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Physical Therapist Assistant (PTHA)

Description

The Physical Therapist Assistant (PTHA) curriculum is a two-year integrated program taught over five and a half semesters. The student will develop the knowledge and skills required of an entry-level physical therapist assistant. The physical therapist assistant works under the supervision of a physical therapist to assist in the treatment of individuals suffering from disease or injury by relieving pain, restoring movement, and improving function. Upon completion of the curriculum plan, the student will be awarded an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Physical Therapist Assistant.

Mission

The Mission of Laredo College Physical Therapist Assistant program is to provide quality education that transforms students into caring, knowledgeable, and skilled entry-level physical therapist assistants committed to safe  and ethical practice to meet the healthcare needs of individuals in the community and the region.

Vision 

The PTA Program at Laredo College seeks to foster learning through quality instruction which will prepare graduates to serve the community's healthcare needs.

Goals

  1. Graduates will demonstrate competent and safe entry-level practice.
  2. Graduates will exhibit professional behaviors and adhere to ethical practice consistent with the profession and licensure regulations.
  3. Graduates will participate in professional growth and lifelong learning activities.
  4. The program will produce graduates who will obtain licensure and effectively transition to a physical therapist assistant career.
  5. PTA Program faculty will maintain contemporary expertise.

Outcomes

Student Outcomes

  1. 90% of students will score a grade of entry-level on minimum required intervention skills identified from  the PTA MACS during each clinical experience. (Goal 1)
  2. 90% of students will score a grade of entry-level on required professional behavior skills identified from the PTA MACS during each clinical experience. (Goal 2)
  3. 90% of students will score a grade of entry-level on required ethical behavior skills identified from the PTA MACS during each clinical experience. (Goal 2)

Program Outcomes

  1. The PTA graduate's participation in professional development activities will be rated as good to excellent by 100% of graduates surveyed. (Goal 3)
  2. PTA program graduates will have a 95% first-time pass rate on the licensure exam as evidenced by the NPTAE examination results. (Goal 4)
  3. One hundred percent of program graduates seeking employment will be employed as PTA's within 12 months of passing the licensure exam. (Goal 4)

Faculty Outcomes

  1. One hundred percent of full-time faculty will complete on faculty development activity related to their teaching content area. (Goal 5)

Accreditation and Licensure

The Physical Therapist Assistant Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education, 1111 N. Fairfax St., Alexandria, Virginia 22314; telephone: 703-706-3245: email: accreditation@apta.org; website: http://www.capteonline.org. If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call Dr. Esmeralda Vargas at 956-721-5262 or email esmeralda.vargas@laredo.edu

The graduate is eligible to sit for the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) for physical therapist assistants which is administered by the Texas State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners, Suite 2-510, 333 Guadalupe St., Austin, Texas 78701-3942, (512) 305-6900.

Clinical Education

Three full time clinical experiences, some of which may be out of town, are scheduled at appropriate times during the program. The clinical experiences may include assignments at facilities in Laredo or in surrounding geographical areas in South Texas. Additional expenses for these clinical experiences are the responsibility of the student. The applicant should be aware that he/she will be required to work with clients who may speak only Spanish; thus, the ability to speak the Spanish language is a definite asset to the student.

Application Process

The student seeking admission into the PTA Program must:

  1. Meet LC admission criteria. Click here for further information.
  2. Be college ready per Texas Success Initiative (TSI) requirements
  3. Earn a minimum GPA of 2.5 in PTA degree-specific courses, including pre-requisite and academic courses, with a grade of "C" or better in required academic courses.
  4. Complete the following prerequisite courses: Anatomy & Physiology I (BIOL 2301, BIOL 2101), Composition I (ENGL 1301), & The Profession of Physical Therapy (PTHA 1301)
  5. Submit the following documents via email to pta@laredo.edu no later than 6:00 pm on the second Thursday in May:
    • Health Sciences Division PTA application. No handwritten applications will be accepted.
    • Recommendation Form must be completed by an individual who has professional experience with the applicant (employer, supervisor, instructor) and be submitted via email by the individual recommending the student.
    • Volunteer Observation/Evaluation Forms documenting 40 hours of volunteer work or employment in a physical therapy facility. The hours may not be performed in a home health setting. Students employed as physical therapy aides may count work experience towards this requirement. The above mentioned forms must be submitted along with a letter form the place of employment on company letterhead stating term of employment. The observation evaluation forms must be submitted via email by the licensed physical therapy staff who supervised the applicant.
    • Applications are accepted beginning March 1st through the 2nd Thursday in May.

Selection Process

  1. Qualified students who submit completed applications by the second Thursday in May will be invited to sit for a pre-entrance exam and an interview. Admission into the PTA Program is based on achieving a minimum of 60% of total percentage points awarded from 100% (refer to Frequently Asked Questions on the PTA Program website for further information) based on the following:
    1. Degree-Specific grade point average GPA (50%)
    2. Pre-entrance exam (40%)
    3. Personal Interview (8%)
    4. PTA Applicant Volunteer Observation Evaluation Form (2%)
  2. The top 30 finalists who meet the required criteria will be considered for the personal interview.
  3. Students will be ranked based on the highest percentage points awarded, and a maximum of 18 students will be accepted. Due to program size limitations, a number of applicants who meet the program admissions requirements may not be admitted to the program. Applicants should note that although the PTA Program has placement for up to 18 students, only those students who meet the cut-off percentage score will be admitted each fall semester.
  4. The applicant will be notified by LC's official means of communication regarding the program admission status by late June. The applicant not selected for admission into the program may reapply the next application period and complete all admission requirements described above.

Acceptance

A student accepted into the PTA program must submit the following prior to the first day of class (the student is responsible for all fees associated with these procedures):

  1. A physical exam by a U.S. physician or nurse practitioner of choice within 45 days prior to the first day of class.
  2. Proof of immunizations: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, MMR, Varicella, Tetanus-Diphtheria-Pertussis (Tdap), Bacterial Meningitis, annual flu vaccine
  3. TB skin test (annual) or chest x-ray (every two years)
  4. American Heart Association BLS Health Care Provider CPR Certification
  5. A negative criminal background check. This can be accessed at www.castlebranch.com
  6. Negative 10- panel drug screen

The PTA Program adheres to the Equal Educational Opportunity Policy as listed in the LC Manual of Policy FA (LEGAL). Click here to access policy.

Progression in the PTA Program

The student should refer to the Progression/Promotion Procedures listed in the PTA Student Handbook.

Withdrawal

A student considering withdrawal from a PTA Program course should refer to the PTA Student Handbook and make an appointment with the instructor and Program Director.

Attendance

The PTA Program follows the LC attendance policy for academic/didactic courses. All clinical education courses require attendance in order to be in compliance with accrediting agencies. Please refer to the attendance policy in the PTA Student Handbook.

Dismissal

The student should refer to the dismissal policies listed in the PTA Student Handbook.

For further information about the Physical Therapist Assistant Program, contact the Program Director, Dr. Esmeralda Vargas at 721-5262 or by email at esmeralda.vargas@laredo.edu. An appointment can also be scheduled with the Allied Health secretary at 721-5261 or at the South Campus college of Health Sciences Building, room B323

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