Allegany College of Maryland

Who are Physical Therapist Assistants?

The PTA Program at Allegany College of Maryland

WHAT IS PHYSICAL THERAPY?
Physical Therapy is a profession with a long history, an exciting present, and an unlimited future. Physical Therapy professionals include Physical Therapists (PTs) and Physical Therapist Assistants (PTAs). These individuals deal with 1) managing and improving movement disorders; 2) restoring, maintaining, and promoting patient function, wellness, and quality of life; and 3) preventing impairments, functional limitations, and disabilities associated with disease and injury.

WHO ARE PHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSISTANTS?

Physical Therapist Assistants (PTAs) provide patient care and treatment under the supervision of a Physical Therapist. The Physical Therapist creates a plan of care for each patient. The PTAs carry out treatment programs, train patients in exercise and activities of daily living, and utilize specialized rehabilitative equipment according to the plan of care. The PTA works closely with the Physical Therapist through ongoing communication about the patient and the plan of care.

Physical Therapist Assistants also:

apply various modalities for pain control and muscle re-education
instruct patients in the use of adaptive equipment
educate patients and family members in the safe performance of various activities of daily living (ADL’s)
utilize hands on skills to assist patients to move, walk, or perform a variety of daily functional activities

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PT ASSISTANT

Physical Therapist Assistants are utilized in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, home health care, schools, nursing homes, and out-patient clinics including sports medicine facilities, as well as industrial rehabilitation, aquatic, burn, and emergency care centers. The field of the Physical Therapist Assistant has consistently been ranked through the year 2005 to be in the top ten of predicted job gains nationally.

PTA Job Opportunites

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THE PTA PROGRAM AT ALLEGANY COLLEGE OF MARYLAND

The PTA program offered by Allegany College of Maryland is considered a 1+1 model. This is where students complete the General Education Courses (Phase I), which can be completed in as little as one or as long as five years, and then apply to the PTA Clinical Phase (Phase II). This is a convenient model for non-traditional students wishing to complete the General Education Courses over a period of time. It is also excellent for students who hold bachelor’s degree in related fields such as athletic training and exercise physiology and wish to work as a PTA.

Requirements for application into the Clinical Phase include:

Submit ACM College Application form
Successful completion of all General Education Courses (Phase I) with a grade of “C” or better,
A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 for all General Education Courses,
Proof of completion of a total of 32 volunteer hours with a licensed physical therapist at two different clinical facilities. One of the facilities must be in a hospital or long term care setting. Volunteer Evaluation Forms are available in the application packet,
Completion of an application packet and written response to an essay question, and
Submission of all required application materials by May 1st prior to the summer you wish to start the program.
A professional interview with the Admissions Committee.

Admission to the PTA Program is competitive, and not all qualified applicants can be accepted. Completion of all pre-requisite classes with a “C” or better does not guarantee acceptance into the clinical program. A point system for evaluation criteria is in place which includes points from the English, Mathematics, and Science classes, points from the remaining general education requirements and points from the volunteer hours, essay response and the professional panel interview. All PTA applications will be evaluated on a numerical scale with 110 being the maximum score.

Application packets are available by contacting Jamie Andres, the PTA Program Secretary at (301) 784-5538.

General Education Courses (Phase I)

Required General Education (Phase I) Courses
Course	ACM Course	Lecture Credits	Lab Credits	Total Credits
Freshman English	English 101	3
Speech Communication	Speech 101	3
Mathematics Elective		3
Human Anatomy and Physiology	Biology 201 and 121 or Biology 207 and 208	6	2	8
General Psychology	Psychology 101	3
Human Growth and Development	Psychology 203	3
Social Science Elective	Check ACM Catalog or check with your advisor for approved Social Science Electives	3
Physical Education Elective(s)	Check ACM Catalog or check with your advisor for approved Physical Activity Courses	2

PTA Clinical Phase (Phase II)

PTA Program Course	Lecture Credits	Lab Credits	Total Credits
Mandatory Orientation will be held prior to July 1

Semester II (Fall)
Introduction to PTA	2		2
Pathology I	2		2
Modalities I	2	1	3
Kinesiology	3	1	4
Procedures	2	1	3
Clinic I	2		2

Semester III (Spring)
Pathology II	2		2
Modalities II	2	1	3
Therapeutic Exercise	2	2	4
Rehabilitation	3	1	4
Clinic II	2		2

Semester IV (Summer 2 – May-August)
Practicum I	5		5
Practicum II	5		5
Trends in Physical Therapy	1		1

Phase II of the program is composed entirely of physical therapy coursework and lasts 12 consecutive months. These Clinical Phase courses must be taken on the Cumberland Campus at Allegany College of Maryland. Graduation is held the last weekend in August. Graduates receive an Associate of Applied Science degree (AAS) and are eligible for state PTA licensure exams. The licensure exam is administered by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy. The Physical Therapist Assistant examination is intended to sample basic entry-level competence of the licensure candidate who has met the academic requirements set by a licensing board for physical therapist assistants. Students should check with the state licensing agency of the state they wish to practice for more information about the licensure exam.

TRANSITIONING FROM PTA TO PT

At present, there are only two Physical Therapy programs in the United States designated to accept Physical Therapist Assistants. These programs require that you have a bachelor’s degree in addition to a PTA degree/license. They are all highly competitive and the college’s program does not articulate with or guarantee entry into these or any other Physical Therapy program. Visit the APTA website: www.apta.org for more information on transitioning a PTA degree to a PT degree.

TRANSFER STUDENTS

Students transferring to Allegany College of Maryland and students holding a bachelor’s degree must have an official copy of their transcripts (from any school you have attended other than Allegany College of Maryland) sent to the Admissions Office for approval of general education courses. Approval of transfer credits may take several weeks to complete, so if you plan to transfer courses, please begin this process early. Transfer students must also complete an Allegany College of Maryland application in addition to the PTA Program application.

ACCREDITATION

The Physical Therapist Assistant Program at Allegany College of Maryland is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education of the American Physical Therapy Association, 1111 N. Fairfax Street, Alexandria, VA 22314, Phone: 703-684-2782.

For more information on a career as an Physical Therapy Assistant contact Jamie Andres, Program Secretary at (301) 784 - 5538

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