Graduate Goals
Upon successful completion of the PTA program the graduate will be able to:
- Exhibit conduct that reflects practice standards that are legal, ethical and safe.
- Implement a plan of care established by the physical therapist.
- Demonstrate competence in data collection through tests, measurements and observations.
- Use verbal, non-verbal, and written communication in an effective, appropriate and capable manner.
- Demonstrate professional behavior through attendance, promptness, and the ability to assume appropriate responsibility.
- Demonstrate the cognitive knowledge basic to physical therapy intervention.
Student Abilities
To meet these goals, the student must be able to:
- obtain information during class time and outside of class from lecture, text, computer-based, and video formats.
- obtain information from the medical record.
- produce written responses to assignments.
- compose progress notes for the medical record.
- complete in-class small group assignments.
- receive and transmit information to the instructors, classmates, supervising physical therapists, and patients.
- perform physical therapy techniques in high (standing), medium (sitting), and low (squatting, stooping) body positions.
- operate equipment with knobs, switches, touch pads, and touch screens.
- lift and position classmates, patients, and equipment.
- assist and guard classmates and patients while they practice standing, walking, and moving into and out of wheelchairs.
- assist classmates and patients while they perform therapeutic exercises.
- perform physical therapy techniques and move about the clinical facility for up to 8 hours a day, 40 hours a week.
- assess the patient’s verbal and nonverbal response to treatment.
- Complete multi-step work assignments.
Academic Progress
Students must have a “C” or better in every course that is part of the curriculum and at least a 75% test average in PTA courses to continue in the program. All clinical courses must be completed successfully prior to the start of the next term. Following successful completion of program requirements, graduates are eligible to take the licensing examination.
