Physical Therapist Assistant

Physical therapist assistant at Whatcom

Physical therapist assistant, associate of applied science (AAS) (111 credits)

The physical therapist assistant (PTA) degree contains prerequisite courses and the PTA core of physical therapy application courses and practical clinical experience.

Once admitted into the core PTA program, there are two formats available to students:

Full-time, on campus (beginning every fall)
Part-time, online/hybrid (beginning every spring)

Click here to see the quarter-by-quarter sequence of classes for each pathway option.

Upon graduating from the PTA program, you are eligible to take the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE), which is a requirement for licensure in Washington state.

Find out more at an information session!

These sessions cover a lot and will likely answer most of your questions. See the Events calendar at the bottom of this page for the schedule of upcoming PTA program information sessions.

PTA program mission

The PTA program will produce entry-level physical therapist assistants who possess the knowledge and skill necessary to work under the supervision of the physical therapist while providing safe and competent patient services for the prevention or alleviation of physical impairment. The program strives to instill in the student professional qualities of ethical practice; awareness of diverse people and of a global society; individual responsibility for lifelong learning; the ability to engage in clinical problem solving; and a dedication to the promotion of personal wellness including physical activity.

Accreditation

The Physical Therapist Assistant program at Whatcom Community College is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; telephone: 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org; website: http://www.capteonline.org. If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call please call 360-383-3500 or email bhenoch@whatcom.edu.

This program is designed to prepare students to become licensed in Washington state. Accredited programs such as WCC's also meet the educational requirements for graduates to pursue licensure in the other states. If your goal is to be a licensed PTA in another state, we encourage you to check with the licensing agency in that state before you begin the program.

PTA student outcome data

Click here for information on number of applicants, number of graduates, licensing pass rates and employment. "Total applicants" refers to the number of applications received which had all application requirements satisfied on or before the application deadline.

PTA program financial fact sheet

Click here for an estimate of the total student costs associated with completing the WCC physical therapist assistant program.

FAQs

Does the PTA program transfer to a university?

The prerequisite classes in the PTA degree will transfer to universities. However, few if any PTA-specific classes will transfer. Students planning a doctoral degree in physical therapy should consult an academic advisor to plan an appropriate selection of classes to ensure that all requirements of the transfer institution are met. Students are responsible for finding out the unique requirements of the college or university they plan to attend.
What are the standards to be successful in the PTA program?
Students in Whatcom Community College's PTA program must be able to meet these minimum standards (also called essential functions or skills), with or without reasonable accommodation, for successful completion of the program requirements. Students must be capable of meeting these skills requirements in a safe, reliable, and efficient manner. There are no substitutes for these essential skills. The applicant must also be able to perform these skills throughout the course of the program. The Essential Functions include skills in five areas:
1. Mobility and Psychomotor
2. Sensory
3. Communication
4. Behavioral and Psychosocial
5. Critical Thinking/Problem Solving
It is the policy of Whatcom Community College to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified students with a disability so they can meet these required standards, if requested by the student. Whether or not a requested accommodation is reasonable will be determined on an individual basis and will be provided if it does not fundamentally alter the nature of the program, impose undue hardship, expense or difficulty or is unduly disruptive to the educational process. Reasonable accommodation does not mean that students with disabilities will be exempt from certain tasks; it does mean that WCC will work with students with disabilities to determine whether there are ways the college can assist the student toward completion of the tasks.

For additional information, please review this detailed essential functions or skills list.
Are there any special requirements for students in the PTA program?

The on-campus PTA program is full-time, very demanding and requires significant study time. It is highly recommended that students admitted to the program limit their outside obligations, particularly work hours. The first four quarters average 18 hours per week in the classroom with an expectation that students work up to 20 hours per week outside of class on homework assignments. The final quarter is full-time clinical affiliations scheduled at 40 hours per week.

