What You'll Do

  • Clean and organize work area and disinfect equipment after treatment.
  • Observe patients during treatment to compile and evaluate data on patients' responses and progress and report to physical therapist.
  • Instruct, motivate, safeguard, or assist patients practicing exercises or functional activities, under direction of medical staff.
  • Secure patients into or onto therapy equipment.
  • Transport patients to and from treatment areas, using wheelchairs or providing standing support.
  • Confer with physical therapy staff or others to discuss and evaluate patient information for planning, modifying, or coordinating treatment.
  • Record treatment given and equipment used.
  • Perform clerical duties, such as taking inventory, ordering supplies, answering telephone, taking messages, or filling out forms.
  • Maintain equipment or furniture to keep it in good working condition, including performing the assembly or disassembly of equipment or accessories.
  • Administer active or passive manual therapeutic exercises, therapeutic massage, or heat, light, sound, water, or electrical modality treatments, such as ultrasound.

Essential Skills

Active Listening 3.62/5
Monitoring 3.25/5
Service Orientation 3.25/5
Reading Comprehension 3.12/5
Social Perceptiveness 3.12/5
Coordination 3.12/5
Writing 3.0/5
Speaking 3.0/5
Critical Thinking 3.0/5
Active Learning 3.0/5
Instructing 3.0/5
Time Management 3.0/5

Career Fit Overview

Use this summary to sense whether the day to day rhythm and focus of this path line up with what energizes you.

Top passions

  • Helper: Supporting people and making a difference matters to you.
  • Maker: Building and fixing energizes you. You like tangible results and practical tools.
  • Organizer: Bringing order to data and processes satisfies you.

Common styles

Concern for Others, Cooperation, Dependability, Integrity, Attention to Detail

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Key Abilities

This career demands strong capabilities in the following areas:

Oral Comprehension 3.38/5
Problem Sensitivity 3.25/5
Speech Recognition 3.25/5
Oral Expression 3.12/5
Near Vision 3.12/5
Written Comprehension 3.0/5
Written Expression 3.0/5
Inductive Reasoning 3.0/5

Technologies & Tools

Epic Systems Medical procedure coding software MEDITECH software Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook Microsoft Word Patient record maintenance software Scheduling software Word processing software

Work Environment & Style

Common Styles for This Career

  • Concern for Others (High importance: 4.71/5)
  • Cooperation (High importance: 4.61/5)
  • Dependability (High importance: 4.6/5)
  • Integrity (High importance: 4.55/5)
  • Attention to Detail (High importance: 4.46/5)

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How to Become One

Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful but is usually not required. Training is often provided on the job.

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Also Known As

This career is known by many different job titles across industries. Here are all the variations:

Outpatient Aide Outpatient Therapy Aide Physical Therapist Aide (PTA) Physical Therapy Aide (PTA) Physiotherapy Aide PT Attendant (Physical Therapy Attendant) PT Tech (Physical Therapist Technician) PT Tech (Physical Therapy Technician) Rehabilitation Aide Rehabilitation Attendant Rehabilitation Technician (Rehabilitation Tech) Rehabilitation Therapy Aide Restorative Aide (RA) Therapy Aide