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.

Physical Therapist Assistant at Vincennes University is accredited by 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 If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call 812-888-5090 or email hshp@vinu.edu.

Program Goals

1. Graduates will 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. Graduates will be able to 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. Graduates will be able to seek out opportunities to continue professional and personal development for ongoing improvement of skills related to the delivery of Physical Therapy services.
4. Faculty will provide classroom, laboratory, and clinical education experiences to meet the needs of the students and the program.

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. High School Equivalency (HSE) 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.
• 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 and Drug Screen Policy

Applicants selected for admission to the PTA Program are required to submit a criminal history report from the approved PTA vendor. 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 Physical Therapist Assistant Department.

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

Students will also be required to obtain a 10-panel drug screening from the PTA Program approved vendor. Any positive drug screen will result in denial of admission to the program. Note that the program will not accept dilute results. In the event of a dilute result, the student will be required to retest at their own expense. A second dilute drug screen result may be grounds for denial of admission. Students should also be aware that the use of CBD products may result in a positive drug screen.

Standards for Progression and Graduation

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

1. Successfully complete all required general education (non PTAS courses) and PTAS courses prior to or sequentially as outlined on the curriculum page with a grade of C or better.
2. Failure to maintain a grade of C or better in required courses will result in program dismissal.

Policy and Procedures for Readmission

1. Students receiving a course grade less than a C in any PTA course or support course will be dismissed from the program.
2. Students receiving a grade of F in any PTA course are not eligible to reapply for the program.
3. Students may be considered for readmission one time only to the PTA Program. Any student seeking readmission must return to the program within one year of program dismissal. 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 given a grade of F for the course and are not eligible for readmission to the program.
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 who have received a D in PTAS 110  and/or PTAS 105  may reapply to the PTA Program. If readmitted, the student will start the program at level 110. The student will be required to retake PTAS 110  and PTAS 105  regardless of grades received in the course.
8. Students unsuccessful in PTAS 120  may reapply to return to the program the following Spring semester. In order to be readmitted to the program the following criteria must be met:
   1. PTA Program must have space available in the program.
   2. Students will be required to take a readmission exam consisting of materials from PTAS 110  and must achieve a 78%.
   3. Students will be required to complete a final competency checkoff from PTAS 110  materials and must pass in one attempt. 
   4. Have no grades less than a C in a required support course.
9. Students unsuccessful in PTAS 210  may reapply to return to the program the following Fall semester. In order to be readmitted to the program the following criteria must be met:
   1. PTA Program must have space available in the program.
   2. Students will be required to take a readmission exam consisting of materials from PTAS 120  and must achieve a 78%.
   3. Students will be required to complete a final competency checkoff from PTAS 120  materials and must pass in one attempt.
   4. Have no grades less than a C in a required support course.
10. Students granted readmission must meet the PTA Program Standards for Progression and Graduation throughout the second admission.
11. Students that earn a grade less than a C in any clinical course will not be eligible for readmission.
12. Students that earn a grade less than a C in PTAS 230 - Seminar in Physical Therapist Assisting  are not eligble for readmission regardless of grade. 
13. Students that do not meet criteria who feel they have extenuating circumstances may file an appeal with the Director of the Physical Therapist Assistant Program for further consideration.