The Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) program is at the Associate in Science Degree level, which requires completion of the required program plus general education requirements. These include prerequisite courses (14.5 units), PTA courses (36.5 units), Allied Health courses (3 units), and specific general education courses required for the program (9 units). Students must also take additional courses to meet graduation requirements of the college (10-19 units). PTA and Allied Health courses are offered Monday through Thursday in the evening and are scheduled sequentially for four semesters and one summer session. Supervised clinical experiences are integrated throughout the program. Introduction to Clinical Practice (PTA 122) is a 3-week full-time clinical practicum during the summer session. Clinical Practicum I and II (PTA 142 and 152) are each full-time 6-week clinical experiences at the end of fall and spring semesters of the second year. Clinical sites are located throughout the greater Sacramento and Northern California region.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to:

✔ perform the duties of a physical therapist assistant in a safe manner that minimizes risk to patients, self, and others.

✔ demonstrate professional behavior.

✔ practice under the supervision of a physical therapist in a manner consistent with legal standards, ethical guidelines, and standards of the profession.

✔ perform interventions of therapeutic exercise, therapeutic techniques, physical agents, mechanical modalities, electrotherapeutic modalities, and functional training in a competent manner consistent with the plan of care established by the physical therapist.

✔ gather data effectively to measure and report patient response to treatment.

✔ demonstrate clinical problem-solving skills.

✔ demonstrate effective verbal and non-verbal communication with patients, family, staff, other health care providers, and members of the community.

✔ adapt delivery of care with recognition and respect for individual differences within the plan of care established by the physical therapist.

✔ produce quality documentation in a timely manner to support the delivery of physical therapy services, and that adheres to standards of state practice acts, the ✔ practice setting, and other regulatory agencies.

✔ use resources effectively for the efficient delivery of physical therapy services.

✔ demonstrate preparation for employment in a variety of settings to meet the health care resource needs of the community.

✔ assess own performance and engage in self-directed learning activities to enhance clinical performance.
 

To be eligible for enrollment in the program, the student must meet the following criteria:

✔ Enrollment in the Physical Therapist Assistant program is based on completion of prerequisite courses. Grades of "C" or better and a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 are required in the prerequisite courses. Credit earned for courses taken as Pass/No Pass will be calculated into the GPA as "C" grades. Applicants must submit applications online and official transcripts to the Office of Admissions & Records. Approximately 30 students are enrolled in the program annually. Prerequisite courses include:

✔ PTA 100 (Introduction to Physical Therapist Assistant) with a grade of "C" or better

✔ BIOL 430 and 431 (Anatomy and Physiology), or equivalent courses, with grades of "C" or better within 10 years. If students have completed all other prerequisites, but have BIOL 431 (or equivalent) in progress at the time of application, they will be considered eligible, pending receipt of final grade report.

✔ ENGWR 300 (College Composition) or ENGWR 488 (Honors College Composition and Research) or ESLW 340 (Advanced Composition) with a grade of "C" or better

Eligible students are selected for the program according to the following steps:

✔ Students apply for enrollment to the Physical Therapist Assistant program during each spring semester for entry in the following fall semester. Students wishing to apply for enrollment must submit an online application to the PTA program during the application period. The application form and the dates of the application period can be accessed via the PTA program website at https://scc.losrios.edu/academics/programs-and-majors/physical-therapist-assistant.

✔ In the event there are more applicants than spaces available, students who meet the enrollment eligibility requirements will be entered into a random selection pool.

✔ Students accepted for enrollment in the Physical Therapist Assistant program will be required to provide documentation of a) capability to perform essential job-related functions of a physical therapist assistant; b) completed physical examination and immunizations; c) TB test; d) current professional level CPR certification; e) first aid certification, f) blood-borne pathogen certification, and g) HIPAA training certification. Prior to assignment to a clinical experience, students will be required to undergo a criminal background check and an 8-panel drug screen test.