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2024 - 2025 Catalog
Physical Therapist Assistant - AAS
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 Return to: Programs by Division
Program Code: AAS.20573
Delta's program is for the training of Physical Therapist Assistants only. If you are planning to become a Physical Therapist, you should follow the Pre-Physical Therapy program guide and meet with an academic advisor.
As a licensed Physical Therapist Assistant, you will work under the direction and supervision of a Physical Therapist. Employment settings include: acute care hospitals, rehabilitation centers, school systems, nursing homes, home care, postsecondary education, outpatient facilities, private clinics, and specialty clinics. As a graduate of this program, you will possess the skills to implement a variety of physical therapy interventions within the plan of care established by the Physical Therapist. Upon successful completion of this program, you will be eligible to take the National Physical Therapy Exam. This program 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
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Total Semester Credits: 12
Winter First Year:
- ENG 112 - College Composition II Credits: 3
ENG 113 can be taken in place of ENG 112 - LWT 251 - Exercise Physiology Credits: 4
- POL 103W - American Politics Credits: 3
POL 105W , POL 212W , POL 215W , POL 220W , POL 221W , POL 223W , POL 225W , POL 228W , HIS 221W , HIS 222W , or HIS 237W can be taken in place of POL 103W - HSC 105 - Medical Terminology Credits: 2
Total Semester Credits: 12
Fall First Year Clinical:
Total Semester Credits: 9
Winter First Year Clinical:
Total Semester Credits: 8.5
Spring/Summer First Year Clinical:
Total Semester Credits: 8
Fall Second Year Clinical:
Total Semester Credits: 14
Winter Second Year Clinical:
Total Semester Credits: 12
Notations
- Students must complete the Validation Application and receive a "Semester and Year of Validation" to be eligible to enter the program. It is recommended that this application be submitted while finishing the validation courses (see notation B). Validation is a process that allows the Registrar's Office to review and confirm that the student has completed pre-requisite courses and requirements of this program. Approximately 20 students are accepted for PTA courses each Fall semester.
- Validation requirements: 1) completion of prerequisite courses ENG 111 and PSY 211W with a “C” (2.0) minimum grade and completion of BIO 140W or BIO 152W and BIO 153W or BIO 240 and BIO 241 with a “B” (3.0) minimum grade; 2) completion of BIO 140W or BIO 152W and BIO 153W or BIO 240 and BIO 241 within the past five years (if this time period is exceeded, BIO 140W must be taken to refresh this content. Please see the program coordinator to determine which course(s) must be taken); and 3) completion of observation hours.
- An observation series is required prior to validation. Students must observe, at a minimum, two different PTs and/or PTAs performing their skills in two different clinical practice sites for a minimum of 20 total hours (minimum 4 hours per location). These observations must be documented using the PTA Observation Form which is available on the PTA program website and in the Academic Advising Office. The form must be stamped at the Registrar’s office at the time the validation application is turned in.
- The following courses are required for graduation and completion is strongly recommended prior to starting the clinical course sequence: LWT 251 , ENG 112 or ENG 113 , POL 103W (or approved substitution). These courses must be completed with a “C” (2.0) or better. If the student needs to be full-time (12 credits) during the Fall First Year or Winter First Year Clinical semesters, they may choose to take these courses during the program.
- HSC 105 must be taken prior to starting the Fall First Year Clinical semester and must be completed with a “C” (2.0) or better.
- Graduates of the Bay-Arenac ISD PT/OT/Sports Medicine program or the Saginaw Career Complex Physical Therapy/Sports Medicine program should contact the PTA program coordinator to discuss waiving the applicable validation requirements.
- It is recommended that students meet with the PTA program coordinator prior to validation to disclose any previous conviction, felony, misdemeanor, and/or traffic violation involving controlled substances. All students admitted to the PTA program are required to complete a Criminal Background Check following clinical entry registration. Clinical sites may restrict students with a criminal record from being placed at the facility which could prohibit course completion and progression in the PTA program. Students should be aware that a felony/misdemeanor conviction may constitute grounds for ineligibility to sit for the PTA licensure examination and/or obtain PTA licensure in the state of Michigan. Questions regarding PTA state licensure can be found at https://www.michigan.gov/lara.
- Once validated, students must waitlist themselves each year during the Special Clinical Registration Period to be eligible to begin the program and to remain validated. Failure to complete the waitlist process annually will result in removal from the validation list. See the validation page on Inside Delta for more information and dates.
- Following entry to the program via special clinical registration, students are required to complete health requirements including but not limited to 1) physical exam with completion of physical form, 2) current American Heart Association CPR certification for the healthcare provider/professional rescuer certification, 3) a successful ten (10) panel drug screen by the approved agency, 4) an annual TB skin test, 5) immunization records including MMR, Td/Tdap, Varicella, and Hepatitis B or signed waiver, 6) an annual flu shot or waiver. These requirements will be discussed at the required orientation along with submission instructions via an electronic storage and clinical placement system. All certifications and immunizations must be up-to-date and remain current throughout the program.
- Students who anticipate pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree are recommended to take the following courses: BIO 152W and BIO 153W , PSY 211W , and ENG 112 . If a student does not intend to transfer, ENG 113 is preferred.
- Physical Therapist Assistant courses are offered day and evening hours and there may also be occasional weekend courses that are mandatory. Clinical courses must be taken in the sequence shown.
- In addition to tuition, fees, and textbook costs, students should plan for the following expenses following successful clinical entry: immunizations and CPR certification to meet health requirements, background check, drug screen, ACEMAPP registration, and appropriate lab and clinic attire. Students are responsible for providing their own transportation to and from clinical sites and paying possible parking fees. Program costs are published in the PTA Program Student Handbook. Students are responsible for paying the cost of any medical care that might be necessary if they are injured or become ill as a result of clinical practice activities. The College does not provide insurance coverage for such situations.
- Students must achieve a minimum “C” (2.0) grade in each Physical Therapist Assistant course to be eligible to continue in the program.
- Clinical hospital assignments may be outside the local area. Students must be prepared to commute up to two hours for at least one rotation.
- Students who have a first course failure or withdrawal within the second or subsequent semester of their clinical program may be eligible to complete a request for reentry. Reentry guidelines are published in the PTA Student Handbook.
- Also see “Dual Degrees.”
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