Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA)
Listed compensation
$42-$45/hr
Listing transparency1 of 6 stated
Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations and weekend coverage.
- Employment & setting
- Full-Time
- Call expectations
- Not specified
- Weekends
- Not specified
Job Description
Located in the heart of sunny San Diego, The Shores Post Acute is a premier facility dedicated to providing personalized, top-tier care to our diverse community of residents. We’re proud to offer specialized programs tailored to meet the unique medical needs of each individual we serve. At The Shores, we believe that exceptional care begins with a dedicated team. Our compassionate and highly skilled professionals bring their unique talents and unwavering commitment to deliver the best care, every single day.
Why join us?
At The Shores, we provide a supportive work environment where you can gain valuable experience caring for a diverse patient population, while collaborating with compassionate colleagues who genuinely support each other. We recognize our team’s achievements to celebrate contributions to patient care and teamwork.
Position Overview
The Physical Therapist Assistant will help Physical Therapists provide physical therapy treatments and procedures. The Physical Therapist Assistant may, in accordance with state laws, assist in the development of treatment plans, carry out routine functions, document the progress of treatment, and modify specific treatments in accordance with patient status and within the scope of treatment plans established by a physical therapist.
Duties/Responsibilities
* Instructs, motivates, safeguards, and assists patients as they practice exercises or functional activities. Observes patients during treatments to compile and evaluate data on their responses and progress and provides results to the physical therapist in person or through progress notes.
* Confers with physical therapy staff and others to discuss and evaluate patient information for planning, modifying, and coordinating treatment. Communicates with and instructs caregivers and family members on patient therapeutic activities and treatment plans.
* Transports patients to and from treatment areas, lifting and transferring them according to positioning requirements. Secures patients into or onto therapy equipment.
* Administers active and passive manual therapeutic exercises, therapeutic massage, aquatic physical therapy, and heat, light, sound, and electrical modality treatments such as ultrasound.
* Measures patients’ range-of-joint motion, body parts, and vital signs to determine effects of treatments or for patient evaluations.
* Monitors operation of equipment and records use of equipment and administration of treatment.
* Fits patients for orthopedic braces, prostheses, and supportive devices such as crutches.
Required Skills/Abilities
* Excellent customer service and patient care skills.
* Basic understanding of physical therapy and medical terminology.
Education and Experience
* Associate’s degree or certification from a physical therapy program that included course study in anatomy and physiology, and clinical experience.
Physical Requirements
* Prolonged periods of standing and walking.
* Requires lifting, positioning, pushing, and/or transferring patients.
* Frequent reaching, stooping, bending, kneeling, and crouching.
We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related condition), age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression (including transgender status), genetic predisposition or carrier status, military or veteran status, familial status, status as a victim of domestic violence, or any other status protected by law
Key Responsibilities
The Physical Therapist Assistant assists physical therapists in providing treatments, documenting patient progress, and modifying care plans based on patient status. They are responsible for instructing patients in exercises, transporting patients, and administering various therapeutic modalities.
Requirements
Candidates must hold an associate’s degree or certification from an accredited physical therapy program. Strong customer service skills and a basic understanding of medical terminology are required.
Qualifications
- Education
- Professional certificate or licensure
Key Skills
Physical Therapist Career Context
In California, the Physical Therapy weighted monthly median benchmark on WeekdayDoc is ~$118k (469 salary observations; 1,392 listings), vs ~$94k nationally (5,459 salary observations; 21,292 listings). Monthly aggregates cover 2026-01-01 through 2026-09-01; these are not the modal's selected comparable-job medians.
Of the 34 active Physical Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 44% are remote, 18% have no call, 47% require no weekends.
Physical Therapy pay on WeekdayDoc is down 1.6% vs. the prior quarter (through Aug 2026).
The cost-of-living index for California is 110.7 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$90k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $82k in an average-cost state. 63.6% of California clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).
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