Physical Therapist Assistant Degree (PTA) (selective)

Next class accepted fall 2009 Devens campus and fall 2010 Gardner campus
Physical therapist assistants implement treatment procedures in the rehabilitation of injured, ill, or debilitated individuals. The Physical Therapist Assistant Degree program prepares individuals to work in the healthcare field under the direct supervision of a physical therapist in a variety of settings. The program also prepares students for the PTA licensure examination in the student's respective state of practice. The program is accredited by The Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education. For more information, please call (978) 630-9292.

Application deadline:April 1 for the Devens Campus program starting fall 2009. March 1 for the Gardner Campus program starting fall 2010. Students applying after established deadlines will be considered for acceptance if seats are available. This selective enrollment program requires additional application components. The selection process is competitive and space is limited. (See page 22 of the college catalog).

Campus/format: This program is selective and can be completed during the day at the Gardner Campus.

Requirements for consideration: Applicants must meet certain academic standards. See page 22 of the college catalog for specific details or refer to the program application available on our website or through the admissions office.

Helpful hints: Interested applicants are encouraged to register in the Allied Health Concentration so they can take PTA101 as well other courses needed to meet requirements for consideration. They can then apply for acceptance.

Transfer options: While there has traditionally been no direct transfer route for PTA graduates, they may chose from a variety of higher level degrees such as exercise physiology, pre-physical therapy, and massage therapy or other complementary health care programs. Consult with your academic advisor. Transfer agreements exist with Charter Oak State College and the University of Phoenix. Visit MWCC’s transfer planning services website: http://transfer.mwcc.edu.

3 Plus ONE eligible–go to: www.mwcc.edu/3PlusONE

Special requirements: Complete MAT126 or higher with C+ or better or placement is required prior to semester I coursework. PTA students are required to keep pace with the incoming class and must take courses in sequential order. Applicants must meet all requirements for consideration before entering the program. Students must meet technical standards and additional requirements including immunizations, CPR certification, liability insurance, and a Criminal/Sexual Offender Records Information (CORI/SORI) check (see page 22 of the college catalog). BIO203 and BIO204 must be completed within five years prior to or concurrently with PTA coursework in semesters I and II. Please Note: All BIO and PTA courses require a grade of “C+” in order to be eligible for promotion to the next level.

Career options: PTAs assist PTs in acute care and rehabilitation hospitals, long-term care, private practices, school systems, and home care/visiting nurse associations.

Earning potential: $35,000-$45,000 per year.

Information about Selective Admissions programs

Elective courses by abbreviation

Program Competencies

Upon graduation from this program, students shall have demonstrated the ability to:

1. Consistently demonstrate appropriate role utilization of the physical therapist assistant within the plan of care and the working relationship of the PTA to the supervising physical therapist in the application of an established treatment plan.
2. Integrate into practice the Guidelines of Ethical Conduct/Standards of Practice for PTAs in an effort to assure safe and proper conduct for all interactions within the profession.
3. Demonstrate entry-level competence and skill in the implementation of a comprehensive treatment plan including appropriate modifications according to patient response, patient practitioner interactions, and participation in discharge planning and follow-up.
4. Report and communicate regularly with supervising physical therapists regarding patient progress and treatment modifications in accordance with changes in patient status.
5. Perform with entry-level competence assessment procedures integrating the findings of such procedures to the patient’s plan of care.
6. Identify and demonstrate consistent behavior of interactions and teaching with healthcare professionals, patients and their families while providing the desired psycho-social support among diverse populations.
7. Demonstrate effective and accurate written and verbal communication skills in documenting the relevant aspects of patient care, including patient response and progress.
8. Integrate information obtained from professional literature review into their clinical practice.
9. Demonstrate consistent commitment to lifelong learning through regular participation in continuing education.
10. Demonstrate successful performance on state licensure examination.
11. Obtain employment as entry-level Physical Therapist Assistant.

Technical Standards*

*general information about technical standards and accommodation.

Students entering this program must be able to demonstrate the ability to:

1. Comprehend textbook material at the 11th grade level.
2. Communicate and assimilate information either in spoken, printed, signed, or computer voice format.
3. Gather, analyze, and draw conclusions from data.
4. Stand for a minimum of two hours.
5. Walk for a minimum of six hours, not necessarily consecutively.
6. Stoop, bend, and twist for a minimum of 30 minutes at a time and be able to repeat this activity at frequent intervals.
7. Lift a 40-pound person or assist with a larger person and transfer the person from one location to another.
8. Determine by touch: hotness/coldness, wetness/dryness, and hardness/softness.
9. Use the small muscle dexterity necessary to do such tasks as gloving, gowning, and operating controls on machinery.
10. Respond to spoken words, monitor signals, call bells, and vital sign assessment equipment.
11. Identify behaviors that would endanger a person’s life or safety and intervene quickly in a crisis situation with an appropriate solution.
12. Remain calm, rational, decisive, and in control at all times, especially during emergency situations.
13. Exhibit social skills appropriate to professional interactions.
14. Maintain cleanliness and personal grooming consistent with close personal contact.
15. Function without causing harm to self or others if under the influence of prescription or over-the-counter medications.

Information about Selective Admissions programs