Physical Therapist Assistant

Physical Therapist Assistants (PTAs) are skilled technical health personnel who work under the direction and supervision of a licensed Physical Therapist (PT). PTAs assist the PT in the treatment of individuals with a variety of medical problems or health related conditions that result in a loss of mobility or ability to perform functional activities in their daily lives. PTAs can find employment within local and surrounding hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing facilities, home health companies, outpatient and sports clinics, and schools. According to the 2018 US Department of Labor report, PTAs ranked #8 out of 20 occupations predicted to be the fasting growing professions between 2016 and 2026. Nationally, PTAs were listed as having an average annual income of $57,430.

The Associate Degree program at Washington State Community College provides the student with a comprehensive PTA education aimed at preparing the student to become a caring and knowledgeable entry-level PTA. The curriculum contains a combination of general education, applied physical therapy sciences, technical skills, and clinical education courses taken over 5 semesters. The clinical component of the program provides students an opportunity to gain experience in a variety of settings with exposure to different patient populations including orthopedic, geriatric, pediatric, and neurological.

Admission to the PTA program is selective. Applicants must complete observation in the field, and demonstrate readiness for college-level math, English, biology, and chemistry. A detailed list of application criteria can be obtained by downloading the application from our website, contacting the PTA Director Matthew Ammons via e-mail, or by picking up a packet in person at the Health Sciences office.

Accreditation Information

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 has notified Washington State Community College that the accreditation for the physical therapist assistant program is scheduled to be withdrawn on December 18, 2020. The faculty and staff at Washington State Community College, are working diligently to appeal CAPTE’s decision. Please be advised that the WSCC PTA program will exhaust all possible options to return to compliance with all CAPTE standards and policies and request a reversal of this decision to withdraw accreditation.
For more information see https://www.capteonline.org/globalassets/capte-docs/recent-actions/capte-decisions-fall-2020.pdf or contact Matthew Ammons DPT, OCS, CIMT – PTA Program Director at mammons@wscc.edu.