Physical therapy assistant certification programs

The program at Weatherford College prepares you to work with people from all ages recovering from injuries that vary from sports injuries to trauma from accidents, neurologic conditions, degenerative diseases, and congenital diseases. All of our courses are taught face to face in small class sizes by experienced physical therapy clinicians. Our students participate in clinical internships in hospitals and clinics throughout the Fort Worth Dallas area and cities to the north, south, and west of the metroplex.

If you like working with people from all ages and stages in life, this program might be for you. The equipment you will work with is provided by the hospital or clinic. In fact, they have at least three different types of scholarships that they regularly award to minority group members. In addition, dozens of other non-physical therapy specific colleges also regularly award PTA students with scholarships. Student Loans Within the United States, student loans are the most common form of financial aid for college.

Although there are several methods of acquiring a loan, such as state and federal governments and private lenders, federally issued loans account for the bulk of these funds.

However, online physical therapy assistant programs come with a number of distinct benefits and advantages over the traditional on-campus format such as:. Lower Costs Tuition for physical therapy assistant programs may be cheaper than traditional on-campus programs.

In some cases, online programs cost a little more. Nevertheless, students in online programs will still benefit from reduced costs overall. Flexibility Most online courses provide the student with the tools and flexibility to work whenever is most convenient for them, which allows them to create their own study schedule and progress at their own speed.

This means you can keep your day job and continue watching your young children while you study and complete your education. It is important to look at the same criteria for each PTA school that you compare.

The following criteria are the most important factors to consider and compare when choosing a PTA program online. CAPTE accreditation assures students that their program meets or exceeds the required education quality standards.

Graduating an accredited program and obtaining a PTA license is an important qualification for potential hires. But where do you find the information? Hands-On In Person Training All physical therapy assistant programs, whether online or in-person, include a clinical practicum.

If you want one that is near your home and fits your schedule, you should consider programs that provide access to quality clinical facilities close to your home. To become a physical therapy assistant in the U. Specific requirements and processes differ by state jurisdiction, but all require that you take and pass the NPTE to become licensed. You may also need to fulfill general requirements, including criminal background check, CPR certification, and the purchase of a license application processing fee.

Some state licensures require applicants to be eighteen years of age. Also, licensure is only accepted in the state that gives the license. So for example, if you want to work as a PTA in State A and then move to State B, you will need to get licensed again in your new state. The test can be taken in any jurisdiction where it is available. Exam participants have a maximum of 5 hours to finish the exam. The passing score range is from and above out of The NPTE may be taken up to three times in succession, and only six times all together.

For more information on exam policies, visit their website where you can review detailed eligibility requirements. There is a wealth of materials that can be used for your exam preparation, including some which can be found at a library or bookstore for free.

Page Contents. The table below shares a general curriculum for a PTA student of physical therapist assistant online courses. As you can see, most of PTA classes online are taught through distance learning but a few require online students to meet in person.

In addition to the courses below, some prerequisite courses must be completed. A broad range of knowledge is needed for anyone hoping to become a physical therapy assistant. All of this knowledge will be covered in any quality PTA degree program that you find. Didactic PTA core coursework is typically presented online and includes study in a number of relevant subjects, such as anatomy and physiology, biomechanics, communication, neuroscience, clinical pathology, ethics and more.

Developing hands-on skills with patients is an important part of training that PTA students can learn during the in-person components of their degree program. Physical Therapist Assistant programs are two-year 5 semesters Associate of Science AS programs offered through community colleges, technical schools, and traditional universities and colleges.

As you consider your options for physical therapist assistant schools, you will find that programs are widely available. CAPTE accreditation is crucial when choosing a physical therapist assistant program because it is the only accrediting agency recognized by the U. Department of Education to accredit entry-level physical therapy programs. In other words, you must complete a CAPTE-approved program to become state licensed to practice as a physical therapist assistant.

Once you have successfully met all of the requirements for eligibility for the PTA Recognition of Advanced Proficiency, you must submit the following:. You may submit your application online or via email to PTARecognition apta. You may also mail your application packet to:. Once the APTA has received and reviewed your application, they will process it and send it to a physical therapist and physical therapist assistant team to ensure you have met eligibility requirements.

You will be notified by email of the status of your application, which usually takes weeks.