Course Catalog

Physical Therapist Assistant Program

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The physical therapist assistant (PTA) program prepares students to work with adult, geriatric and/or pediatric populations in general hospitals, rehabilitation hospitals, outpatient clinics, long-term care facilities and school districts. Program graduates are eligible for licensure in any state as a physical therapist assistant.

The program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education of the American Physical Therapy Association.

Prerequisite courses

ENGL& 101; BUS 100 or MATH& 107 or any course designated “CP” on the Related Instruction list; PSYC& 100 or SOC& 101; BIOL, CHEM, or PHYS lab course; MA 101 (2 credits); BIOL& 241. All prerequisites must be completed with a minimum grade of C+ (2.3). BIOL& 241 must have been completed within 10 years of program application.

Note: With the exception of MA 101 and BIOL& 241, other program prerequisites may be waived with an associate/bachelor level degree. Refer to the College’s website or obtain the special application materials referred to below for complete details.

Special application process

Admission to the PTA program is by special application. For details about course/program prerequisites, the application process, application materials and deadlines, visit the PTA program page on the College’s website or contact entry & advising or the PTA program coordinator for program-specific questions.

Additional requirements during/after course of study

  • In order to progress through the PTA program, students must take all PTA courses in sequence and maintain a final grade of “C” (2.0) or better in all graded courses and an “S” in all clinical courses. (Note: A “C” in PTA courses is 74%.)
  • In order to pass lab practical exams, students must earn at least a “B” (3.0). One re-take will be allowed. Safety errors during a lab practical exam will be cause for failure. (Note: A “B” in PTA courses is 80%.)
  • Students admitted into the PTA program are required to maintain current CPR and First Aid certifications, complete a 7-hour HIV/AIDS training course and have up-to-date immunizations. They are also required to travel to and from clinical sites, which may be more than one hour away from the College or from the student’s home.

Dismissal/Re-entry regulations

Students will be dismissed from the PTA program for the following reasons:

  1. Earning an unsatisfactory “U” grade in any clinical course after being placed on probation due to unsatisfactory clinical performance.
  2. Failing to satisfactorily complete any probationary contract in the allotted time.
  3. Earning a “C-“ (1.7) or below in any PTA course after being placed on probation.
  4. Failing to meet a standard that would require probation for a second time in the program.
  5. Being placed on suspension by the College for violations of the Students Rights and Responsibilities policy.

Students who are dismissed from the program will be sent a certified letter indicating the reason for the dismissal. If the student wishes to appeal this action, he/she may do so by following the appropriate student grievance procedure as stated in the college catalog.

A student dismissed from the program may apply to re-enter the program by completing and submitting an “Application for Re-admission” form to the program coordinator at least two quarters prior to the quarter he/she intends to re-enroll. The program coordinator will review the application and inform the student of the outcome of the review no more than ten (10) days after receiving the application. Re-admission is dependent on space availability and whether the student has demonstrated that the problems that led to dismissal have been corrected. The program coordinator may request additional documentation from the student to support the application for re-admission. If the student is re-admitted to the program, he/she must complete the requirements that led to the dismissal before continuing the program sequence.

Any subsequent failure to meet the standards of academic progress will result in automatic dismissal. A student wishing to re-enroll after a second dismissal must apply as a new student to the program and repeat all PTA courses.

Visit whatcom.edu/pta for more information.