Physical Therapist Assistant

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The Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) program, is a 2-yr program of study that prepares a physical therapist assistant to perform interventions under the direction and supervision of physical therapists (PTs) in an ethical, legal, safe, and effective manner. These professionals enhance the delivery of physical therapy services by performing selected data collection skills and providing selected interventions, assisting the PT with data collection, communicating with other members of the health-care delivery team, interacting with members of the patient’s family and caregivers, and working cooperatively with other health care providers. Physical therapist assistants participate with the PT in teaching other health-care providers, documenting patient interventions, and providing psychosocial support for patients and their families and caregivers with recognition of individual, cultural, and economic differences.

This program prepares the graduate to practice in schools, hospitals, clinics, home health, and other health-care facilities as a member of the health-care team. In Mississippi, physical therapist assistants are licensed by the Mississippi State Board of Physical Therapy. This curriculum conforms to standards and elements as published by the Commission on Accreditation for Physical Therapy Education. Industry standards are based on the Standards and Required Elements for Accreditation of Physical Therapist Assistant Education Programs.

PTA students will complete a rigorous 2-year program that consists of an academic phase and a professional, technical phase. Once the student has completed the program, the student will then be eligible to sit for the National Physical Therapy Exam for PTAs. Once degree and licensure are obtained, the student will then proceed into the workforce. This program will allow us to better serve our future students through quality education to meet their diverse needs, and therefore be able to better serve our community and beyond which is consistent with the mission statement of the college.

Entry to the PTA program is expected to be highly competitive and will provide challenging coursework to the student. There will be one cohort admitted annually. The candidate must be admitted to both the NWCC and the PTA program. Admissions requirements for the program will be as follows:

• NWCC Application
• PTA Application 
• ACT Score of 18, must also qualify to take or have taken College Algebra 
• HESI A2 Entrance Exam 
• 2.0 or higher in all academic courses with the exception of 3.0 or higher in Anatomy & Physiology I/II Lecture and Lab is REQUIRED to remain in the program. (Academic courses may be taken within the first year of the program. See Curriculum and Projected Schedule below for more information.)

Note: The following courses must have been taken within the last five years (prior to the start date of the program) with a score of “B” or higher to be accepted as academic credit:

• Anatomy and Physiology I and Lab BIO (1514)
• Anatomy and Physiology II and Lab BIO (1524)

Note: The following courses must have been taken within the last five years (prior to the start date of the program) with a score of “C” or higher to be accepted as academic credit:

• Medical Terminology I (BOT 1613)
• Medical Terminology II (BOT 1623)
• Personal and Community Health (HPR 1213) 
  **Special circumstances to be considered

• At least 20 Volunteer/Observation Hours 
• Background Check 
• Drug Screen 
• An objective scoring tool will be utilized for student applications 
• Must be 18 years or older at start of course
• Applicants who have been enrolled in another PTA program must be eligible to return to that program and must provide a letter of good standing from the PTA program attended in order to be considered for the NWCC PTA Program.
• Applicants with two withdrawals or failures from any other PTA program/course are not eligible for admission to the NWCC PTA Program for three years from the date of the last PTA course taken.

Offered at Senatobia campus 

Associate of Applied Science

Physical Therapist Assistant Faculty

Dr. Barton Allen, Director
662.562.3247
ballen@northwestms.edu

Casey Saturday
662.562.3501
csaturday@northwestms.edu

Programs

• Physical Therapist Assistant, A.A.S.

Courses

• PTA 1123 - Fundamental Concepts of Physical Therapy
• PTA 1213 - Fundamental Skills for Physical Therapist Assistants
• PTA 1224 - Therapeutic Modalities
• PTA 1314 - Kinesiology
• PTA 1324 - Therapeutic Exercise and Rehabilitation
• PTA 2234 - Electrotherapy
• PTA 2334 - Therapeutic Exercise and Rehabilitation II
• PTA 2414 - Clinical Education I
• PTA 2424 - Clinical Education II
• PTA 2434 - Clinical Education III
• PTA 2444 - Clinical Education IV
• PTA 2513 - Medical Conditions and Related Pathology
• PTA 2523 - Physical Therapy Seminar

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