidated by titles, they like to see genuine interest in future PTs. I can't say it enough NETWORK
Yes. I shadowed another aide the first few days to get a feel for the job, and began actually training my second week there. I took a lot of notes, literally--I had pages upon pages of exercises and terms that I went home and studied every evening. It didn't take me too long to feel confident, and I was quickly transferred to another clinic where I am the only aide.
My hard work paid off in terms of applying to PT school, too. I hadn't worked there too long before I asked one of the therapists if she would consider writing me a letter of recommendation. She said, without hesitation, "Absolutely. I've seen how hard you work here, and I know that if I tell you somehing, you'll go write it down and then come back tomorrow knowing it thoroughly. You're clearly dedicated and will be an excellent PT school candidate."
Thus, in my experience, proving your dedication and eagerness to learn can take you just as far as having previous experience to show.
My hard work paid off in terms of applying to PT school, too. I hadn't worked there too long before I asked one of the therapists if she would consider writing me a letter of recommendation. She said, without hesitation, "Absolutely. I've seen how hard you work here, and I know that if I tell you somehing, you'll go write it down and then come back tomorrow knowing it thoroughly. You're clearly dedicated and will be an excellent PT school candidate."
Thus, in my experience, proving your dedication and eagerness to learn can take you just as far as having previous experience to show.
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For me I had my BS in Clinical Physiology along with about 500 hours of volunteer work at a couple PT clinics (basically working as a PT Aide already). I also had previous working experience dealing with customer service which I'm sure helped. Also I'm sure I got a little luck too 
I was offered a position after a short volunteer experience I did in the summer but I turned it down as I was still in school and that I was planning on doing my acute care observation the following fall. I was also only volunteering once or twice a week. I was highly recommended by my piers in which they admired the work I did as a volunteer. I had no previous experience prior to that and I guess if you work hard and get along with the staff a position would come as they're always hiring.
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I applied for an aide position with no PT experience. I explained I was completing my exercise science degree and wanted to go into the PT field. They hired me and provided extensive training with their therex, modalities etc. I feel if you have a strong enough interest in PT you're at least half way there in terms of employment and a background of anatomy is definetley a plus!
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A personal training license! (mine was from ACSM) and a desire to go into the field of physical therapy.
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I replied to a craigslist ad. So i applied, interviewed, and bugged the office manager until she hired me
Many hospitals and clinics look for applicants who are interested in PT and planning to apply to PT school eventually...you don't usually need much experience to get the job, just a desire to learn and a good attitude!
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somehowmadeit hit the nail right on the head. That's exactly what I did. I know my clinic also likes it if you have your BS in kinesiology or health sciences or athletic training.
Just wanted to toss in my two cents, I'm sure my story is similar to many stories. College wouldn't let me graduate without interning at a PT clinic. Interned at private out-patient clinic and then interned at a in-patient hospital setting. I was lucky that the hospital was looking for a new Aide at the time. The interview they just wanted to make sure that I wanted to do physical therapy and I graduated with a B.S.
Best of luck to you
Best of luck to you
You won't get rich. My pay is fair in comparison to other entry-level, no-degree-required positions. I make more now than I did in retail. Overall, though, I'm not making a lot. There's a reason I work two other jobs.
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after taxes, almost nothing
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I am making about 12$/hr which I feel is pretty good especially since my pay can/will increase over time since I just started.
