PTA career question

[jpk]

Hi everyone, I am considering a career in PTA. The program I am looking at will have me starting in October. After doing a ton of research I have been very excited to start but have recently been reading about how the PTA career might become obsolete. Something to do with Healthcare Reform, and the APTA changing laws for PTA's essentially making them aides and thus the variety of what they can do as well as the pay.

I have become quite confused as before all I could read was about the demand for PTA's as well as the great salary for them. Also, the BLS on PTA is very good showing increasing demand. I have really wanted to become a PTA and then one day down the road move on and maybe become a Physician Assistant or who knows. But all this has me very concerned as I don't quite understand what could happen or will happen? If anyone has some advice or can clarify things it would be great.

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[jblil]

IMO, a DPT is much more versatile than a PTA, so if you can swing it you should go for the DPT.

The discussion forums on indeed.com are almost exclusively populated by PTAs, so you should take a look there to get another perspective. Search for "physical therapy" in the Forums section.

 

[jpk]

I have been thinking about going for the DPT but am nervous about my chances. I attended a career college (pretty much a private community college) and started out getting my associates in Business, ended up taking pre-reqs for Rad Tech thinking I wouldn't get in as so many apply for 15 seats. Ended up getting in and hated it. In the end, I stopped attending this school with no degree and 168 credits and a 3.55 GPA.

Fast forward a couple years and I went back to a 4 year and am now completing my business bachelors. I graduate in a little less than a year. Currently have a 3.8 and expect to finish with around there, maybe higher. My problem is when I tried figuring out my cumulative I found that even if I get A's in all my remaining classes, I will only have a 3.6 at best. A few bad classes I don't get A's in and I am afraid my cGPA will be way to low. Maybe Im calculating the cGPA wrong?

I wish the original classes in Rad Tech didn't count, I didn't like the program and gave 50% in classes. Had a 3.75 before I started the RAD program. If I finished with a cGPA anywhere from 3.3-3.6 and did well in pre-reqs and GRE, would I have a good shot at getting into the Michigan schools? I would apply to UM-Flint, Wayne State, Central Mich, Andrews, GVSU, Oakland.

Id much rather go for the DPT but just feel Id stand no chance unless I got a 4.0 the rest of my bachelors, and 4.0 in all pre-reqs. Hope thats not the case!

 

[jblil]

Not all schools weigh your GPA the same: some schools focus more on your GRE score, others on LORs, others on your personal statement, etc. You should go to the websites of the schools you want to apply to, and look at the past and incoming class profiles. It'll tell you at a glance the GPA and GRE score of folks who got in. Then you can see how you stack up against the average applicant who got accepted.

 

[Merlin777]

Bro, the average GPA is closer to 3.35. You have nothing to worry about.

Now, back to this PTA question. Before I go check at indeed.com, WHO ELSE thinks PTA is going to be obsolete due to health care reform? I am in a similar position and this has me concerned.

 

[CristianoParese]

Yes, PLEASE. If any one can shed some light on the future of PTAs, I would also appreciate that. Maybe we should start a thread specific to that.

 

[jpk]

Bro, the average GPA is closer to 3.35. You have nothing to worry about.

Now, back to this PTA question. Before I go check at indeed.com, WHO ELSE thinks PTA is going to be obsolete due to health care reform? I am in a similar position and this has me concerned.

Really?? Wow I thought it was closer to 3.6-3.7, after reading through the Acceptances thread it got me pretty discouraged. Also I looked on PTCAS website, and looked at the schools in michigan and it looked like the average was anywhere from 3.5-3.7 depending on the school. Hopefully I will have a shot anyways. Now just finding a way to get a ton of observation hours. Any advice on that? Ive called a few outpatient places, and they said I could "job shadow" for up to 8 hours only.

 

[gymgal526]

I'm currently finishing up my first year as a PTA student. After attempting for two years to get into a DPT program (and being unsuccessful), I decided to become a PTA, and I've never regretted it. Don't ever feel discouraged if you don't get into PT school. Specifically for me, I knew this was the field I wanted to be in, regardless of what initials were behind my name upon licensure.
As for the APTA, I've heard that PTAs are slowly being pulled out of hospitals, although that may be a local thing. But clinics are still actively utilizing PTAs, especially if they have a large patient load. PTAs are considered experts in modalities, so clinics may employ PTAs specifically for that reason. If you're worried about the job market, check the APTA website for statistics in your area.

