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PTA Information Meeting Presentation

Home Academics Physical Therapist Assistant Program Details PTA Request to Attend Informational Meeting PTA Information Meeting Presentation

Start your journey to a Physical Therapist Assistant degree by attending an information meeting. We have provided the following presentation online to view in tandem with the live presentation, or to review separately.

What is Physical Therapy?

Treatment provided by a licensed physical therapist (PT) or physical therapist assistant (PTA) that helps to improve patient’s movement and physical function, manage pain and other chronic conditions, and recover from and prevent injury and chronic disease.

Physical therapy services:

  • help people impacted by disease, injury, or disability
  • prevent movement loss
  • promote wellness

Physical therapy can be provided in multiple settings for conditions related to:

  • Musculoskeletal
  • Neuromuscular
  • Cardiovascular
  • Pulmonary
  • And/or integumentary systems

From American Physical Therapy Association (APTA)

Who Works in Physical Therapy?

  • four young adults smiling and posing in a physical therapy environment
  • a physical therapist helping a patience with a prosthetic lower leg with a leg stretch
  • a physical therapist helping a patient with resistance training on a weight machine
  • a physical therapist testing a patient for skin elasticity

Physical Therapists (PTs):

  • Perform initial evaluation
  • Establish the plan of care
  • Make changes to the plan of care
  • Determine when the patient can be discharged
  • Communicate directly with referring physician
  • May be a clinic owner or director
  • Require a clinical doctorate: Bachelor’s degree + doctorate = approximately 7+ years
  • Approximately $114K Mean Salary in Sacramento, CA per Salary.com

Physical Therapist Assistants (PTAs):

  • Work under the supervision of a Physical Therapist
  • Carry out interventions established in the plan of caree
  • Make recommendations for changes in the plan of care
  • Make recommendations for patient discharge
  • May be a clinic owner or director
  • Require an Associate degree = 2 years
  • Approx. $70K Mean Salary in Sacramento, CA per Salary.com

Physical Therapy Aides:

  • Unlicensed personnel
  • No formal education requirements
  • Work under the direct and immediate supervision of a PT
  • Earn $16.50 to $18.00 per hour

Perform non patient-related tasks such as:

  • Housekeeping and clerical duties
  • Transport of patients
  • Providing an extra hand for physical support during gait or transfer training

6 Things You May Not Know About Physical Therapy

  • Only licensed PTs and PTAs can provide physical therapy services.
  • PTs and PTAs care for patients of all ages and abilities. They treat across the lifespan.
  • PTs and PTAs work throughout the healthcare system.
  • PTs and PTAs can focus on specific areas of care, known as specialties and proficiencies.
  • PTs and PTAs treat multiple body systems, not just musculoskeletal system.
  • There are two physical therapy career pathways (DPT and PTA).

Where Do PTAs Work–What Settings?

Lots of places!

Hospitals

  • physical therapist holding and moving the leg of a patient in a hospital bed
  • two hospital professionals assisting a patient standing with a machine in a hospital room
  • three hospital professionals assisting a patient sitting on a hospital bed

Outpatient Settings

  • physical therapy professional assiting a patient with a mobility exercise
  • physical therapy professional assiting a patient with a resistance exercise
  • physical therapy professional assiting a patient who has a leg cast

Skilled Nursing Facilities

  • physical therapy professional assiting a patient with walking in a structure
  • physical therapy professionals and patients working in an exercise space

Rehabilitation Centers

  • physical therapy professional assiting a patient using a walker
  • physical therapy professionals working with a patient
  • physical therapy professional working with a patient in a wheelchair

Home Health

  • physical therapy professional assiting a seated patient with an exercise inside the home
  • physical therapy professional assisting a patient using a walker on an outdoor patio

Specialty Practices

  • physical therapy professional supporting a child standing on a padded surface
  • physical therapy professional and patients exercising in a swimming pool
  • physical therapy professional working on a patient's ankle

What Are the Sub-specialties?

  • Orthopedics
  • Neurologic rehabilitation
  • Gerontology
  • Wound care
  • Pediatrics
  • Amputees – prosthetics and orthotics

What Do PTAs Do?

  • Implement the Plan of Care as determined by the PT
  • Help patients decrease pain, enhance function, & improve independence
  • Assist / instruct patients in transfers, ambulation, and functional activities
  • Administer therapeutic exercise for stretching, strengthening, balance, & coordination
  • Apply adjunct modalities, such as heat, cold, and electrotherapy
  • Documents progress toward goals
  • Communicates with the healthcare team
  • Educates patients, caregivers, and the community about physical therapy

What Skills Do You Need?

