Physical Therapist Assistant

4½ Semesters

Coordinator and Instructor: Jernigan

Instructor: Lamé

An Associate of Applied Science degree, a Bachelor of Science in Health Science, and a Bachelor of Applied Technology degree are available.

This program will provide students with the skills and knowledge to:

1. Be a part of the health care team that plans and implements a patient care program.
2. Under the supervision of a physical therapist, they will carry out a treatment program that might include exercises for increasing strength, endurance, coordination and range of motion; the use of heat, cold, electricity, sound or water to relieve pain and stimulate muscle activity; instruction in safe physical activities and the use of devices such as walkers, crutches and wheelchairs.

The graduate might also assist the therapist in performing tests and assessments, as well as observing and reporting patient responses to treatment.

For a Program Information Packet, use this link, which leads to descriptions of each program in general, course descriptions, lists of course sequences, and the cost of books, tools, uniforms, fees, and other expenses.  The URL is  http://www.isu.edu/ctech/programs.shtml 
 

Associate of Applied Science Degree -- Physical Therapist Assistant

The Physical Therapist Assistant program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the national examination for registration/licensure for Physical Therapist Assistants.

Every course must be completed with a "C" or better. If a student receives a grade lower than a "C" they will be dismissed from the program. They will be offered the opportunity to petition for re-entry into the program for the following year, however, re-entry is not guaranteed and is up to the discretion of the program coordinator.

Required Courses:

HO 106		Medical Terminology			2 cr 
HO 107		Medical Law and Ethics			3 cr 
HO 111		Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology	4 cr
           OR
BIOL 301, 302	Anatomy and Physiology			8 cr
HO 208		Introduction to Pathology		3 cr
           OR
BIOL 305	Introduction to Pathobiology		3 cr
PTA 104		Introduction to Kinesiology		2 cr
PTA 105		Introduction to Physical Therapy	1 cr
PTA 106		Applied Kinesiology			4 cr
PTA 107		Procedures I				5 cr
PTA 201		Procedures II				5 cr
PTA 202		Physical Therapy Assessment		4 cr
PTA 203		Therapeutic Exercise			5 cr
PTA 204		Seminar					3 cr
PTA 213		Clinical Affiliation I			7 cr 
PTA 214		Clinical Affiliation II			7 cr 

General Education Requirements:

ENGL 101	English Composition			3 cr
ENGL 102	Critical Reading and Writing		3 cr
Goal 3							3 cr 
BIOL 101,101L   Biology I and Lab			4 cr
PSYC 101        Introduction to General Psychology	3 cr
					  TOTAL: 71 or 75 cr

Courses

For course descriptions of the academic courses required by the Physical Therapist Assistant A.A.S. degree, see the College of Arts and Sciences.

PTA 104 Introduction to Kinesiology 2 credits. Fundamental principles of anatomical terminology, osteology, arthrology. Basic observation and palpation skills required. Cross-listed as MSTH 104.  PREREQ: Admission to the PTA program. F

PTA 105 Introduction to Physical Therapy 1 credit. Roles and responsibilities of physical therapists and physical therapist assistants will be explored, as well as, the history of physical therapy. Includes patient care, legal issues, principles of physical therapy treatment, education requirements, and functions of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). Local physical therapy facilities visited. PREREQ: Admission to the PTA program, PTA 104 or permission of instructor. F

PTA 106 Applied Kinesiology 4 credits. Studies the human anatomy with an emphasis on the musculoskeletal system, identification of structures and relationship to function, normal and abnormal biomechanical principles of joint motion and gait patterns. PREREQ: PTA 105, BIOL 101, BIOL 101L, and BIOL 301. S

PTA 107 Procedures I 5 credits. Procedures related to physical therapy treatment, including universal precautions, principles of physics, anatomy, kinesiology, thermal agents, ultrasound, vital signs and their use in therapeutics, transfer training, ROM, ultrasound, wheelchair, and wound management. PREREQ: Second year student in good standing, and PTA 104 and PTA 105. S

PTA 201 Procedures II 5 credits. A continuation of PTA 107, Procedures I, including electrical stimulation theory and techniques for applying variations of electrical current, biofeedback, and other modalities. Students will also learn therapeutic management of prosthetics and orthotics. PREREQ: Second-year student in good standing, and PTA 104, PTA 105, PTA 106, PTA 107, and PTA 213. F

PTA 202 Physical Therapy Assessment 4 credits. Observation skills, tests and measurements in physical therapy including manual muscle testing, goniometry, vital signs, gait, pain, posture and functional assessment as related to patient progress. PREREQ: Second-year student in good standing, and PTA 104, PTA 105, PTA 106, PTA 107, and PTA 213. F

PTA 203 Therapeutic Exercise 5 credits. Therapeutic exercise principles and practices related to patient treatment. Includes stretching, proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, other rehab techniques like NDT, Rood, Brunnstrum, cardiopulmonary rehab, and exercise equipment. PREREQ: Second year student in good standing, and PTA 200, PTA 201, PTA and PTA 202. S

PTA 204 Seminar 3 credits. Current practices and issues in physical therapy. Includes clinical problem solving, ethics, legal aspects, reimbursement, case management, research, and employment issues. PREREQ: Second year student in good standing, PTA 203, PTA 204, and PTA 213. S

PTA 213 Clinical Affiliation I 7 credits.Clinical instructor supervised, eight-week clinical experience starting in the summer (May) after the first year. Experience will focus on initiating and developing beginning Physical Therapist Assistant skills in the treatment setting. PREREQ: Second year student in good standing, PTA 106, and PTA 107. Su

PTA 214 Clinical Affiliation II 7 credits.Clinical instructor supervised, eight-week clinical experience starting in March of the second year. Experience will focus on performing Physical Therapist Assistant skills at a professional level in preparation for entering the workforce. PREREQ:  Second year student in good standing, PTA 203, PTA 204, and PTA 213. S

PTA 298 Special Topics 1-8 credits. This course is designed to address the specific needs of individuals. It will enable the students to upgrade their technical skills through part-time enrollment in units of instruction that are currently available through the program's full-time pre-employment curriculum. PREREQ: Permission of the instructor. D

IDAHO STATE UNIVERSITY Academic Information  Contact: webmaster@isu.edu Revised: July 2007