 

[JCHSPTA06]

I have been a PTA for 6 years now and decided to go back to school and continue my education as a physical therapist. I will begin PT school in Jan. 2013. My decision had nothing to do with the thought that PTA's may eventually be obsolete. I feel that PTA's are in demand now as much as they have ever been. In the clinic where I am currently employed, we do not specialize in modalities. We follow the plan that the PT requests and do a wide range of interventions from modalities to manual therapy. Recent changes that we have see have been with Medicare and other insurance companies, in which documentation from the PT has to be frequent and current. The PT has to see the patient every certain visit and date range to document supervision of the PTA, patients current treatment plan for medical necessity, and improvement in their current condition. I currently work in and inpatient hospital/outpatient setting and PRN for home health and a skilled facility and my work load has not changed at all.

 

[hoosier24]

Hey guys! I seem to be in the same boat as a lot of you... worried I won't get into a DPT so I'm considering a PTA. I also took a couple years off after undergrad and am now almost 24, so age is a factor in that as well ANYWAYS... you guys seem concerned that the PTA will become obsolete, but I was wondering if anyone thinks the opposite might happen. As healthcare has changed, it seems like nurse practitioners have taken over a lot for physicians... do you think the same could happen for PTAs and DPTs? Obviously, a lot of states are requiring DPT over MS now, but it would probably be much cheaper if (at least at outpatient clinics) there were fewer DPTs and more PTAs. I could be wrong, but I've been given the impression that the only think PTAs can't do that DPTs can are evals, which could be handled by one or two DPTs per clinic. Basically, my concern is that DPT positions are going to dwindle if they try to economize by hiring more PTAs. Sorry for the long post, but just a thought I had that I would love some input on!

 

[iamastudent]

I have been a PTA for 6 years, and I am now applying to DPT school. NOT because there aren't opportunities or I don't like my job, just because I'd like to advance my career and have more opportunities in the education / research portion of physical therapy. I live in the midwest, and have never had difficulty finding a job as a PTA. The wages you'll make as a PTA do not match those of a DPT, but DPT's have a lot more student loans. You can make a comfortable living as a PTA. Also, a PTA's job is focused more on patient care, where PT's have a lot more paperwork to do. I have never regretted becoming a PTA first, and working and gaining experience. I also do not think PTA's will become obsolete. Health care is expensive, and PTA's earn less than DPT's, so employing a PTA and utilizing a PTA is a more cost-effective option. That being said, you have to "earn" your position as a PTA. I have worked at a clinic where I was able to be very autonomous and saw plenty of patients, but other PTA's did not have the same experience. The education you receive as a PTA is very condensed, so it is a personal responsibility to continue learning and building trust with the PTs you work with, so that they feel comfortable delegating patients to you. If you KNOW you want to be a DPT, do not become a PTA. You will be unhappy, and it is a long route after that to become a DPT. A better option would be to re-take prereq's to raise your GPA, and do a lot of observing, volunteering, or maybe even becoming employed as a PT tech. PT tech's do not make much, but you will learn a lot and DPT schools will look on it favorably.

 

[Merlin777]

Thanks for the great response.

 

[iamastudent]

Merlin777, I have spent a lot of time and energy talking to PTs and those responsible for admittance to DPT school. If you're interested in DPT school, I would focus on getting A's in physics and chem to raise your GPA, do more observing in skilled and long term care facilities, and do a lot of prepping for the GRE. I got one book, and took a lot of free online tests and study guides, and did great on it. Most DPT schools look well past one's GPA, and more into how well-rounded and passionate they are about the field, as long as the GPA meets the minimum standards.

 

[Ngozi Onyema]

I have been a PTA for 6 years, and I am now applying to DPT school. NOT because there aren't opportunities or I don't like my job, just because I'd like to advance my career and have more opportunities in the education / research portion of physical therapy. I live in the midwest, and have never had difficulty finding a job as a PTA. The wages you'll make as a PTA do not match those of a DPT, but DPT's have a lot more student loans. You can make a comfortable living as a PTA. Also, a PTA's job is focused more on patient care, where PT's have a lot more paperwork to do. I have never regretted becoming a PTA first, and working and gaining experience. I also do not think PTA's will become obsolete. Health care is expensive, and PTA's earn less than DPT's, so employing a PTA and utilizing a PTA is a more cost-effective option. That being said, you have to "earn" your position as a PTA. I have worked at a clinic where I was able to be very autonomous and saw plenty of patients, but other PTA's did not have the same experience. The education you receive as a PTA is very condensed, so it is a personal responsibility to continue learning and building trust with the PTs you work with, so that they feel comfortable delegating patients to you. If you KNOW you want to be a DPT, do not become a PTA. You will be unhappy, and it is a long route after that to become a DPT. A better option would be to re-take prereq's to raise your GPA, and do a lot of observing, volunteering, or maybe even becoming employed as a PT tech. PT tech's do not make much, but you will learn a lot and DPT schools will look on it favorably.

This is word for word except for living in the midwest who I am and what I would say. I too have been a PTA for 6 years and had the same experience as you just mentioned.