GENERAL INFORMATION
GENERAL INFORMATION
The Physical Therapist Assistant program is designed to prepare the student to perform basic Physical Therapy procedures and skills. A Physical Therapist Assistant must be a graduate of a program approved by the American Physical Therapy Association Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education and must satisfy licensure requirements for the state in which they are seeking licensure.
The program at Amarillo College is two years plus the summer session between the freshman and sophomore years. Upon successful completion of the program, the student receives an associate in applied science degree. The program curriculum is a mixture of general education, basic related sciences and physical therapy coursework designed to give the student the theory and practical experience needed to practice as a Physical Therapist Assistant.
The curriculum design is such that each semester builds the needed foundation for the following semester. Therefore, it is advised that no student drop courses without the program coordinator's approval in order to avoid the possibility of prolonging the length of each individual student's course of study.
The Physical Therapist Assistant program is accredited by the American Physical Therapy Association Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education. Amarillo College received its initial accreditation in June 1983 after an on-site inspection in April of that year. In 1988, 1996, and 2006 the PTA program received continuation of accreditation, after undergoing additional self study and on-site visitation. The program is due for re-accreditation in 2016.
CAREER INFORMATION
Exciting job opportunities in most geographic areas await the prospective Physical Therapist Assistant. Salaries vary with location. The local market PTA starting salary for a new graduate is currently about $15.00 - $17.00 per hour. Three of every five PTAs are employed in hospitals. Possibilities for employment include acute, general, military, public health and children's hospitals. Other environments are private clinics, schools, industrial plants, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers and sports medicine clinics.
PREREQUISITES
There are not any prerequisites for the Physical Therapist Assistant Program. However, you MUST complete all developmental coursework before your application will be considered!
HOW DO I APPLY?
The applications are to be available online from February 1 - April 1. Once the application has been received, the program director will contact students and schedule appointments for the last two weeks in April. Students are expected to bring a completed application packet to the meeting with the program director.
The completed application packet will consist of :
- waiver of liability
- physical examination form/essential functions of the PTA form*
- transcripts from all previously attended universities/colleges
- successfully completed background check by PreCheck, Inc.**
- documented proof of observation hours (15 hour minimum)
- proof of immunizations (TB test, Varicella vaccine or titer, MMR (2 shots), and Hepatitis B (3 shots)
- proof of healthcare worker CPR certification (on-line CPR courses will not satisfy this requirement)
* The Essential Functions of the PTA form will be given to the applicant at the meeting with the Program Director
**The applicant may be conditionally accepted into the PTA program without completing the background check by PreCheck. If the background check is not successful, the student will not be able to remain enrolled in the PTA program.
HOW WILL I KNOW IF I'M ACCEPTED INTO THE PROGRAM?
We accept 24 students annually into the PTA program. Students will be offered a position in the PTA program by mail in June after final grades for the apring semester are received and application scores are calculated.
WHAT ABOUT CLINICALS?
There is one 2-week full-time clinical rotation during the first summer of enrollment in the PTA program. There are two seven-week full-time rotations during the final spring semester of the PTA program.
PASS RATE
| Year |
Number Graduates |
Number Passing Exam on 1st Attempt | % |
| 2004 |
5 |
3 | 60% |
| 2005 | 19 | 17 | 89.5% |
| 2006 | 13 | ? | ? |
Last updated by wecrawford -- May/11/10