Who are Physical Therapist Assistants?
Physical Therapist Assistants, or PTA’s, are skilled health care providers who work with and under the supervision of a physical therapist to provide physical therapy services. In order for an individual to practice as a PTA, they must graduate from an accredited PTA program and successfully pass a licensing/certification exam. PTA’s play an integral role in providing physical therapy services for people with various disabilities. When a patient seeks or is referred for physical therapy services, the physical therapist performs an initial evaluation and outlines a plan of care. The PTA can then carry out all or part of the treatment plan as instructed by the physical therapist. The American Physical Therapy Association recognizes the PTA as the only individual who assists the physical therapist in the delivery of selected physical therapy interventions.
