Physical Therapist Assistant PTA.S.AAS

Associate of Applied Science - 65 Credit Hours

Division: Health Sciences
Department: Rehabilitation Services
Effective as of Fall 2018

Physical Therapist Assistant Lab

What is the program about?

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.

Program Outcomes

• Student/Graduate Goal: Students/graduates will demonstrate professionalism. -Outcome: Students will participate in a minimum of four interprofessional education experiences. -Outcome: Students/graduates will demonstrate Professional Behaviors and Values-Based Behaviors for the Physical Therapist Assistant as evidenced by minimum average ratings of 75% on assessments.
• Student/Graduate Goal: Students/graduates will provide high quality patient care under the direction and supervision of a physical therapist. -Outcome: Students/graduates will demonstrate quality, safe patient care as evidenced by minimum average ratings of 75% on assessments. -Outcome: Students/graduates will demonstrate sound critical thinking and problem solving as evidenced by minimum average ratings of 75% on assessments. -Outcome: Students/graduates will demonstrate evidence-based decision-making/practice as evidenced by minimum average ratings of 75% on assessments.
• Student/Graduate Goal: Students/graduates will engage in effective communication. -Outcome: Students/graduates will demonstrate effective written, oral, and nonverbal communication and interpersonal interactions as evidenced by minimum average ratings of 75% on assessments.

Career Opportunities

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.

Transferability

Formal articulation agreements with other colleges and universities indicate how Sinclair programs and courses will transfer to other institutions.

Prerequisites

• ALH 1101 AND BIO 1141 AND BIO 1147 AND PHY 1106 AND PHY 1107 AND PTA 1000
• and The student must be at least 18 years of age by initiation of PTA limited enrollment/restricted courses.
• and The student must have a high school diploma or GED.
• and The student must have PTA listed as their designated major or linked major in Sinclair’s system. If the student is not already attending Sinclair, an application to the college should be completed and the PTA program should be selected as the program of study. If the student is already attending Sinclair, the student should meet with an Academic Advisor to indicate PTA as the program of study.
• and Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5.
• and Minimum overall achievement score of 50 on the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS).

Credentials

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.

Additional Information

• PTA Program Specific Information
• PTA Program Information Packet (PDF)
  
• PTA Student Handbook (PDF)
• PTA Clinical Education
  • PTA Clinical Education Documents
    
• Health Sciences Applicant Information Packet (PDF)
• PTA Program Mission, Goals, and Outcomes
• PTA Faculty and Staff Listing

Program Accreditation Information

The Physical Therapist Assistant Program at Sinclair Community College 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. If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call 937-512-5355 or email ptaprogram@sinclair.edu. The Physical Therapist Assistant Program at Sinclair Community College located in Mason, OH 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. If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call 937-512-5355 or email ptaprogram@sinclair.edu.