Why I Love My Job: Beth Crowley, PTA

What I do: "Assist in the physical rehabilitation of patients including strengthening, range of motion, stabilization, balance, neuromuscular re-education, gait training and patient education from pediatric through geriatric populations. In the outpatient setting, patients are treated for postoperative surgeries and various pathologies that have caused functional limitations."

How I got into this: “I was previously a high school and college teacher, but was ready to make a change and learn something new. I was interested in working in the health care setting for quite a while but waited until the time was appropriate for my family. Having an active lifestyle, health and wellness have been a personal interest and I have a desire to encourage people in a tangible way through rehabilitation. I have found that the teaching skill set continues to have relevance as patient education is a large portion of my current occupation.”

Best part of the job: "Participating in assisting patients to return to their hobbies, occupations and highest level of function in order to be able to enjoy their lives and their loved ones as much as possible. It is awesome to help a patient realize they can progress and meet their goals."

Most challenging part: "On occasion, a patient presents with something that cannot be changed, but managed, and that is difficult. Yet, I am so fortunate to be able to utilize my skill set to help them live the highest quality of physical life possible for their individual situation. Also, in this profession we spend several hours per week with our patients so although I am always thrilled when they are better, sometimes it is hard to say goodbye."

What people don't know about my job: "Those that I work with in the health care field are such consistently giving people. Their work is truly a calling more than a job. We have the privilege to be able to help people get better. It is a blast."

What keeps me going: "People are amazing, resilient and so appreciative of our help. I love hearing the patients' stories as they work through their therapy and (I) love to encourage them by talking about what's ahead as they progress toward their goals. It is so much fun when patients and their families are pleasantly surprised by their progress."

Preparation needed: "To practice as a PTA in Georgia, one must graduate from an accredited PTA program and pass the state licensing exam. Once licensed, 30 hours of continuing education are required every biennium (two years). You also learn on the job and from therapists around you to expand your knowledge base and stay current with ongoing research in the field."

Salary: The mean annual pay for physical therapist assistants in metro Atlanta is $48,180, according to salary.com.