Pharmacy technician and physical therapy assistant are two of the most basic careers in medical practice. They are both significant parts of the medical team playing an important role in streamlining the delivery of treatments to patients. You can see them in hospitals, medical and dental clinics as well as other establishments. Let us look at the duties and compensation for both of these professions.

A Pharmacy technician holds important responsibilities in the medical team. They carry duties and responsibilities that require precision and careful attention to details you may want to look at the PTCB or pharmacy technician certification board. The duties and responsibilities of a pharmacy technician are:

* Counting pills and tablets and measuring other forms of medication in accordance with the doctor’s prescription.

* Preparing medications such as ointment and mix prescriptions

* Packaging and labeling medication correctly

* Handles payments and assists in processing insurance documents and claims

* Answers calls, assist customers and other routine pharmacy tasks

Most pharmacy technician work in pharmacies but a big fraction of them are also employed in hospitals, medical and dental clinics, grocery stores and merchandise stores that sell medicines. Among the highest paid pharmacy technicians are those working in State, local and private hospitals earning around $32,000 per year which is about the same as a radiology technician salary, followed by those working in grocery stores and pharmacies that get an average yearly of $28,000.

In any of these work environments, the level of education and years of experience are still major determinants of pharmacy technician salary.
A physical therapy assistant is another entry level position in the medical team that does not require years of university education. However, they carry many responsibilities that have a direct effect in the recovery of a patient. Here are the duties and responsibilities of a physical therapy assistant.

* Observing conditions of patients before, during and after therapy.
They also coordinate these results to the physical therapist.

* Assist patients in physical therapist prescribes exercises.

* Assists patients in using devices and equipment essential for therapy and recovery.

* Relaying instructions and recommendations of the physical therapist to patients and significant others.

Physical therapy assistants must have a high school diploma or an equivalent. Most states require an associate’s degree similar to a dental assistant from an accredited physical therapist. They should also have clinical experience. The average compensation for a physical therapy assistant is around $50,000 every year. The highest paid physical therapy assistants take $69,000 on annually while the lower ten percent get $30,000 a year which is the same as a veterinary assistant salary with a lot less work. Length of clinical practice and educational attainment are the major determinants for physical therapy assistant salary.

Health Care Providers: Pharmacy Technician and Physical Therapy Assistant

These two professions make the treatment process efficient and productive. Those looking for a career in these fields must know how to understand instructions and must be keen in carrying them out. They must be compassionate and responsive to the needs of the patients. They must also know how to work independently and as a part of the medical team. They assist other professions in their line of work so that they have a lighter load and focus more time and energy towards helping patients. Pharmacy technicians and physical therapy assistants benefit both other medical practitioners and patients.

The health care profession is a field where people who are dedicated to helping others and providing care to those in need are found. A health care worker provides preventive, curative and palliative health care services to families, the society and the country as a whole. They help us to lead a healthy and enjoyable life and when disease sets in, they help us recover properly.

Pharmacy Technician: Brief Overview

A pharmacy technician also known as pharmacy tech is the health care worker whose duty is to help licensed pharmacist in their clerical functions. These functions include:

* Dispensing prescription drugs and medical devices to patients and instructing them on how to use them.

* Preparing insurance claim forms and managing inventory.

* Helping patients take medications on time. Sometimes, they communicate with patients on phone for this purpose.

* They also review prescription lists for insurance companies to make sure that the right drug was provided and payment was received.

* Processing physician orders.

A Pharmacy technician could either be a hospital pharmacy technician or a community pharmacy technician like a ekg technician . They work under the direct supervision of a licensed pharmacist. They can work in various places like hospitals, community centers, retail and hospital pharmacies, government and teaching facilities.
Pharmacy technician is one of the basic careers in the medical industry. The entry level of educational requirement needed for anyone to be a pharmacy technician is a high school diploma. College degree and work experience is not a necessity. To begin the process of becoming a pharmacy tech, the person will receive on the job training and after a while take the ExCPT pharmacy exam to become a certified pharmacy technician (CPhT).

