Physical Therapist Assistant AS

Physical Therapy is a healthcare profession whose practitioners work in a variety of settings including hospitals, private practice, outpatient clinics, home health agencies, schools, sport and fitness facilities, skilled nursing facilities, and work settings. The Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) is a member of the health care team who provides physical therapy services under the direction and supervision of a licensed physical therapist. The PTA helps people from all age groups with health or medical problems who have limited ability to move or perform functional activities in their daily lives. The PTA, once graduated and licensed, provides care through instruction to patients/clients' exercises for range of motion, strength, and coordination along with mobility training for functional activities such as gait, transfers, and bed mobility with varying assistive devices, and functional training throughout the lifespan. The PTA is also skilled in massage and usage of modalities/physical agents such as electrical stimulation or ultrasound and cryotherapy/thermotherapy.

Year 1: 20

Year 2: 30

Demonstrate entry-level clinical competency in the management of patients/clients with diseases and conditions representative of those commonly seen in practice across the lifespan and the continuum of care as required by state and national standards.

To earn an Associates Degree in Physical Therapist Assistant, students need to complete 49.50 specified ‘major’ units in Physical Therapist Assistant coursework,  the College of the Canyons General Education Degree Requirements, and the specified prerequisite courses for entrance into the Physical Therapist Assistant program

Year 1