Physical therapist assistants (PTAs) work under the direction of a physical therapist to help people return to daily activity which may encompass movement related recreational pursuits, work, or sports. PTAs also offer patients injury prevention strategies related to fitness and movement.
Choose a PTA program if you are comfortable with physical contact, have the strength to support a patient’s full bodyweight if needed, and can be a strong motivator for patients completing challenging or uncomfortable exercises.
Occupational therapy assistants (OTAs) work under the direction of an occupational therapist to help people of all ages who have a disability, condition or injury which interferes with their ability to carry out daily self-care, school or work tasks. OT/OTAs work on cognition as well as the physical aspect of care.
Choose an OTA program if you love to work with patients of all ages, can solve problems creatively, and enjoy helping people regain their independence and build confidence.
Discover further detail on the primary difference between an OTA vs. PTA.
Learn more about the Herzing PTA program
* Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook 2022. BLS estimates do not represent entry-level wages and/or salaries. Multiple factors, including prior experience, age, geography market in which you want to work and degree field, will affect career outcomes and earnings. Herzing neither represents that its graduates will earn the average salaries calculated by BLS for a particular job nor guarantees that graduation from its program will result in a job, promotion, salary increase or other career growth.