Allied Health World Home |  Physical Therapy Assistant |  Physical Therapy Asst. in Louisiana

| | More

Physical Therapist Assistant Schools in Louisiana – LA

By an allied health world contributing writer
Published: January, 8 2010

Physical therapy is one of the fastest growing professions in the nation and physical therapy assistants are among the 20 most in demand of any employees. In Louisiana, both the number of PTAs and their salaries are on the rise. The Bureau of Labor Statistics notes there were 840 PTAs in the state last year and their salaries rose 5.9% over the previous year.

With a much higher than average rate of obesity—which often leads to injury— (according to healthyamericans.org), and a large number of state residents working manual labor jobs—the opportunities for physical therapy assistants are great in Louisiana.  In Louisiana, physical therapy assistant schools pave the way to a deeply rewarding and stable career.

Continuing Education Requirements/Licensure Renewal

Physical therapy assistants must renew their license to practice in Louisiana every year by December 31. PTAs should submit the application (available at the Rules and Regulations page on the Board website listed above), proof of continuing education courses and the fee of $115. If you let your license lapse, the process to become reinstated is fairly time-consuming and involves completing a new application and writing a letter to the board describing the reasons for your failure to renew. Avoid this if you can as it is a lot of work to start from scratch.

As to continuing education, all PTAs must complete 12 hours of coursework each year. These courses must be accredited by the Louisiana Physical Therapy Association (www.lpta.org). Both clinical and practical classes are acceptable but there is a maximum of four hours of administrative work that can be completed each calendar year. Because their guidelines are so strict about what is acceptable and what is not, you must obtain prior approval for any courses you’d like to take in writing at least 45 days before the class is set to being.  

You may search for acceptable classes at:  http://www.laptboard.org/coned/approvedcourses/.

Through campus based and online programs, aspiring Physical Therapy Assistants in New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Shreveport, Louisiana may be able to prepare themselves for the possibility of employment in some of the largest hospitals and healthcare facilities in the state including Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, CHRISTUS Schumpert Saint Mary Place, and Ochsner Medical Center.