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Physical Therapist Assistant

Physical therapist assistants (PTAs) help people of all ages with medical issues or health-related conditions that limit their ability to move and perform functional activities in their daily lives. Among their responsibilities, PTAs teach patients exercises to improve their mobility, strength, and coordination; train patients to walk with crutches, canes, or walkers; and provide patient treatments, such as ultrasound, electrical stimulation, heat, cold, and massage.

Blinn College's Physical Therapist Assistant Program focuses on student excellence and service in the classroom, in clinical environments, and in the greater community. Students receive extensive hands-on experience in the Blinn Physical Therapy Lab and in clinical experiences at area physical therapy facilities.

Registration opens soon for May, Summer, and Fall classes!

Registration for May minimester and summer classes opens for all students at 9 a.m. on Monday, April 1st. Registration for fall classes opens at 9 a.m. Wednesday, April 3rd. For assistance, contact Academic Advising or call Enrollment Services at 979-830-4800. You also can schedule a tour of any of our six campuses!

Steps To Apply


Program FAQ

Yes. The Division of Health Sciences provides program advising to prospective students interested in Blinn's various Health Sciences career pathways. For more information and who to contact, please visit our Health Sciences Advising page

Blinn College District Physical Therapist Assistant Program Mission Statement:

“In keeping with the Mission & Vision of Blinn College District, the mission of the PTA Program is to provide a comprehensive curriculum to yield graduate Physical Therapist Assistants with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to become outstanding clinicians and educators in the diverse communities they will serve.”

Blinn College District Physical Therapist Assistant Program Goals:

1. Students will be proficient in providing therapeutic interventions established within the plan of care under the supervision of a Licensed Physical Therapist in the communities they serve. -Blinn core values addressed: Excellence, Service

2. Students will be skilled in educating a variety of diverse stakeholders about the role, benefits, and application of physical therapy services and interventions. -Blinn core values addressed: Excellence, Service, Diversity, Respect

3. Students will demonstrate patient-centered, safe, effective, moral, and ethical behaviors within the realm of physical therapy. -Blinn core values addressed: Respect, Diversity, Excellence, Service

4. The program will provide access to innovative technology and an evidence-based curriculum to enhance the quality of education in an effort to meet contemporary professional expectations. -Blinn core values addressed: Innovation, Access, Excellence

5. Students will exercise the ability to collaborate as a dynamic member of the Physical Therapy profession, healthcare team, and society by demonstrating effective communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. -Blinn core values addressed: Collaboration, Excellence, Respect, Service

6. Students will discover the significance of lifelong learning and commitment to serving their community in order to positively impact the profession and society. -Blinn core values addressed: Excellence, Access, Service, Diversity

Health Science Programs faculty, in collaboration with members of the advisory committees who represent business and industry, will determine the marketable skills expected of the graduate in the workplace. These skills will be communicated with the students throughout the program. Annually, the marketable skills will be reviewed during a meeting of the advisory committee and amended as needed as the workplace demands change.

In addition to content specific knowledge for each program, the identified Marketable Skills for the Health Science programs of Blinn College are:

  • Critical Thinking
  • Communication
  • Professionalism
  • Teamwork
  • Personal Responsibility
  • Social Responsibility

After completion of all prerequisite courses and admission into the program, the PTA program is 5 semesters (Fall 1, Spring 1, Summer 1, Fall 2, Spring 2).

The PTA Program admits 1 new cohort per year, beginning in August each fall.

The number of students admitted is determined based on a variety of factors, including job market, clinical site availability, and program resources. On average, the program admits between 16-22 students per year.

The only courses that can be completed online are the program prerequisites. It is the student’s decision whether to take these courses online or face-to-face. (It is HIGHLY recommended to complete a face-to-face section of BIOL 2401 and 2402, due to the heavy emphasis of Anatomy & Physiology in all PTHA courses). All of the PTHA courses are only offered face-to-face.

PTA Application FAQ

Yes, all students are required to complete hands-on clinical experience at various healthcare facilities throughout the duration of the program.

