Physical Therapist Assistant (A.A.S.)
Physical Therapist Assistant (A.A.S.) - The Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) is a member of the health care team who provides Physical Therapy under the direction and supervision of a Physical Therapist. The PTA uses a variety of physical therapy interventions to provide treatments to improve the human experience across the lifespan. Interventions may include therapeutic exercises, functional training, manual therapy, and pain relieving modalities. PTA’s can work in a variety of settings including sports medicine facilities, outpatient clinics, schools, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, hospitals, home care, athletic teams and health service agencies.
Upon successful completion, the student will receive the Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree, and will be eligible to take the national licensing exam which will lead to certification by the State of New York as a Physical Therapist Assistant. When applying for certification as a PTA, the graduate will be required to show evidence of his or her current name and any previous names used, any criminal records and citizenship or legal status in the United States.
The program is affiliated with more than eighty clinical education sites in Nassau and Suffolk, the five boroughs, and upstate New York. The campus has two laboratories fully equipped with machinery and accessories found in a variety of physical therapy settings.
The PTA courses are offered during the day only. Students are admitted in the fall only and must be available for full-time study in the last semester. The P.T.A. Program has been designed as a career program leading to employment at the end of two years of study. However, after completing additional credits and a bachelor’s degree, students will be eligible to apply for competitive transfer into a doctoral level physical therapy program.
The program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100 Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085;telephone 800-999-2782; email: accreditation@apta.org; website: www.capteonline.org.
Course Descriptions: Online or PDF
Physical Therapist Assistant
A.A.S. Program
Hegis Code: 5219
Total Credits: 66
| Summer Session | Credits |
|---|---|
| AHS 131 Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 |
| Humanities Elective | 3 |
| Total Semester Credits | 7 |
| Fall Semester (First Year) |
Credits |
| AHS 101 Introduction to Allied Health Science | 3 |
| AHS 151 Physical Therapist Assistant I | 4 |
| AHS 234 Kinesiology | 4 |
| ENG 100 Enhanced Composition I or ENG 101 Composition I or ENG 108 The Craft of Composition / Honors English I(1) |
3 |
| Total Semester Credits | 14 |
| Spring Semester (First Year) |
Credits |
| AHS 252 Physical Therapist Assistant II | 7 |
| AHS 235 PTA Clinical I | 1 |
| AHS 132 Anatomy and Physiology II | 4 |
| Total Semester Credits | 12 |
| Summer Semester (Session I) | Credits |
| AHS 154 Physical Therapist Assistant IV | 3 |
| Total Semester Credits | 3 |
| Fall Semester (Second Year) | Credits |
| AHS 255 Physical Therapist Assistant V | 4 |
| AHS 236 PTA Clinical II | 2 |
| AHS 153 Physical Therapist Assistant III | 3 |
| PSY 203 General Psychology | 3 |
| Mathematics (as advised) | 3 |
| Total Semester Credits | 15 |
| Spring Semester (Second Year, first 7 1/2 weeks) |
Credits |
| AHS 156 Physical Therapist Assistant VI | 4 |
| SPS 201 Perspectives on People with Disabilities | 3 |
| Total Semester Credits | 7 |
| Spring Semester (Second Year, last 12 weeks) |
Credits |
| AHS 237 PTA Clinical III | 4 |
| AHS 238 PTA Clinical IV | 4 |
| Total Semester Credits | 8 |
NOTE: Either HED 292 (Safety and First Aid, 3 credits) and AHS 100 (CPR and Basic Cardiac Life Support, 1 credit) or First Aid and Safety offered by the American Red Cross and CPR for Allied Health Professionals offered by the American Heart Association must be completed as part of this program.
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