Physical therapist assistants (PTAs) provide physical therapy services under the direction and supervision of a licensed physical therapist (PT). PTAs help people of all ages to move and perform functional activities in their daily lives, in a variety of settings, including hospitals, private practices, skilled nursing facilities, rehabilitation centers, school systems and sports facilities. A technical education and core principles, including self-responsibility and professionalism, allow our graduates to work in physical therapy practice, administration or education.
The curriculum is built upon the minimum required skills of physical therapist assistant graduates at entry-level, the normative model of physical therapist assistant education and documents on professionalism and ethical behavior of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), as well as the CAPTE requirements for physical therapist assistant program accreditation. The program integrates general education courses, technical courses and clinical education experiences. Upon graduation, students are eligible to sit for the National Physical Therapy Exam for PTAs, which is a requirement for state licensure.
Due to the limited number of spaces available in this program, selection is on a competitive basis. Interested individuals must follow the procedures in the health professions admission information packet. In order to be considered for admission into the program that begins in the fall, prospective students must complete the admission requirements by the last Friday in June.
Admission to the PTA program is limited and competitive. Prior to applying for admission, students must:
- complete a group of prerequisite classes; and
- attend a prospective student meeting, whose purpose is to provide information about the physical therapy profession, the role of the physical therapist assistant, the program curriculum and what will be expected of the student in order to be successful.
Meetings are scheduled in the late spring prior to the PTA program admission deadline.
There is an additional requirement for a total of eight hours of physical therapist or physical therapist assistant observation:
- four hours in an inpatient setting; and
- four hours in an outpatient setting.
To assist prospective students with preparation for future application to the PTA program, admission guidelines can be found in the health professions admission information packet.