Physical Therapist Assistant, AAS

B&SC Code: PTAP
CIP Code: 51.0806
New York Hegis Code: 5219

Program: PTAP

Physical Therapist Assistants (PTAs) provide physical therapy services under the direction and supervision of a licensed physical therapist to individuals of all ages, from newborns to the very oldest, who have medical problems or other health-related conditions that limit their abilities to move and perform functional activities in their daily lives. PTAs practice in a variety of settings including outpatient clinics, hospitals and skilled nursing facilities, private practice, home health agencies, schools, sports facilities, and work settings. They may also be involved in teaching patients or clients exercises for mobility, strength and coordination, crutch/cane/walker mobility, therapeutic massage, or the use of physical agents such as ultrasound or electrical stimulation.

Upon successful completion of the Physical Therapist Assistant program at Bryant & Stratton College, students are awarded and AAS degree and once the program is accredited students are eligible to sit for the NPTE (National Physical Therapy Exam) for PTAs. Our five consecutive semester curriculum prepares graduates to work in a variety of healthcare settings by providing instruction in theory, assessment of skills, client/patient-centered and evidence-based interventions across the lifespan, as well as documentation and intervention planning. Classroom and lab experiences are enhanced and reinforced through two integrated clinical education experiences and two full- time, terminal clinical education experiences in a variety of settings.

The Physical Therapist Assistant Programs at Bryant & Stratton College-Parma, Southtowns, Syracuse, and Wauwatosa Campuses are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 111 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 the Parma Campus at 216-265-3151; the Southtowns Campus at 716-677-9500; the Syracuse Campus at 315-472-6603; the Wauwatosa Campus at 414-302-7000.

Graduation from a physical therapist assistant education program accredited by CAPTE is necessary for eligibility to sit for the PTA licensure examination which is required in all states. Graduates of the Parma, Southtowns, Syracuse, and Wauwatosa programs will be eligible to sit for National Physical Therapist Assistant Examination (NPTE-PTA) through the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT). State licenses/certifications are based largely on the results of the NPTE-PTA.

Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NPTE- PTA or attain state licensure.

Note that the last semester for PTA students requires full-time day clinical internship participation.

Graduates of this degree plan will achieve the following program and institutional outcomes:

• Demonstrate professional behavior and values, moral and ethical standards and attitudes consistent with the career of the physical therapist assistant.
• Articulate the distinct roles and responsibilities of the physical therapist assistant as they apply to interaction with patients, family members, physical therapists and other professionals.
• Be an advocate for patients, services and for the profession.
• Apply physical therapy principles and theories to data collection and intervention in order to achieve desired outcomes.
• Provide services to patients of varied backgrounds in various systems without bias.
• Utilize research in order to make evidence-based practice decisions and demonstrate lifelong learning.
• Utilize appropriate current technology and resources to locate and evaluate information needed to accomplish a goal, and then communicate findings in visual, written and/or oral formats.*
• Transfer knowledge, skills and behaviors acquired through formal and informal learning and life experiences to new situations.*
• Employ strategies for reflection on learning and practice in order to adjust learning processes for continual improvement.*
• Follow established methods of inquiry and mathematical reasoning to form conclusions and make decisions.*
• Participate in social, academic, and professional communities for individual growth and to function as a citizen of a multicultural world.*

*Dedicated online learners take alternate courses