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| Attribute | Physical Therapist Aides | Dental Assistants |
|---|---|---|
| Career area | Health Support | Health Support |
| What it involves | Under close supervision of a physical therapist or physical therapy assistant, perform only delegated, selected, or routine tasks in specific situations. | Perform limited clinical duties under the direction of a dentist. Clinical duties may include equipment preparation and sterilization, preparing patients for treatment, assisting the dentist during treatment, and… |
| Helpful KCSE subjects | ||
| Study routes | ||
| Typical training route | KCSE plus certificate/TVET/apprenticeship or structured on-the-job training | Diploma/Level 6, TVET or specialist professional/technical training |
| Entry requirements | For current KUCCPS allied-health degrees such as Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Optometry and Physical Therapy: Biology C+; Chemistry C+; Mathematics A or Physics C+; English or Kiswahili C+. Other specialist health programmes can differ. | Not a course-regulated occupation. Entry depends on employer requirements, demonstrated skill and experience. If pursuing TVET, KUCCPS level bands apply. |
| Training duration | Degree commonly about 4 years; allied-health diplomas commonly about 3 years; internship/registration requirements vary | Varies from short courses/on-the-job training to 1-3 year TVET programmes |
| Work environment | ||
| Employment type | ||
| Kenya demand | High - essential service sector with persistent need for trained health professionals; demand varies by cadre and public/private hiring cycles. | High - essential service sector with persistent need for trained health professionals; demand varies by cadre and public/private hiring cycles. |
| Outlook / AI impact | Stable-to-growing / AI-augmented | Stable-to-growing / AI-augmented |
| Professional regulator | No single statutory professional regulator identified for this general title | No single statutory professional regulator identified for this general title |
| Could this suit you? | May suit you if you enjoy helping people, science and careful practical work; useful strengths include Listening, Attention to performance and quality, Understanding speech. | May suit you if you enjoy helping people, science and careful practical work; useful strengths include Listening, Clear communication, Close visual accuracy. |
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