The online/hybrid PTA program also requires significant time, as well as having challenges specific to the on-line learning environment. Students should expect to spend 20 to 30 hours per week working on their courses in addition to the weekend labs.

Health care workers are required to have current CPR and First Aid certification, TB tests, measles vaccination and hepatitis immunization. Many students are also required to undergo drug screening and a national criminal history background check. Students are required to have these completed and current before entering their clinical experiences.

Uniforms are not necessary, although some clinics require a lab jacket for clinical experiences. The student is responsible for dressing according to each clinical site's dress code. Information regarding dress codes will be available before the first day of clinical placement. A name tag and a watch with a second hand are also required for each clinical experience.
What can I do to learn more about online learning and whether the online/hybrid program may be a good fit for me?
1. Check out the Online Learning Best Practices page for information on what to expect and how online learning works.
2. Take the quick Online Readiness Assessment for online learning.
3. Contact an academic advisor for more information on Whatcom Community College's PTA online/hybrid program. By phone at 360.383.3080 or by email at advise@whatcom.edu.
What are the prerequisites to the PTA program?

Applicants to the core PTA program are required to have first earned a minimum grade of C+ (2.3) in each of the courses noted below except courses marked "optional."

If you have earned a bachelor degree from an accredited college or university or you earned a transfer degree in Washington state, you may be able to use your degree as a whole to satisfy some individual general education prerequisites. Please consult an academic advisor to explore these options.

ENGL& 101 English composition I (5 credits)

BUS 100 Business math (5 credits)
or MATH& 107 Math in society (5 credits)
or another course designated as Computation (CP) on the Related Instruction list in the WCC catalog (5 credits)

PSYC& 100 General psychology (5 credits)
or SOC& 101 Introduction to sociology (5 credits)

Any BIOL, CHEM, or PHYS lab course (5 credits)

MA 101 Medical terminology I (2 credits)

BIOL& 241 Human anatomy and physiology 1 (5 credits)

Optional:
CMST& 101 Intro to communication (5 credits)
or CMST& 210 Interpersonal communication (5 credits)
or CMST& 220 Public speaking (5 credits)
or CMST& 230 Small group communication (5 credits)
The PTA program highly recommends taking one of these communication courses, but it is not required.

Optional:
BIOL& 242 Human anatomy and physiology II (5 credits)
The PTA program highly recommends taking A&P II, but it is not required.
Can I take my PTA prerequisites online?

Some of them, yes! Many prerequisites are offered through Whatcom Community College and other colleges outside of Washington state. Check with the an academic advisor at advise@whatcom.edu or 360-383-3080 to make sure a prerequisite course will transfer to the PTA program.

Find online courses available from WCC using the Class Search.
Clinical affiliation experiences: How does that work for the online/hybrid PTA program?

When possible, your clinical assignments will be held in your local area. However, depending on the availability of physical therapy experiences, you may have to commute or travel outside your local area. You will be expected to get experience in both inpatient (hospital, long-term care, etc.) and outpatient clinic settings the same as all other PTA students in our on-campus program. Students are not assigned to clinical sites for which they currently work.
How does the online/hybrid PTA program work?

This program is a hybrid program because only a portion of it is online. The remainder of the program (labs and clinical experience) is set up in the same way as our on-campus program, but with a different schedule. The online portion of the program requires that you have access to a computer and the Internet. Faster connections to the Internet are extremely helpful. To be successful in this program you must have the ability to perform basic computer functions like word processing, file management and email with attachments. Self-discipline, organization, and time-management skills are especially critical for online learning.
How often will labs be held each quarter for the online/hybrid PTA program?

Labs will occur about three times per quarter for two to three days each. Generally, the days will be Saturday, Sunday and/or Monday. The complete schedule will be given to you ahead of time for planning purposes. You are responsible for arranging your own housing and meals. The Bellingham/Whatcom County Tourism website (www.bellingham.org) is a good place to start researching places to stay.

More FAQ's »

No results found.