Motor Capability

  • Transfer, guard and assist patients
  • Squat, bend, reach, maneuver in small spaces
  • Use manual dexterity
  • Lift and carry up to “max assist” (75 - 100% of patient’s weight)
illustration of the musculature of the human torso

Sensory Capability

  • Coordinate verbal and manual cues
  • Respond effectively to patient needs including emergenciesphysical therapy professional examining a patient lying prone on a table.
  • Auditory, visual and tactile abilities to observe and assess patient status and provide treatmenticon of a sound wave entering a human ear
  • Monitor vital signs
    icon of vital signs with temperature and heart rate

Communication Capability

  • Communicate effectively in English (fluency in other languages is an added benefit)
  • Adapt communication as needed for audience
  • Interact effectively with individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds
  • Function effectively with communication under direct and general supervision
illustration of three people communicating with various means

Problem-Solving Capability

  • Apply understanding of rationale for plan of care in implementing treatment
  • Use sound judgment and safety precautions
  • Function effectively under stress
  • Organize and prioritize tasks
illustration of a human hand demonstrating problem-solving with dry-erase marker on a glass wal

So, Do You Want to Be a Rehab Superhero?

text-only grapic that says Who needs a super hero when you are Physical Therapy Assistant

About the SCC PTA Program

  • 21 months
  • Evening program for Didactic
    • Courses run from 6pm ➡️ between 9 and 10 pm
    • Open lab 3 ➡️ 6 pm
  • Clinical = full time – daytime and may include weekends
  • Part-time?
  • 5 semesters – including one summer
  • Graduates earn an Associates of Science Degree
  • Graduates are eligible to sit for NPTE and CA jurisprudence exam

Prerequisites

  • PTA 100
    Introduction to Physical Therapist Assistant
    1.5 units
  • BIOL 430
    Anatomy & Physiology
    5 units*
    Prerequisite for BIOL 430: Chemistry 305 or 309 or 400, 5 units
  • BIOL 431
    Anatomy & Physiology
    5 units*
  • ENGL C1000
    Academic Reading and Writing
    (formerly ENGWR 300)
    3 units
    - or -
    ENGL 488
    Honors College Composition and Research
    (formerly ENGWR 488)
    3 units
*10-year recency required

PTA-Designated Courses

Allied Health Courses

  • Ethics
    AH 100
    Professional Ethics for Health Team Members
    1 unit
  • Communication
    AH 106
    Communication for Allied Health Careers
    2 units

PTA-Specific General Education Courses

  • Human Development
    EDUC 300 or PSYCH 370
    Human Development: A Life Span
    3 units
  • Sociology / Anthropology
    SOC 300
    Introductory Sociology
    3 units
    - or -
    ANTH 310
    Cultural Anthropology
    3 units
    - or -
    ANTH 481
    Honors Sociology
    3 units
  • Nutrition / Health
    NUTRI 300
    Nutrition
    3 units
    - or -
    NUTRI 480
    Nutrition Honors
    3 units
    - or -
    HEED 300
    Health Science
    3 units

Graduation-Required General Education (GE) Courses

  • The graduation requirements changed beginning Fall 2025.
  • Students can retain catalog rights if they have been a continuous student.
  • Students need to reach out to academic counselor to discuss the education plan to meet graduation requirements.

There are a couple of different pathways to graduate:

  • CAL-GETC (Transfer) Pathway

Education and Health Professions (EHP) Outreach Specialist

Shannon Rodrian
Health Professions (EHP) Information, Application & Program Assistance

  • Division Specialist who can provide additional information regarding program courses and application/ degree completion requirements

  • Contact to set up an appointment. Please include that you attended a PTA information session, including date of session, when requesting an appointment.

Cost of the PTA Program

  • Tuition is currently $46 per unit.
  • Many students qualify for a BOG waiver (covers some of cost).

Itemized Costs
Description Units Cost
PTA Program Courses 36.5 $1,679
Prerequisite Courses 14.5 $667
General Education Courses Up to 33 $1,518
Books, supplies, etc. (approximately) $1,500
Physical exams, immunizations,  CPR/ BBP/ First Aid/ Insurance/ misc. (approximately) $500
Licensing / exam fees $1,000
Total (approximately) $6,864

Clinical Education

Three Clinical Rotations

Daytime hours and may include weekends.

One introductory full-time rotation

  • PTA 122 Introduction to Clinical Practice
    3 weeks (112 hours)
    Summer of first year

Two full-time rotations

5 days/week x 40 hours

  • PTA 142 Clinical Practicum I
    6+ weeks (240 hours)
    Fall of second year
  • PTA 152 Clinical Practicum II
    8 weeks (320 hours)
    Spring of second year

Key components

  • Placed in three different settings, must include inpatient and outpatient
  • Student treat patients under supervision of PT and/or PT/PTA team
  • May require significant driving to clinicals – 60 + miles from residence
  • Student responsible for transportation and housing

Clinical Education

General Program and Professional Resources

General Program Resources

Professional Resources

General Program and Professional Resources

Applying to PTA Program

Step 1: Begin Taking Prerequisite Courses

  • BIOL 430 & BIOL 431
    Anatomy & Physiology
    Second part of A & P may be in progress when applying.
  • PTA 100
    Introduction to Physical Therapist Assistant
  • ENGL C1000
    Academic Reading and Writing
    - or -
    ENGL 488
    Honors College Composition and Research
    - or -
    ESLW 340
    Advanced Composition
  • Applicants must have a minimum 3.0 GPA for prerequisite courses with no grades lower than a ‘C’.
  • Make sure to calculate grades and units for GPA.

Step 3: Get Application from Website

  • Application is open during academic year.
  • Application deadline is April 15.

Apply to PTA