The pharmacy technician salary ranges from $20,000 – $40,000 with a median salary of $28,400 annually. The demand for Pharmacy technicians is on the increase as the demand for proper health care along with pharmacist salary rises.

Physical Therapy Assistant

Definition

A physical therapy assistant helps patients who are recovering from surgeries, injuries, illnesses, and accidents to regain physical functions and abilities and help manage and fight their pain. Physical therapy assistant’s are highly energetic people because they are always on their feet helping patients exercise and they are always moving about as they set equipments needed for the patients routine. The world of a physical therapy assistant is interlaced with different people from all spheres of life and all age groups all having the same recovery goal the pima medical institute is a big belive of this.

Functions

Treatments administered by physical therapy assistants include physical exercises, muscle manipulation and hydrotherapy. Physical therapy assistant’s work in hospitals, schools, rehab facilities and sports clinics.

Benefits

To become a physical therapy assistant, one has to earn an associate degree in physical therapy for 2 years. The annual physical therapy assistant salary ranges from $30,000 – $60,000 with a median starting wage of $37,710. Physical therapy assistant who have a long working experience can earn up to $100,000 annually same as a ipn salary.

The rewards of being a health care worker are numerous. The health care worker helps people to recover from their illnesses, relieve pain and improve the overall quality of the patient’s life.

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Top 4 Physical Therapy Assistant Schools

by jimkirk1943 on February 14, 2013

Physical therapist assistants play a very important role in rehabilitating patients with mobility problems. PTA’s essentially work under the supervision of licensed physical therapists to provide support services to physically challenged patients.

Physical therapists jobs are on the demand currently as many people become aware of their health. PTA’s can work in a host of places that include; hospitals, out patient clinics, fitness centers, homes etc.

There are many physical therapy assistants’ schools in the United States that a prospective student can choose from. However, not all schools are equal in terms of performance. If you looking for a top physical therapy assistant school or program then here are top 4 options to consider.

Top 4 Physical Therapy Assistant Schools

Medical career institute

Medical career institute offers one of the best PTA programs in the U.S. Located in Richmond VA the institute offers an 18-month physical therapist assistant degree. The full time program combines both theoretical teachings in classrooms with practical experience in the lab

The college records an average examination pass rate of 95% with over 86% of its students graduating annually on average. Aside from that, the college also offers clinical training which is geared towards equipping students with the necessary hands on experience.

Prima medical institute

Prima medical institute is another top physical therapy assistant school that one should consider. The school offers an associate degree in physical therapy which takes 18 months to complete.

With over 86% of its students graduating every year with an average examination pass rate of 90%, Prima medical institute has positioned itself as one of the top physical therapy assistant schools in the US. Located in various states like Texas, Arizona and Colorado-the college combines classroom, lab work and internships to provide students with cutting-edge training in physical therapy.

If you are looking for a highly rated PTA program in the U.S, then Prima medical institute should be a top option to consider.

Brown Mackie College

Located in Fort Wayne Indiana, Mackie College has over the year provided superior training in physical therapy. The college offers comprehensive training program in physical therapy which takes about 27 months to complete.

Over 90% of students taking this course graduate every year with an average examination pass rate of 92%. Some of the course work you will expect to find at the Mackie PTA program include; physical therapy skills, orthopedics, neurological rehabilitation, neuromuscular conditions, anatomy and physiology, assessment techniques, functional development etc.

Keiser University

Keiser University offers a highly rated PTA program that any prospective student should consider. The university has an impressive graduation rate of over 73% annually with 82% students passing their exams.

Keiser combines classroom, lab work and clinical experience to provide student with superior training in physical therapy. Apart from learning physical therapy techniques or fundamentals, the university also trains prospective physical therapy assistants in subjects such as; data collection techniques, communication skills, patient education information etc.

The main campus is located in Fort Lauderdale Florida. If you are looking for a top rated PTA School in the U.S then Keiser University is definitely one of the top physical therapy assistant schools to consider.

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Dental Careers Including Dental Surgery And Dental Assistants

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