Physical therapy assistants help the physical therapist by performing massage and therapeutic training.
Physical therapy assistants help physical therapists with caring for patients under their supervision. They perform massage, balance training and therapeutic methods, such as ultrasound or electrical stimulation. They also record patient treatment outcomes. Physical therapy assistants must complete an associate degree and a license, registration or certification through the state of intended practice. They must also pass the National Physical Therapy Exam or a state exam. These degree programs are available in community colleges, four-year colleges or universities, and they prepare students to obtain these credentials.
College of Central Florida
As a two-year institution in Ocala, Florida, the College of Central Florida offers 70 degree and certificate programs in the arts, sciences, business, education, landscape, equine studies, health and the medical field. According to the school's website, it maintains top-ranked athletic programs and provides a variety of extracurricular activities to its students, such as performing arts groups and academic-related clubs. The physical therapy assistant associate degree program consists of a 74-credit program preparing students to pass the state-administered national examination required for licensing. It is designed to be completed in two years for a full-time student and includes two clinical labs and two courses with clinical practice internships with the supervision of licensed physical therapists.
College of Central Florida
3001 SW College Rd.
Ocala, FL 34474
352-873-5800
cf.edu
University of Indianapolis
The University of Indianapolis maintains a focus in the health and medical field, as it holds a highly ranked nursing program and Indiana's only degree in nurse mid-wifery. It also produces more physical therapist, clinical psychologist and occupational therapist graduates than any other university in the state, according to the school's website. The PTA program within the Krannert School of Physical Therapy has a five-year average pass rate of 97.7 percent for first-time takers of the national licensure examination. In 2004, the average national pass rate for the exam was 75.7 percent and graduates of the program in 2006 maintained a pass rate of 100 percent. The associate degree program consists of 62 credits, with 30 of them deriving from clinical rotations, or hands-on experience.
University of Indianapolis
1400 East Hanna Ave.
Indianapolis, Indiana 46227
317-788-3500
uindy.edu
Salt Lake Community College
With over 120 areas of study within nine schools, Salt Lake Community College is the largest and most diversified higher education institution in Utah. SLCC also offers flexible class scheduling to accommodate its student body, consisting of 70 percent with part-time enrollment. The PTA associate degree program within SLCC's school of Health Sciences contains 3.5 semester-long curriculum in theory, laboratory and clinical courses. It takes approximately 16 months to complete and focuses on teaching in a variety of areas, such as in out-patient clinics or acute settings, in order to provide students with a generalized background. SLCC graduates are highly sought after and 100 percent of those desiring to work in the field are employed within six months, according to the school's website.
Salt Lake Community College
4600 South Redwood Road
Salt Lake City, UT 84123
801-957-7522
slcc.edu
Tags: associate degree, Salt Lake, associate degree program, Central Florida, College Central, College Central Florida, Community College