Physical Therapist Assistant

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Curriculum Description

The Physical Therapist Assistant curriculum prepares graduates to work in direct patient care settings under the supervision of physical therapists. Assistants work to improve or restore function by alleviation or prevention of physical impairment and perform other essential activities in a physical therapy department.

Course work includes normal human anatomy and physiology, the consequences of disease or injury, and physical therapy treatment of a variety of patient conditions affecting humans throughout the life span.

Program Learning Outcomes

Physical Therapist Assistant students will:

• Demonstrate competence in the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective processes necessary to provide physical therapy services under the supervision of a physical therapist.
• Demonstrate professional behaviors of respect, integrity, and honesty in all interactions with patients/clients, family members, caregivers, supervising physical therapists, coworkers, other health care providers, students, other consumers, employers, and payers.
• Demonstrate behaviors that establish the primacy of patient safety.
• Identify and modify a career development plan along with lifelong learning opportunities.
• Locate relevant physical therapy-related information using information technology and demonstrate the ability to read, understand and apply health care literature to promote evidence-based practice.

Employment Opportunities

Graduates may be eligible to take the licensure examination administered by the NC Board of Physical Therapy Examiners. (A student with a felony may not be eligible for licensure or employment). Employment is available in general hospitals, rehabilitation centers, skilled nursing facilities, specialty hospitals, home health agencies, private clinics, and public school systems.

Competitive admissions are anticipated for a challenging program that leads to an intensely-satisfying career. The program will admit a maximum of 16 students each Fall Semester.

The Physical Therapist Assistant program at Surry Community College is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; telephone: 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org; website: CAPTE Online. This program is only offered at the Yadkin campus.

Each Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) course must be successfully completed in order to progress to subsequent PTA courses.

PTA students prohibited from participating in a clinical internship based on their criminal background check or drug screening will be dismissed from the PTA program due to their inability to progress.

Contact

Eileen Coleman, PT, DPT PTA
Program Director
colemanei@surry.edu
(336) 386-3513

Programs

• Physical Therapist Assistant Degree (A45620)

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