Yes. You are allowed a maximum total of 4 evaluations. You may submit up to 3 PT/PTA evaluations, and 1 non-PT evaluation.

Example #1: If you shadowed in 1 outpatient clinic, you will complete 1 PT/PTA evaluation, and then you will submit 1 additional non-PT evaluation. So in this example, you would have a total of 2 evaluations. This is the minimum required number of evaluations.

Example #2: If you shadowed in 1 outpatient clinic, 1 acute care hospital, and 1 home health agency, you will submit a total of 3 PT/PTA evaluations (one for each facility), and then additionally you will submit 1 non-PT evaluation. So in this example, you would have a total of 4 evaluations. This is the maximum number of evaluations accepted.

In this example, you will complete 1 Observation Hours entry for the 40 PT observation hours, and have the Licensed PT or PTA verify your hours (verified by signature on the Documentation of Experience Form or email verification through PTACAS). You will also enter an email address for the therapist in the Evaluations section so he/she can complete a PT/PTA evaluation for you.

You will also submit your 30 hours of community service in the Experience section of your application. If you’d like to use your supervisor of this experience as a reference, you can use him/her as your non-PT Evaluation.

No. The first 20 hours will satisfy the minimum requirement, but you must observe a minimum of 20 hours at each additional facility in order to get enhancement points on your application.

In this example, I would recommend completing another 10 hours at the second clinic (to equal 20 hours) if possible, in order to receive application points.

Although we always recommend shadowing in a variety of different settings, you will only receive credit for up to 3 facilities on the application.

*Please be sure the observation hours you submit are no more than 2 years old.

We recommend that if you are currently enrolled in one or more of the pre-requisite classes in the Fall semester in which you are applying, wait to send your transcripts and submit your PTACAS application once grades are posted. This way, you will receive application credit for completion of the class(es), as well as GPA credit for the grade.

Unfortunately, because our application cycle closes March 1st, any classes in progress in the Spring semester of application will not be completed before the due date, and therefore will not be factored into application points or GPA calculations.

Yes. The 7 prerequisites (PTHA 1201, BIOL 2401 and 2402, ENGL 1301, HITT 1305, PSYC 2301, and Humanities elective) must be completed before starting the program. Although there are 3 courses (BIOL 2402, HITT 1305, and Humanities elective) listed during the 1st and 2nd semester of the program, these are not intended to be taken in conjunction with PTHA program courses due to the comprehensive nature of the curriculum and emphasis on foundational knowledge.

The $25 application fee is charged by PTACAS, not Blinn College. You can apply for a fee waiver through PTACAS. This is a first-come, first-serve waiver program, so the sooner you apply, the better. Click here for waiver request through PTACAS.

You must enter your overall TEAS score in the “Standardized Tests” section of the PTACAS application, as well as upload a copy of your score sheet into the “Required Documents” section. Please make sure your official score sheet includes your name, date of exam, and overall score in order to validate the score that was entered.

When you enter your courses in the "Transcript Entry" section, you will enter ALL classes you’ve taken, including if you’ve taken a course multiple times. Whenever you get to the "Prerequisites" section, only match the course you want to count toward your Prerequisite GPA.

For example, if you took Anatomy & Physiology 1 and made a C the first time, but then re-took it and made an A, you will only match the course with the A to that prerequisite.

Please watch this video from the PTACAS Help Center regarding the status of your application.

In order to ensure all materials are received, processed, and verified by the application deadline, official transcripts from all colleges attended MUST be received no later than February 1st each application cycle. Please do not wait until the last minute to request your transcripts or follow-up on delayed transcripts, as this will delay your application verification and, therefore, the scoring process. If your transcripts are not received by the February 1st deadline, your application may be considered Incomplete.

It is the applicant's responsibility to contact PTACAS and/or your institution regarding outstanding transcripts. It usually takes between 24-72 hours to receive an electronic transcript request, and may take up to 7-10 days to receive via regular mail. Applicants should anticipate delays, though, and order transcripts far in advance.

Please Note: If you have chosen to pay the additional fee for the "Professional Transcript Entry", you must allow extra time for this process. It typically takes approximately 10 business days for the CAS to enter your transcripts AFTER your transcript has been received and verified. All courses must be entered and verified by the application deadline.

