Physical Therapist Assistant, A.A.S.

Associate of Applied Science
180

Effective November 2, 2021, Virginia Western Community College has been granted Candidate for Accreditation status by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; phone: 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org). If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call 540-857-6728 or email jtucker@virginiawestern.edu.

Candidate for Accreditation is an accreditation status of affiliation with the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education that indicates the program may matriculate students in technical/professional courses. Achievement of Candidate for Accreditation status does not assure that the program will be granted Initial Accreditation.

Candidacy is considered to be an accredited status, as such the credits and degree earned from a program with Candidacy status are considered, by CAPTE, to be from an accredited program.  Therefore, students in the charter (first) class should be eligible to take the licensure exam even if CAPTE withholds accreditation at the end of the candidacy period. That said, it is up to each state licensing agency, not CAPTE, to determine who is eligible for licensure.  Information on licensing requirements should be directed to the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT; www.fsbpt.org) or specific state boards (a list of state boards and contact information is available on FSBPT’s website.

Purpose:  The curriculum is designed to prepare selected students to become part of a skilled allied health care team that will provide physical therapy services under the direction of a licensed Physical Therapist.  Students are prepared as generalists, allowing them to enter a variety of clinical settings following graduation and licensure. Upon completion of the program, graduates will be eligible to the take the National Physical Therapist Assistant Examination.  A passing score on the examination is required to obtain a license to practice as a physical therapist assistant (PTA) and licensure is required in all 50 states to practice as a PTA.

Program Objectives: The program aims to empower students to become life-long learners and to graduate with the skills necessary to pursue a career as a Physical Therapist Assistant. Upon graduation, students will be prepared to act as part of a healthcare team to provide skilled, high-quality, and compassionate care to the diverse population and community which they will serve. The program also aims to prepare students to successfully pass the National Physical Therapy Examination for PTAs. 

Admission Requirements:  This is a restricted admissions program. Please see the program-specific admission requirements at https://www.virginiawestern.edu/academics/health-professions/physical-therapist-assistant/.

Placement Requirements: Applicants must meet the requirements for admission to credit-level coursework established by the college.

Applicants must receive an ENG 111 , ENG 111 /EDE 11*  placement recommendation, or have successfully completed EDE 10 .

Students who do not demonstrate readiness for college-level math will be required to select appropriate MDE coursework in consultation with an advisor.

Program Notes:  Individuals who have any convictions on their background check may not be permitted to take the national licensure exam and/or register for a license in the state of Virginia. For questions regarding this issue, call the Virginia Board of Physical Therapy at (804) 367-4674 (or State Board of Physical Therapy for the state in which the student plans to practice following graduation). An active license is required to work as a Physical Therapist Assistant in all 50 states.

Clinical agencies require students have background checks and drug screenings completed at the student’s expense before and/or during clinical rotations. A positive background check, drug screen, and/ or felony conviction may dismiss the student from the program as the required work in the clinical settings may not be able to be completed. Students will be required to complete background checks and medical requirements prior to their first semester.

By entering the program, students are required to follow all program policies in addition to college policies. Students accepted into the A.A.S. Physical Therapist Assistant will receive a program handbook during their mandatory orientation prior to beginning the program which will outline all program policies and expectations.

Retention Policy: Satisfactory progress is demonstrated by achieving a grade of “C” or better in all curricular courses. Students will have the opportunity to petition for re-entry if withdrawn from the program due to academic failure. Students must complete BIO 142*  with a grade of “C” or better before progressing to the second semester of the program. Because curricular components build upon each other over the five semesters, students must complete courses with the “PTH” prefix in the order outlined in the curriculum. In semesters with clinical courses, students must successfully complete all didactic courses which precede the clinical rotation.

All support (non-PTH) courses must be successfully completed with a “C” or better by the end of the student’s third semester in the program.  However, students must complete BIO 142 with a “C” or better by the end of the first semester in order to successfully progress in the program.

AAS degrees prepare students for direct employment upon completion of the degree. However, many programs may also transfer to four-year institutions. Students interested in transferring should verify program requirements with specific four-year institutions and with the program head for Physical Therapist Assistant.