The physical therapist assistant is a skilled paraprofessional health-care worker who, under the supervision of a physical therapist, carries out the patient's treatment program. The extent to which the physical therapist assistant is involved in treatment depends upon the supervising therapist.
A planned patient-care program is carried out by the assistant, following established procedures. Duties of the physical therapist assistant include: training patients in exercises and activities of normal daily living; conducting treatments; utilizing special equipment; assisting in performing tests, evaluations, and complex treatment procedures; observing and reporting the patient's responses.
The other members of the rehabilitation team include the occupational therapist, nurse, speech and hearing therapist, respiratory therapist, recreational therapist, physician, social worker, chaplain, vocational counselor, dietitian, and psychologist. This team has as its objective the optimum functional restoration and rehabilitation of patients disabled by illness or injury.
The field of physical therapy offers careers for men and women who are interested in medical science and who enjoy working with people. Physical therapist assistants are in demand. Graduates have a wide range of employment opportunities with medical groups, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, outpatient clinics, national and state agencies, and schools of physical therapy.
The physical therapist assistant program is 15 months in length and leads to the associate in science degree. The program begins with the sophomore year. Instruction begins in June; graduation is the following June. Program completion occurs when clinical affiliations are completed, usually by the end of September.
Supervised clinical experience is obtained in a variety of settings during the program. Students complete a two-week practicum and three major clinical assignments, each six weeks in length.
All clinical assignments will be made by the coordinator of clinical education or a designate (or program director). Because of the limited number of local facilities available, assignments cannot be made on the basis of the student's family/marital status or personal preference. Although the department makes an effort to accommodate the student's preference, the student agrees to accept the clinical assignment made by the department at any of the affiliated facilities, whether local or out of state. Clinical facilities may also require a background check and or fingerprinting and may have certain stipulations (ie, immunizations, CPR certification) that need to be met before the student is assigned. Costs for these requirements are the student's financial responsibility.
The program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education of the American Physical Therapy Association, 1111 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, VA 22314; (703) 706-3245.
Students are required to have current cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification for all scheduled clinical experiences.
Satisfactory completion of the degree requirements and clinical affiliation qualifies the student to sit for the National Physical Therapist Assistant Licensing Examination. Licensure is not required in all states for the physical therapist assistant to practice. Information about licensure or registration in the state in which one wishes to practice can be obtained on the web at www.fsbpt.org/directory.cfm.
Students and graduates are eligible for membership in the American Physical Therapy Association. The objective of the association is to foster development and improvement of service and education. This organization grants membership at a nominal cost to students of approved schools. Students are required to become members of this association while in the program. The national office of the American Physical Therapy Association is at 1111 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, VA 22314.
Upon completion of the program, graduates should be qualified to:
In addition, the PTA faculty and staff have identified four core objectives that are being addressed in each class. The student will:
To be eligible for admission, the applicant must have a minimum GPA of 2.5 in both science and non-science classes and must have completed a minimum of 48 quarter units (or 32 semester units) at an accredited college or university. Admission is a selective process. Criteria used include: science and non-science, GPA, completion of subject requirements, interview, essay, recommendations, and work experience.
See school admissions page for further information on how you can apply for this program.
Prerequisite check sheet (PDF) - Please complete the check sheet and bring this with you to your advising appointment. You are also encouraged to bring college transcripts from colleges where you have completed your prerequisites. Unofficial copies are ok initially, but official copies must be requested and supplied during the application process.
Deadlines for application are one month prior to the June start date. The deadline may be extended at the discretion of the program director. We encourage students to apply early.
PLEASE NOTE: GRADES OF C MINUS (C-) ARE NOT TRANSFERABLE FOR CREDIT. Credits must be from an accredited college.
PHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT Associate in Science
The program of instruction outlined below is for students who are enrolled during the 2006-2007 academic year at Loma Linda University. Courses are taught during daytime hours and usually 4-5 days a week depending on the quarter of study. Class times may vary by quarter depending on instructor and classroom availability.
| SOPHOMORE YEAR | ||
| PTAS 201 | Applied Anatomy and Physiology | 4 |
| PTAS 203 | Applied Kinesiology | 4 |
| PTAS 205 | Introduction to Physical Therapy | 1 |
| PTAS 206 | Documentation Skills | 1 |
| PTAS 212 | Physical Therapy Procedures | 3 |
| PTAS 224 | General Medicine | 3 |
| PTAS 225 | Neurology | 3 |
| PTAS 226 | Orthopaedics I | 3 |
| PTAS 227 | Therapeutic Exercises | 2 |
| PTAS 231 | Physical Therapy Modalities | 3 |
| PTAS 236 | Applied Electrotherapy | 3 |
| PTAS 238 | Wound Care | 1 |
| PTAS 241 | Applied Pediatrics | 2 |
| PTAS 243 | Applied Geriatrics | 3 |
| PTAS 244 (optional) | Introduction to athletic training for the PTA | 1 |
| PTAS 251 | Orthopaedics II | 3 |
| PTAS 252 | Applied Neurology | 3 |
| PTAS 261 | Physical Therapy Practice | 1 |
| PTAS 264 | Applied Prosthetics and Orthotics | 2 |
| PTAS 265 | Professional Seminar | 1 |
| PTAS 275 | Psychosocial Aspects of Health | 2 |
| PTAS 291 | Physical Therapist Assistant Practicum | 1 |
| PTAS 293 | Physical Therapist Assistant Affiliation I | 3 |
| PTAS 294 | Physical Therapist Assistant Affiliation II | 3 |
| PTAS 295 | Physical Therapist Assistant Affiliation III | 3 |
| AHCJ 305 | HIV/AIDS and the Health Provider | 1 |
| RELR 475 | The Art of Integrative Care | 2 |
| RELR 456 | Personal and Professional Ethics | 2 |
See course descriptions.
A minimum grade of C (2.0) is required for all courses in the program.
If you have questions regarding our program, feel free to call or email our department. You may also set up an appointment to meet with our program director (director's email) in person. This is a great opportunity for you to see firsthand what Loma Linda University has to offer. Please call or email us to plan your visit. We request that you bring with you your transcripts, the prerequisite check sheet, and any questions you may have.
Jeannine Stuart Mendes, PT
Assistant Professor
PTA Program Director
Email: jmendes@llu.edu
Phone: (909) 558-4634
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Last Revised: Mon, Apr 07, 2008