Career Tips & Advice

Day in the Life of a PTA Instructor

Concorde Staff

Concorde Staff

Share:
Updated August 23, 2017. The information contained in this blog is current and accurate as of this date.
health care interview

There simply aren't enough hours in the day, according to at least one of Concorde's Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) directors.

"A day in the life of a PTA instructor involves much more than an eight-hour day at work," said Cristiane Timoteo, PTA, CCI, Concorde's Campus Director of Clinical Education for the Physical Therapist Assistant programs in Miramar, FL. "It is a long-term commitment with several sacrifices needed in order to be able to supply the students with the necessary material and knowledge to be a successful, safe and knowledgeable PTA."

 

Rewards of being a Physical Therapist Assistant instructor 

Timoteo said Physical Therapist Assistants, when dealing with patients, garner rewards from seeing patients improve and receiving credit from those patients for that improvement. There are rewards as well for the PTA instructor, but they're different, she said.

"It is not as immediate as with a patient, but more long term," Timoteo said. "When the students were able to successfully complete the program and become licensed, that is one of the biggest rewards I have ever felt."

"It's amazing to know how many patients will be helped because there is one more licensed PTA on the field!"

 

Keeping your chin up as a Physical Therapist Assistant instructor

Timoteo said it's important as an instructor to not lose sight of that reward on a daily basis. It's easy to feel overwhelmed or overworked because students can be demanding, lack confidence, need extra hours of tutoring. There are administrative duties on top of normal teaching hours. It's easy to feel burned out.

"But again, remembering the small gains and achievements by the students, the lit-up faces when they understand a concept, or just allowing them to have fun when learning about wheelchairs ...," she said. "It's important to keep motivated and make it worthwhile the extra work we, instructors, put into it."

"Countless prep hours and grading papers at home, retake exams and many other everyday tasks that can make one feel overwhelmed ... I can assure you, it all goes away when you are able to give final advisement to a student saying he or she made it to the next term and are one step closer to their dream."

 

Loving where she is as a Physical Therapist Assistant instructor

Timoteo said she couldn't be more excited to be in the education sector of the Physical Therapist Assistant field. Teaching students how to become a physical therapist assistant is all the reward she needs.

"I feel I'm constantly learning more and more as well as making a difference in the students' lives forever," she said. "To top it off, once licensed they become our peers, and it can be a lifetime friendship that was formed as well."

"I love to come to work every day."

Take The Next Step Towards a Brighter Future

Interested in learning more about our Physical Therapist Assistant program? We have a Concorde representative ready to talk about what matters most to you. Get answers about start dates, curriculum, financial aid, scholarships and more!

  1. Program length may be subject to change dependent on transfer credits and course load. Please refer to current course catalog for more information. Concorde does not guarantee admittance, graduation, subsequent employment or salary amount.

  2. Professional certification is not a requirement for graduation, may not be a requirement for employment nor does it guarantee employment.

  3. Financial aid is available to those who qualify but may not be available for all programs. Concorde does not guarantee financial aid or scholarship awards or amounts.

  4. Clinical hour requirements and delivery may vary by campus location and may be subject to change. Concorde does not guarantee clinical site assignments based upon student preference or geographic convenience; nor do clinical experiences guarantee graduation, post-clinical employment or salary outcomes.

  5. Registration and certification requirements for taking and passing these examinations are not controlled by Concorde, but by outside agencies, and are subject to change by the agency without notice. Therefore, Concorde cannot guarantee that graduates will be eligible to take these exams, at all or at any specific time, regardless of their eligibility status upon enrollment.

  6. Externships are a non-paid in-person learning experience, whose length and location may be subject to change. Concorde does not guarantee externship placement, graduation, post-externship employment or salary outcomes.