How to Become a Physical Therapist Assistant in Maine

If you want to become a physical therapy assistant in Maine, you first need some info.

All you need to do is read on to learn more about how the licensing process goes.

Earning Your License as a Physical Therapist Assistant

In Maine, you can’t work as a physical therapy assistant unless you have a license.

The license is issued by the Maine Board of Examiners in Physical Therapy.

You first need to get a Physical Therapist Assistant Associate of Applied Science (AAS) or Associate of Science (AS) degree.

This is only possible if you join a training program in a school.

This program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) and by the Maine Board of Examiners in Physical Therapy.

It will take around 2 years for you to complete the degree.

You will also have to join practice hours, which will make up about 17 weeks from the total.

The clinics will usually first ask for a background check.

The clinics that are open to clinical practice are:

• Maine Medical Center – Portland
• New England Rehabilitation Hospital of Portland – Portland
• Back in Motion Physical Therapy – Portland
• Prospect Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation – Augusta
• Advanced Health Physical Therapy – Augusta
• Select Physical Therapy – Bangor
• Mary’s Regional Medical Center – Lewiston

The classes you will join are:

• Pediatrics and Gerontology
• Kinesiology
• Electronic Health Records
• Anatomy and physiology
• Therapeutic Exercise
• Behavioral sciences
• Professional ethics
• Medical Terminology
• Therapeutic Documentation for the PTA
• Exercise physiology
• Applied neuroscience
• Clinical pathology
• Biomechanics

Additional to theory, you also need to finish 500 to 600 hours of practice.

After you get your diploma, you can start the application process for the physical therapy assistant certification.

You will need to take the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE) for PTAs, provided by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT).

The documents you have to submit include:

• $30 fee for licensing
• An application form
• Your social security number
• Two recent passport-type photos
• Certified school transcripts submitted by your school
• $21 fee for a criminal background check

The documents need to be sent to the Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation in Augusta.

The National Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (NFSBPT) requires the payment of the $400 exam fee.

This exam is open book and includes the next subjects:

• Diseases/Conditions that Impact Effective Treatment (28%)
• Equipment & Devices; Therapeutic Modalities (14.7%)
• Interventions (30.7%)
• Physical Therapy Data Collection (20.7%)
• Safety & Protection; Professional Responsibilities; Research (6%)

You need to get a score of 600 to pass the examination.

The exam has a duration of 4 hours and requires prior preparation.

You can easily prepare by using the candidate handbook offered by the Federation.

You will have to pay a $70 Prometric fee as well, before the exam.

After you take the exam, you can visit the Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation site for results.

It will take about 2 weeks or longer for you to physically receive your license.

Physical Therapist Assistant Employment and Salary Information

In Maine, the largest employers include:

• Supplemental Health Care – Deer Isle
• Genesis Rehabilitation Services – Augusta
• Goodwill Industries of Northern New England – Lewiston
• MaineGeneral Health – Augusta
• ResCare – Rockland
• Genesis HealthCare – Augusta
• Mercy Hospital – Portland
• Central Maine Medical Center – Rumford
• Preferred Therapy Solutions – Augusta

Big regions have better prospects for new physical therapy assistants.

As per The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), jobs in the industry will see a growth of 17.8% between 2012 and 2022.

Regional Salary in Maine

Physical Therapist Assistant License Renewal Information

In Maine, your physical therapy assistant certification needs to be renewed once a year.

The licenses expire after the last day of March every year.

You will have to pay a $30 renewal fee to have it processed.

If you renew your license later, you will be required to pay a $50 fee.

If you are later than 3 months, you have to go through the licensing process again.

In this state, you do not need any additional education before license renewal.

Physical Therapist Assistant Schools by State