It is the applicant's responsibility to contact your evaluator(s) regarding outstanding evaluations. All evaluations must be RECEIVED by the application deadline. If they are not received by the deadline, applicants will not receive points for that evaluation.

If the evaluator did not receive the evaluation request via email, applicants can request it to be sent again. Advise them to check their "Junk" folder for request emails also. If the evaluator still is not receiving emails, please contact PTACAS for further assistance.

Yes. Any hours spent directly observing or participating in patient care with a Licensed PT or PTA can count toward your Observation hours. All hours (paid or volunteer) should be entered under the Observation Hours section in PTACAS and verified by a Licensed PT or PTA.

This will depend on how many PT settings you’ve observed in.

Example #1: If you shadowed in 1 outpatient clinic for 20 hours and 1 acute care hospital for 20 hours, you will create 2 separate Observation Hours entries in PTACAS. You will receive credit for the initial 20 hours (minimum requirement for the application), and then you will also receive enhancement credit for the second 20 hours. You will submit 2 evaluations (one for each facility), plus your 1 additional non-PT evaluation.

Example #2: If you only shadowed in 1 outpatient clinic for 20 hours, you will only submit 1 Observation Hours entry. You will submit 1 evaluation for the clinic, plus your 1 additional non-PT evaluation.

Example #3: If you shadowed in 1 outpatient clinic for 20 hours, 1 acute care hospital for 20 hours, and 1 home health agency for 20 hours, you will submit 3 Observation Hours entries. You will submit 3 PT/PTA evaluations, plus one additional non-PT evaluation.

The number of PT/PTA evaluations you submit will equal the number of observation facilities, plus one additional non-PT evaluation

Contact Us

Physical Therapist Assistant
Kelsey Maki, PT, DPT
Program Director
Phone: (979)-691-2140
Email: kelsey.maki@blinn.edu

Information Request


           

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The program has determined that its curriculum meets the state educational requirements for licensure or certification in all states, the District of Colombia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands secondary to its accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education, based on the following: CAPTE accreditation of a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant program satisfies state educational requirements in all states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Thus, students graduating from CAPTE-accredited physical therapist and physical therapist assistant education programs are eligible to take the National Physical Therapy Examination and apply for licensure in all states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. For more information regarding state qualifications and licensure requirements, refer to the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy website at www.fsbpt.org.

Resources

Program Highlights

  • Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education, Blinn’s Physical Therapist Assistant Program is a two-year program that instructs students in various treatment procedures, including rehabilitation techniques, therapeutic exercises, and patient training and education.
  • The curriculum contains a strong core of physical therapy classes as well as related general education courses - anatomy and physiology, psychology, medical terminology, and a humanities elective.
  • The program includes lecture and supervised laboratory courses in physical therapy science and procedures as well as clinical experiences. All Physical Therapist Assistant courses must be taken in sequence and can be taken only in the semester listed. All courses listed within the program curriculum must be passed with a grade of 75 or higher, and a 2.5 GPA must be maintained.
  • After completing approximately 63 semester hours, students earn an Associate of Applied Science degree and qualify to take the national licensure exam.

News

Bryan Collegiate High School grad discovered her pathway to a career in physical therapy through Blinn College's Health Sciences Summer Camp Bryan Collegiate High School grad discovered her pathway to a career in physical therapy through Blinn College's Health Sciences Summer Camp

Now a Blinn freshman, Sarah Denman was the first camp alumna to enroll in a Blinn Health Sciences program

Blinn College student finds a rewarding way to help others through the Physical Therapist Assistant Program Blinn College student finds a rewarding way to help others through the Physical Therapist Assistant Program

Blinn's Physical Therapist Assistant Program has 100% employment and licensure exam pass rates

Physical Therapist Assistant Home Technical Standards Accreditation Program Mission Statement and Goals Physical Therapist Assistant Information Sessions Program Overview Admissions and Application Process Physical Therapist Assistant Program Tuition and Fees PTA to PT Degree