PTA+ Physical Therapist Assistant

In this episode of the PTA+ Podcast, recorded live at CSM, we sit down with Marc Crawford, PT and educator, to discuss the evolving role of the Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) in today’s profession. Marc shares insights from his experience in PTA education, clinical practice, and research, highlighting why PTAs must actively participate in conferences like CSM to stay relevant, build connection...

Physical Therapist Assistant education is evolving, and this episode explores exactly how. Recorded live at CSM, Katie sits down with PTA educators Kelly Terry and Adelle Nicholas to discuss innovative approaches designed to make PTA programs more accessible, flexible, and aligned with real-world student needs. They break down new program models including decelerated pathways, clinic-based skill v...

In this episode of the PTA+ Podcast, recorded live at CSM, we explore the future of Physical Therapist Assistant education with educators Holly Clynch and Jessica Scholl. With decades of combined experience in PTA education and leadership, they share how their program has been completely reimagined to better serve today’s students and the evolving demands of healthcare. Key topics include: Transit...

In this live interview from CSM, Sean Bagbey shares what Physical Therapist Assistants need to understand about leadership, advocacy, and career growth. Sean, founder, educator, and the first PTA delegate from Indiana, dives into how conferences like CSM can be career-defining moments for PTAs willing to step into the room, start conversations, and build meaningful connections. This episode highli...

In this live CSM interview, we explore what it really means to grow as a Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) in today’s evolving healthcare landscape. Andy Cisneros shares insights from over 25 years in the profession and his transition into talent acquisition and leadership development. This episode challenges PTAs to step beyond traditional roles and actively pursue growth opportunities. What You...

Burnout in physical therapy is real—and it’s pushing many clinicians to rethink their careers. In this episode of the PTA+ Podcast, we sit down live from CSM with Andrew Schofner, CEO of PtEverywhere, to explore how cash-based and hybrid care models are creating new opportunities for Physical Therapist Assistants. Andrew shares insights on: Why traditional insurance-based models are becoming unsus...

In this episode recorded live at CSM, we sit down with returning guest Drew Wilcox, a Physical Therapist Assistant, educator, and researcher, to tackle one of the biggest issues in the profession: the broken pathway from PTA to DPT. Drew shares a powerful vision for the future of physical therapy education — one that removes unnecessary barriers, reduces cost, and creates a unified pathway for cli...

In this episode of the PTA+ Podcast, we explore how AI and Remote Therapeutic Monitoring (RTM) are transforming the role of the Physical Therapist Assistant. Host Katie Sutton sits down with Ellen Morello, U.S. General Manager at EverEx, to unpack how hybrid care models are expanding access, reducing burnout, and creating new opportunities for PTAs. You’ll learn: What RTM actually looks like in da...

In this episode of the PTA+ Podcast, Katie interviews Valerie Bueschlein, a Physical Therapist Assistant working in outpatient neurological rehabilitation who also serves as a spinal cord injury caregiver and patient advocate. Valerie shares the deeply personal story of her husband’s catastrophic injury and how it reshaped her understanding of rehabilitation, caregiving, and advocacy. Through that...

Clinician wellness isn’t just about self-care, it’s about leadership, ethics, and systems that either protect or drain healthcare professionals. In this live conversation from CSM, Lisa Kohler, PT and Ohio Physical Therapy Association board member, discusses a new national survey exploring wellness across the therapy profession, including Physical Therapist Assistants (PTAs), who have historically...

Aquatic therapy might be one of the most overlooked tools in rehab, and Wendy Enck is here to make the case for bringing it back to the spotlight. Recorded live at APTA’s CSM, this conversation explores how Physical Therapist Assistants can use water to accelerate balance recovery, reduce chronic pain, and build patient confidence faster than traditional land-based rehab alone. With fewer than 300...

APTA CSM is buzzing — but is it worth it for a Physical Therapist Assistant? Katie talks with Margie Nguyen (Not Just a PTA) to talk about: Why PTAs need to show up at national conferences Networking strategies that actually work Pelvic health advocacy for postpartum patients Growing your PTA career beyond the clinic How to “put yourself out there” without fear If you’re a PTA wondering whether CS...

