Physical Therapy Assistant

You'll guide patients through exercises and treatments prescribed by a physical therapist. You'll celebrate tiny victories — a stroke patient taking three steps, a knee replacement patient bending past 90 degrees. It's hands-on, physical work where you're essentially a personal trainer for people in pain. The good days are really good.

What you'll actually do

• 01Guide patients through prescribed exercise programs
• 02Apply therapeutic modalities (heat, cold, electrical stimulation)
• 03Assist patients with mobility training and transfers
• 04Document patient progress and treatment responses
• 05Set up and clean therapy equipment between sessions (you're basically a gym janitor too)
• 06Educate patients on home exercise programs
• 07Motivate people through pain they'd rather avoid

Career Path

Where this role sits in the bigger picture — and where it can take you.