Associate of Applied Science in Physical Therapist Assisting

The Physical Therapist Assisting (PTA) program is a 1 + 1 program.  One year of prerequisites must be completed prior to applying for this competitive entry program.  In all prerequisite coursework, each student must earn a C or better.  Once in the technical phase of this PTA program, it will last one year plus one 5 week summer session.  Once in the program, each student must maintain at least a 75% test average in order to keep their spot in the program.  Twenty students will be admitted to the PTA program each fall.  

This program will prepare students to sit for the national PTA licensure examination, which is required to practice in most states.  This program will also prepare the PTA students to work in a variety of physical therapy settings including; acute care, outpatient orthopedics, skilled nursing, rehabilitation center, and nursing home.

The students will have a total of 4 clinical education experiences.  Each of these experiences will occur in a different setting so that the PTA student will be well rounded and prepared to work in any setting after graduation.  The students will be evaluated by their clinical instructors while in the clinic or hospital. 

This program is an expansion program of Pierpont Community and Technical College, and it is located in Martinsburg, WV, at Blue Ridge Community and Technical College.  The students entering into the program in Fall 2011 will be Pierpont CTC students.  If approval from accreditation is successful, the program should belong to Blue Ridge CTC starting in the Fall of 2012.    

Dr. Chrystal McDonald is the program coordinator.  You can reach her at 304-260-4380, ext 3408 with any questions or complaints about the PTA program.  Michele Sheely is the clinical coordinator, and she can be reached at 304-260-4380, ext 3313. 

The following is a list of prerequisites for the PTA program: 

Term	Course	Prerequisites	Credits	Total
Freshman First Semester	ENGL 110  OR ENG 101	ACT/SAT/ACCUPLACER Score	3
	MAST 102 Medical Terminology		3
	CAHS 120 Anatomy and Physiology for Health Care Professionals		3
	CAHS 121 A & P Lab		1
	PSYCH 203 Intro to Psychology		3
	Any MATH 100 level or higher		3
				16
Freshman Second Semester	CAHS 141 Intro to Pharmacology		3
	OFTC 102  Information Literacy		3
	CAHS 142 Pathophysiology of Diseases		3
	CAHS 122 Anatomy and Physiology for Health Care Professionals	CAHS 120 & 121	3
	CAHS 123 A & P Lab	CAHS 120 & 121	1
	PTA 109 Physics for PTA		1
				14

The following course work is a part of the technical phase of the PTA program: 

Sophomore First Semester	PTA 101  Intro to Physical Therapy	Admission to program	2
	PTA 106  Clinical Education I	Admission to program	1
	PTA 102 Patient and Professional Relationship	Admission to program	2
	PTA 103  Intro to Patient Care	Admission to program	3
	PTA 103  Lab	Admission to program	0
	PTA 104  Physical Agents	Admission to program	4
	PTA 104  Lab		0
	PTA 105  Kinesiology	Admission to program	3
	PTA 107 Clinical Education II (40 hrs a week for 3 weeks)	Admission to program	3
				18
Sophomore Second Semester	PTA 201 Therapeutic Exercise	Satisfactory academic progress	4
	PTA 201  Lab	Satisfactory academic progress	0
	PTA 202 Orthopedics	Satisfactory academic progress	4
	PTA 202  Lab	Satisfactory academic progress	0
	PTA 203  Neurology	Satisfactory academic progress	4
	PTA 203  Lab	Satisfactory academic progress	0
	PTA 205  Capstone Seminar (compressed into 5 weeks)	Satisfactory academic progress	1
	PTA 204 Clinical Education III (40 hours a week for 5 weeks)	Satisfactory academic progress	5
				18
Sophomore Summer I	PTA 206  Clinical Education IV (40 hours a week for 5 weeks)	Satisfactory academic progress	5
				5

Applications are due on June 1st each year. 

Click on the following links to view and/or print the application and the volunteer hours verification form.