i am intrested in the physical therapy field and was wondering if its a good idea to get a degree online from like a Penn Foster college? is it worth it and will it help me find a career in the future? thanks
i am intrested in the physical therapy field and was wondering if its a good idea to get a degree online from like a Penn Foster college? is it worth it and will it help me find a career in the future? thanks
#1 by mistify on February 16, 2010 - 1:17 pm
The Penn Foster program is not a program for the physical therapy assistant…it’s a course for a physical therapy AIDE. This is a job that involves assisting the therapists and assistants, clerical work and light housekeeping.
You do NOT need any certification to become an aide/technician…it’s job most frequently done by college students and pays about $10-12 an hour…hardly worth any certification.
The aide/tech job is a good job if you want to someday become a PTA or PT, but the certification for the tech/aide position really doesn’t offer you any further advantage.
#2 by I Buy And Sell Houses on February 16, 2010 - 7:07 pm
No.
Being a physical therapist assistant is fine. The pay is OK; the work is interesting. Many PTAs love what they do.
But don’t do an online program. In fact, I don’t even think there are accredited online programs. There may be some that mix classroom with online, but not exclusively online.
You can find accredited schools at http://www.apta.org
There are (and will be) plenty of openings for PTAs. It’s a good field to get into.
Good luck.
#3 by eloquent on February 16, 2010 - 7:59 pm
ensure the program is accredited. you may run into difficulty setting up your own training program in a facility, though. most local hospitals only use the programs in their city. talk to your advisor at the school and get the specifics.