Physical Therapist Assistant 6400, A.S. Career/Tech

A Two-Year Program Leading to the A.S. Degree

The Physical Therapist Assistant Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). Upon successful completion of this program, graduates are eligible to take the National PTA Exam to become certified physical therapist assistants. The aim of the program is to prepare graduates to work under the supervision of licensed physical therapists in a variety of settings, including: hospitals, rehabilitation centers, sports medicine clinics, nursing homes, extended care units, home health agencies, and school systems. Transportation, housing and meals during clinical affiliations are the students’ responsibility.

The history, philosophy and procedures of physical therapist assisting are interwoven with study in general education and the basic physical and social sciences. The specialized curriculum includes theory and clinical experience in the technical skills related to the practice of physical therapist assisting. Applicants are accepted to the program during the fall semester only. Information regarding fees and tuition may be obtained on the Vincennes University website at www.vinu.edu.

Program Goals

Upon completion of the educational program the graduate will:

1. Be able to safely and competently function as a Physical Therapist Assistant, under the direction of a Physical Therapist, abiding by ethical standards as established by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA).
2. Effectively convert the knowledge and skills gained within the PTA program to successful completion of the appropriate state licensure examination and to employment situations.
3. Seek out opportunities to continue professional and personal development for ongoing improvement of skills related to the delivery of Physical Therapy services.

Selection Process

The selection process for Vincennes University’s Physical Therapist Assistant Program is based on the premise that student selection is vital to the development and maintenance of a strong program. The standards of selection will also contribute to the quality of care administered by graduates of this program. The Physical Therapist Assistant Program leads to an Associate of Science degree in Physical Therapist Assisting. In order to successfully complete this program, students must be highly motivated and have an academic background sufficient to cope with the curriculum. Due to the high number of applicants for this program, selection is competitive in nature and involves review by the Program’s Admission Committee. All applicants are required to apply for admission to the Physical Therapist Assistant Program through the University Admissions Office. Applicants will be notified by letter regarding their status in the program. All applicants will be evaluated on an individual basis.

Preference is given to applicants with two or more years of life science courses and who receive a grade of B or higher in Anatomy and Physiology I and II. Only Anatomy and Physiology I, Anatomy and Physiology II, and Medical Terminology for Allied Health taken less than five years prior to admission to the PTA program will be considered for credit. Students seeking credit for Anatomy and Physiology I, Anatomy and Physiology II, and/or Medical Terminology for Allied Health that was taken longer than five years prior to admission to the program may elect to enroll in the course and seek early completion. Compliance with all criteria does not guarantee acceptance.

Admission Requirements

1. Meet admission requirements of the University.
2. Possess physical and mental health acceptable for performance in the occupation as determined by the PTA Program and evidenced by examination by a licensed practitioner.
3. Qualify for placement into MATH 102  or higher, with no corequisites, as determined by the Vincennes University Placement Test (Accuplacer) or have appropriate transfer credit.
4. Qualify for placement into ENGL 101 , with no corequisites, as determined by placement tests (e.g. SAT, ACT, or other standardized placement tests as accepted by Vincennes University) or have appropriate transfer credit.
5. Graduate from an accredited high school. General Education Development (GED) will be acceptable if ranking is above the seventieth percentile.
6. Hold a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.7. For applicants with previous college credit (excluding dual credit courses), the GPA utilized will be the most recent cumulative GPA with courses completed that are required/relevant to the program.
7. Hold no grades less than a C in any required course. Applicants with grades less than a C are not eligible for admission. Required courses may only be repeated one time in order to raise the grade to a C or better. This includes prerequisites to required courses.    
8. Must complete 12 hours of college courses (100 level or higher) with a minimum GPA of 2.7, with no grade less than a C if applicants are not selected for admission directly from high school. These 12 hours must come from UCC/General Education courses within the PTA curriculum.

Notes:

Compliance with all criteria does not guarantee admission to the program.  

Students that are selected for admission to the program will be required to meet additional requirements in order to begin the program. These requirements for PTA include, but are not limited to:

• Submitting documentation of appropriate level CPR certification
• Submitting required health forms/immunizations as directed
• Submitting an approved criminal history report. Please see the current PTA criminal history policy for additional details.

Notes:

• A fee for liability insurance will be charged through the University Bursar’s Office.
• Students are strongly urged to maintain health insurance coverage. Any costs for necessary health care will be the responsibility of the student.

Criminal History Policy

Applicants selected for admission to the PTA Program are required to submit a criminal history report from the approved PTA vender. The directions for submitting this report will be included in the acceptance material to all students admitted to the program. Admission to the program is dependent upon a satisfactory review of the criminal history report as determined by the PTA Program. 

Applicants are responsible for the cost of the criminal background screen from the required vendor. Applicants should be aware that authorization of the criminal history background check automatically releases the results to the PTA Program. The results may be shared with affiliating agencies that provide clinical experiences. In accordance with clinical agency policies, if a student is denied clinical placement by the clinical agency due to criminal history information, the student may be denied admission and/or be dismissed from the program.

No applicant with a conviction of a felony or a misdemeanor conviction involving battery, neglect, abuse, assault, criminal sexual conduct, or theft will be admitted to the program. Other accounts of criminal history may also be grounds for prohibiting admission, but will be considered on a case by case basis. Applicants may be asked to submit a letter of explanation, letters of reference, court documents, and/or other information to the PTA Program. The information will be reviewed and a determination regarding admission to the PTA Program will be made.

Any applicant or current student with a pending criminal court case/charge will be required to submit information to the PTA Program. Eligibility for admission/continued enrollment in the program will be determined by the PTA Admission Committee. If the committee denies the applicant’s admission into the program, the applicant may appeal the decision in writing in accordance with the University’s Student Grievance Policy. Appeals must be addressed to the PTA Admissions Committee and received by the deadline provided by the Nursing Department.

Approval for admission to the PTA Program does not guarantee licensure.

Standards for Progression and Graduation

In order to progress through the program to graduation, students must:

1. Successfully complete all required science courses sequentially as outlined on the curriculum page.
2. Successfully complete Anatomy and Physiology I, Anatomy and Physiology II, and Medical Terminology for Allied Health by the end of Semester II.
3. Successfully complete all other non-PTA courses required in the curriculum prior to the end of Semester IV.
4. Achieve a minimum grade of C in all required courses and maintain a grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 each semester.

Note: 

• Failure to meet the above requirements will result in withdrawal from the program.

Policy and Procedures for Readmission

1. Students receiving a course grade less than a “C” in any PTA course or support course must withdraw from the program.
2. Students receiving a grade of “F” in any PTA course are not eligible to reapply for the program.
3. Students meeting requirements may be readmitted one time only to the PTA Program. If a student withdraws or is unsuccessful in the second attempt, the student is not eligible for readmission to the PTA Program.
4. Students that fail a PTA required competency three times will be withdrawn from the program and are not eligible to apply for readmission.
5. Students dismissed from the program due to attendance, behavior, or any other reason deemed by faculty, are not eligible to apply for readmission.
6. Students seeking readmission must apply through the Vincennes University Admissions Office. Applicants must meet all criteria and will be considered in relationship with all other qualified PTA applicants; therefore, readmission applicants are not given preference over other qualified applicants.
7. Students readmitted to the PTA Program must begin the Program at the PTAS 110 level. No credit is given for previous PTA courses completed, regardless of the grade received for that course.
8. Students granted readmission must meet the PTA Program Standards for Progression and Graduation throughout the second admission.