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Division: Health Sciences
Department: Rehabilitation Services
Effective as of Fall 2018
Physical therapist assistants, under the direction and supervision of a licensed physical therapist, assist patients in a wide variety of therapeutic and rehabilitative procedures. Physical therapist assistants may provide health care services in a variety of settings, including outpatient clinics, hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and schools.
The Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) program prepares students to provide physical therapy services under the direction and supervision of a physical therapist. The curriculum is divided among general education and technical courses, and includes classroom, laboratory, and clinical education experiences. Upon completion of the PTA program curriculum, the student is awarded the Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree. Graduates of the program are eligible to take the National Physical Therapy Examination for Physical Therapist Assistants (NPTE-PTA) for licensure.
The PTA program is designed to be completed in five (5) semesters on a full-time basis. The degree program consists of open enrollment courses (prerequisites and general education) and program specific courses with limited enrollment. The open enrollment courses may be taken prior to entry into the limited enrollment courses. The PTA program utilizes a competitive selection process to enter students into the PTA limited enrollment/restricted courses. Details on eligibility for the competitive selection process and limited enrollment courses can be found online in the PTA Program Information Packet.
The mission of the PTA program is to provide high quality education to students seeking the opportunity to practice as a physical therapist assistant under the direction and supervision of a physical therapist.
Graduates, once licensed by the State of Ohio, work either full- or part-time under the supervision of a Physical Therapist in a variety of practice environments, such as out-patient clinics, rehabilitation units in hospitals or nursing homes, assisted living, home health or school-based programs.
Formal articulation agreements with other colleges and universities indicate how Sinclair programs and courses will transfer to other institutions.
Education Requirements for Becoming a PTA in the State of Ohio: 1) To work as a PTA in Ohio, an individual must graduate with an associate degree from an accredited PTA program. Graduates must pass a national physical therapy examination for physical therapist assistants approved by the physical therapy section of the Ohio Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Athletic Trainers (OTPTAT) Board. Graduates must also pass a jurisprudence examination approved by the physical therapy section of the OTPTAT board on Ohio's laws and rules governing the practice of physical therapy. 2) Physical therapist assistants work under the direction and supervision of a licensed physical therapist.
The Physical Therapist Assistant Program at Sinclair Community College’s Dayton Campus in Dayton, Ohio is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 1111 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314; telephone: 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org; website: http://www.capteonline.org. The Physical Therapist Assistant Program at Sinclair Community College’s location in Mason, Ohio is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 1111 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314; telephone: 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org; website: http://www.capteonline.org.