Permission to Lead: Why PTAs Must Stop Self-Limiting Recorded live at CSM, this episode is a direct challenge to every Physical Therapist Assistant who has ever thought, “There’s no room for growth.” Deanne Yates shares her journey from PTA to national-level leadership involvement, including work with FSBPT and PTA governance initiatives. She discusses: Why PTA and PT are both terminal clinical de...

In this episode of PTA+ (Physical Therapist Assistant), Katie talks with Ryan Elsass, PTA, CSCS, owner of Ace Sports Performance in Pittsburgh. Ryan shares how failing forward—PT school rejection and an early setback in PTA school—pushed him into a niche bridging rehab to real-life performance for golfers, tennis players, and pickleball athletes. We cover: Why patients often get re-injured after d...

Feeling overwhelmed about CSM? You’re not alone. In this episode, Katie flips the format and lets Macy Frederick Rogers (first-time attendee) ask the questions every PTA is thinking—so you can walk into CSM with a plan. You’ll hear practical tips on: How to build a schedule you can actually follow (without burnout) What first-timers miss in the exhibit hall (including activations + APTA pavilion m...

Your Physical Therapist Assistant career can be bigger than a job title—and Sara Conrad is living proof. Sara shares how she built a career blending outpatient ortho, sports performance, ethics, leadership, and education while staying rooted in patient care. You’ll hear: How Sara found the PTA path through a truly nonlinear journey What licensure boards actually do (and how they differ from associ...

New York’s move to general supervision for PTAs is a major win—and a powerful case study in why advocacy matters. In this episode, Katie sits down with clinic leaders to unpack: What general supervision really changes for PTAs How advocacy led to meaningful policy reform Why rural and outpatient clinics are expanding PTA-led models The truth about the PTA modifier and reimbursement How mentorship...

Jessica Hochberg proves that being a PTA is not a limitation - it is a launchpad. In this episode, Katie talks with Jessica (former Director of Rehab, certified stroke rehab and fall prevention specialist, and MBA in healthcare management) about the career moves PTAs are not always taught: how to build leadership skills, reframe your transferable strengths, and pursue non-clinical paths like quali...

What does leadership look like for PTAs—and how do you grow into it when the path isn’t always clear? In this episode of PTA+, host Katie Sutton sits down with Amy Smith Hamel, PTA, a respected leader in physical therapy and Regional Director of Operations at Restore Therapy in Alabama, for a grounded, honest conversation about leadership, growth, and saying yes before you feel ready. Amy shares h...

What actually increases your worth as a PTA—and how do you make it happen on purpose? In this episode of PTA+, host Katie Sutton sits down with Sanaz Holcomb, PTA, BS, to explore the developmental pathways that help PTAs grow their skills, expand their influence, and increase their professional value. Sanaz breaks down several powerful opportunities available to PTAs, including: APTA PTA Advanced...

What if the PTA career path isn’t a straight line—but a wide-open map? In this episode of PTA+, host Katie Sutton explores how PTAs are creating new, non-traditional career pathways—inside and outside the clinic. This conversation challenges the idea that there’s only one way to build a successful PTA career and highlights the opportunities that open up when you think beyond the job description. W...

What does it take to break through barriers as a PTA—and still build a life that feels full? In this episode of PTA+, host Katie Sutton sits down with Chris Junkins, PTA, ATC/L, co-owner of Dosher Physical Therapy Associates in upstate South Carolina, for an honest conversation about leadership, resilience, and saying yes to opportunity. Chris shares his journey as a PTA clinician working with ath...

What really happens inside the APTA House of Delegates—and why should PTAs care? In this Top 5 re-release, Katie Sutton sits down with PTA Council Delegates Brenda Dorman, Jeannie Thompson, and David Harris for a behind-the-scenes conversation on the decisions, debates, and momentum shaping the future of the PTA profession. You’ll hear: how the profession has evolved (and what’s helped propel PTAs...

Susan Lukens speaks with Katie about LAMP Leadership and the APTA's Academy of Leadership and Innovation. You can learn more about this topics HERE: https://www.aptaali.org/page/LAMPCertificatePrograms https://www.aptaali.org/

Jimmy McKay and Katie Sutton speak with David Fathalikhani , live from APTA's Future of Rehab Therapy Summit.