Physical Therapist Assistant

Physical Therapist Assistant Program Overview

As America's population continues to age, there will be an increased demand for physical therapy services that help people regain movement and function. With that kind of opportunity out there, it makes sense to choose a Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) program with a great reputation: 

• Learn from industry experts who currently maintain clinical practice and research in physical therapy. 
• Gain 720 hours of hands-on experience with clinical affiliations at renowned hospitals and sports medicine practices. 
• Complete a 2-year service learning project and give back to your local community. 
• Make valuable network connections that will help you in your future career. The PTA Special Interest Group (SIG) of the American Physical Therapist Association of Massachusetts (APTA of MA) is the first organization of its kind in Massachusetts and founded by Bay State College alumni and professors! 
• Prepare for your licensure board exam. Bay State College has an ultimate pass rate of 100% on the National Therapy Exam for PTAs since 2012! 

Set your Physical Therapy career in motion. Request information about our 2-year Physical Therapist Assistant program today! Interested in taking classes closer to home? Learn more about our Taunton location which offers our PTA program during the day.

Available In 

Physical Therapist Assistant Day Classes 

Discover a diverse but close-knit community of students, faculty and staff at our Boston campus, located in the historic Back Bay neighborhood. This program is also be offered at our satellite location in Taunton, Massachusetts. 

• Duration: 4 semesters + Summer Session 
• Semester Length: 16 weeks 
• Start Dates:  
  Fall 2018: Tuesday, September 4, 2018
• Application Deadline: Rolling Admissions 

Sample Physical Therapist Assistant Degree Courses 

• Introduction to Physical Therapy 
• Physical Therapy Assessment and Measurement 
• Clinical Pathologies 
• Kinesiology 
• Soft Tissue Techniques and Modalities 
• Musculoskeletal Physical Therapy Intervention 
• Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapy Intervention 
• Neuromuscular Physical Therapy Intervention 
• Clinical Experience I and II 

To view the Physical Therapist Assistant program flow sheet, click here. 
To browse our 2016-17 Course Catalog with course descriptions, click here. 

Physical Therapist Assistant Program Mission 

The mission of the Bay State College Physical Therapist Assistant Program is to provide a comprehensive, high quality academic and clinical education leading to the Associate of Science degree in Physical Therapist Assistant. The program strives to prepare individuals to become licensed Physical Therapist Assistants who, under the direction and supervision of licensed Physical Therapists, are able to provide high quality patient care across all patient populations and settings within the continuum of care. The program promotes a commitment to excellence, emphasizes professionalism and ethical behavior, stresses the importance of life-long learning, and values community service, in an effort to cultivate health care professionals who are vital members of the health care team and the larger community. 

Physical Therapist Assistant Program Learning Outcomes 

All graduate physical therapist assistants, working under the direction and supervision of a physical therapist, will: 

• Actively participate in the safe and effective prevention of and intervention for movement disorders across the lifespan and for those with lifelong disabilities. 
• Promote health and wellness across the life span and for those with life-long disabilities 
• Effectively use critical thinking skills and evidence based practice to address the physical therapy needs of a diverse patient population in a variety of clinical settings 
• Demonstrate legal, ethical and professional behavior. 
• Effectively and professionally interact and communicate with relevant stakeholders in verbal, non-verbal and written formats. 
• Demonstrate attributes of effective self-assessment and lifelong learning. 
• Demonstrate cultural awareness and sensitivity in the provision of physical therapy interventions. 

Program Objectives 

In meeting its ongoing goals, Bay State College’s Associate PTA Program: 

• Accepts qualified students who have met admissions criteria, which identify potential for successful completion of the program. 
• Provides academic and clinical faculty who meet the academic and experiential qualifications determined by the PTA Program and who ascribe to the PTA Program Mission and Goals. 
• Provides a comprehensive curriculum, which includes an organized and sequential series of integrated learning experiences. 
• Provides academic and clinical facilities that support and enhance the learning experience. 
• Performs timely evaluation and review of student/graduate performance relative to the Physical Therapist Assistant Program Goals. 
• Implements timely revisions to the PTA Program that are based on results obtained from ongoing PTA Program assessment and that are consistent with the PTA Program’s mission statement, goals, objectives, curricular philosophy, and curricular design. 
• Remains compliant with all CAPTE criteria. 

Employers of Our PTA Graduates 

• Boston Medical Center 
• Back in Motion 
• Beantown Physio 
• Tufts Medical Center 
• Elite Health and Fitness Center 
• Brockton Hospital 
• Genesis Rehabilitation 
• Spaulding Rehabilitation 
• Hebrew Rehabilitation 

Physical Therapist Assistant Degree Accreditation

The Physical Therapist Assistant program at Bay State College is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education:

CAPTE
1111 North Fairfax Street 
Alexandria, Virginia 22314 
Telephone: 703-706-3245 
Email: accreditation@apta.org 
Website: www.capteonline.org

Student Outcomes

*Percentage of candidates in graduating class who took the exam and passed.

Resources 

• American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) 
• American Physical Therapy Association of Massachusetts (APTA of MA) 
• The Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT)