Physical Therapist Assistant

Department of Allied Health

(361) 698-2820

The Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) is a healthcare professional who works under the supervision of a licensed Physical Therapist. The responsibilities of a Physical Therapist Assistant include a PTAs provide services in a variety of settings including services such as cardiac rehabilitation, and neurological rehabilitation, orthopedics, geriatrics, pediatrics, wound care, pelvic health, sports medicine, home health, and wellness.

Role of the PTA

The Physical Therapist Assistant may PTAs implement treatment programs developed by the Physical Therapist. Interventions which may include therapeutic exercises exercise; balance and gait training with assistive devices; and assisting with prosthetics and brace training; administering various hot/cold/electrical modalities and traction; application of various external bandages, supports and dressings; measuring joint motion and muscle function; and, educating other health care providers, patients, and families. application of physical agents and modalities; wound care; measurement of joint motion and muscle performance; and patient and family education. PTAs maintain patient safety through proper technique, monitoring of patient response, and sound clinical observation skills.

Program graduates are required to pass an exit mock state board exam before graduation. Students who pass this exam will be prepared to sit for the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE) which is administered by the Texas Board of Physical Therapy Examiners. Graduates cannot work in the field as a Physical Therapist Assistant without passing the NPTE.

Accreditation

The Del Mar College Physical Therapist Assistant Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) (http://www.capteonline.org/home.aspx), 1111 North Fairfax Street, 3030 Potomac Ave; Suite 100, Alexandria, VA 22314-1488 22305-3085; (703) 706-3245 or 1-800-999-2782; accreditation@apta.org.

Admission Requirements:

In addition to the standard Ccollege admission process requirements, students planning to enter the Physical Therapist Assistant program applicants must submit the following to the Physical Therapist Assistant program Allied Health office (Health Science 2 building, Room 128) by June 1 (or the next business day if June 1 falls on a weekend):

• Physical Therapist Assistant program application form Completed PTA application

• All college transcripts from Del Mar College and other schools Official transcripts from All institutions attended (including Del Mar), submitted in a sealed envelope from the issuing institution or sent electronically through an approved transcript service

• Evidence Documentation of at least 15 observation hours (total) of observation completed in three different physical therapy settings

• Evidence of a mMinimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 GPA

• Minimum prerequisite GPA of 3.0

Please contact the program director for more information at (361) 698-1848 or go online to the Physical Therapist Assistant program section of the Del Mar College website (https://www.delmar.edu/degrees/physical-therapist-assistant) for all program admission information and required forms.

After the Physical Therapist Assistant program office receives all of the above items, the applicants will be notified of admissions to the program within 30 days of the application deadline.

After all required materials are received, applications are reviewed and scored by program faculty. Applicants will be notified regarding next steps, including TEAS testing procedures and deadlines.

TEAS Testing & Accommodations

Applicants requesting TEAS testing accommodation must notify both the PTA Program and the Center for Access and Advocacy no later than ten (10) business days before the published TEAS deadline. This timeframe allows for review and approval of accommodations, coordination with the testing center, and confirmation of TEAS registration availability.

Requests submitted fewer than ten (10) business days before the deadline will be reviewed; however, due to processing time and testing availability constraints, accommodation may not be able to be implemented before the published deadline. In such cases, applicants may need to participate in the TEAS examination during the next admission cycle. The PTA Program complies with institutional policies and applicable federal and state laws regarding disability accommodations.

Post-Acceptance Requirements

Following acceptance, students must submit:

• Completed physical examination
• All Required immunizations, including Hepatitis B
• Current CPR certification for Healthcare Providers

Upon enrollment, students must successfully complete a background check and drug screening at the student’s expense as required for clinical placement and continued enrollment in the program.

Program Graduates

 Program graduates are required to pass an academic Practice Exam and Assessment Tool (PEAT) before graduation. If unable to pass 2 attempts of the academic PEAT then students must register and provide proof of completion of a board prep course.  Graduates are then eligible to apply for licensure and sit for the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE-PTA), administered by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy. In Texas, licensure is granted by the Texas Board of Physical Therapy Examiners. Graduates may not practice as a PTA until licensed

After program acceptance, the student must submit a completed physical examination, proof of Hepatitis B series, all required immunizations, college transcripts, a current card of completion in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) for Health Care Providers and course Competency Form.

Upon enrollment, the student must pass a background check and drug screen test, at student's expense, for security clearance and continued enrollment in the program.

Please contact program director if you have questions about any of these requirements.

• program (Associate of Applied Science)