Physical Therapist Assistant
The Amarillo College Physical Therapist Assistant Program takes two years to complete and leads to an associate’s degree that puts graduates to work in a variety of rewarding settings. AC graduates swiftly find career opportunities in outpatient physical therapy clinics, skilled nursing facilities, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, home-health agencies, schools, and sports and fitness facilities. Physical therapy assistants get great satisfaction out of helping patients and clients who have mobility challenges due to injury or disease.
What can you do with a Physical Therapist Assistant degree?
Physical therapist assistants work under the direction of physical therapists and assist with therapies designed to improve mobility, relieve pain, prevent or limit permanent physical disability, and promote overall fitness and wellness. Patients may include accident victims and individuals with short- and long-term disabling conditions, such as low back pain, fractures, head injuries, arthritis, heart disease, and cerebral palsy.
Enter the Workforce with a Two Year Degree
| First Semester Prior to Admission | |
|---|---|
| ENGL 1301 - Composition I | 3 hrs |
| PSYC 2314: Lifespan Growth & Development | 3 hrs |
| BIOL 2401 - Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 hrs |
| Language, Philosophy & Culture or Creative Arts | 3 hrs |
| SPCH 1318- Interpersonal Communication | 3 hrs |
| BIOL 2402: Anatomy and Physiology II | 4 hrs |
| First Fall semester | |
| PTHA 1405: Basic Patient Care Skills | 4 hrs |
| PTHA 1321: Pathophysiology for the PTA | 3 hrs |
| PTHA 1301: The Profession of Physical Therapy | 3 hrs |
| First Spring Semester | |
| PTHA 2409: Therapeutic Exercise | 4hrs |
| PTHA 2301: Essentials of Data Collection | 3 hrs |
| PTHA 1413: Functional Anatomy | 4 hrs |
| Summer Semester | |
| PTHA 1160: Clinical I | 1 hr |
| PTHA 2305: Neurology | 3 hrs |
| Second Fall semester | |
| PTHA 2431: Management of Neurological Disorders | 4 hrs |
| PTHA 2435: Rehabilitation Techniques | 4 hrs |
| PTHA 1431: Physical Agent | 4 hrs |
| PTHA 1161: Clinical II | 1 hrs |
| Second Spring Semester | |
| PTHA 2317: Issues in Health Care - | 3 hrs |
| PTHA 2567: Practicum I | 5 hrs |