Admissions Requirements

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS (AS PTA)

General admission to South College does not guarantee admission to the Associate of Science degree program in Physical Therapist Assistant. Applicants interested in this program are required to visit the college and meet individually with an admissions representative and a program advisor to ascertain if their goals can be met by the college.

Prospective students declaring PTA as their major must be generally admitted to South College and meet the following requirements in order to be considered for full admission to the program:

1. Meet minimum score requirements required by the program on the college entrance examination, OR present documentation of a score of 19 or higher on the ACT Assessment examination, OR have earned transfer credit of 18 semester (27 quarter) hours with at least a 3.0 grade point average (GPA), OR achieve a GPA of at least 3.0 for the program’s pre-requisite general education courses (ENG 1200, ENG 1210, BIO 1110/1120, BIO 1130/1140, AHS 1010, COM 1260, and MAT 1510).
2. Complete and submit the South College AS PTA Program Application and Checklist.
3. Submit three (3) letters of reference utilizing the program’s reference form. These reference forms will be scored and must average seventy-five percent (75%) or better.
4. Complete all required general education core courses and earn the minimum grade of “C” or higher.
5. Complete BIO 1110 Anatomy & Physiology I, BIO 1120 Anatomy & Physiology I Lab, BIO 1130 Anatomy & Physiology II, and BIO 1140 Anatomy & Physiology II Lab with at least a 2.50 grade point average. The necessary grades must be achieved on the first or second attempt (all postsecondary attempts counted) unless approved by department chair.
6. Complete PTA 1010 Introduction to PTA, PTA 1030 Pathophysiology, and PTA 1040 Kinesiology for the PTA with a grade of “C” or better earned on the first or second attempt only. A grade of “C” is equivalent to 75%.
7. Submit proof of at least sixteen (16) hours of observation and/or work hours in a physical therapy setting using the form provided by the PTA program.

Transfer credit for Kinesiology or Pathophysiology classes to the South College PTA program from another institution will be considered on an individual basis. For a PTA class to be considered for transfer into the South College PTA program, the class must have been comparable in hours and content, must have been taken within the last five years, and a grade of “B” or higher must have been received for the class. For final transfer approval, a course description or syllabus may be required.

Applicants must also demonstrate the following functional capacities:

 

FUNCTION	REQUIREMENT	EXAMPLES OF TASKS FOR PTA
Vision	Adequate to ensure safety of self and others in classroom and clinic settings.	Observing patient behavior and appearance; directing patient’s and own movement inside and outside classroom and clinic; overseeing set-up and implementation of treatment activities
Hearing	Adequate to allow effective communication with patients and others in person and by remote means, and to ensure safety of self and patients.	Face-to-face communication with patients and families who may have language, hearing, vision or cognitive problems, or be illiterate; telephone consultations with other professionals or families; attending to pages, overhead announcements, etc.
Tactile Sensitivity	Adequate to allow effective evaluation and therapeutic intervention related to movement disabilities, and to ensure safety of self and others in the use of thermal, vibratory, and other sensory stimulation techniques	Palpation of muscle activity in muscle testing; recognition of “hot” areas related to inflammation; determining safe water temperature
Gross motor strength and coordination	Adequate to ensure safety of self and others in class and lab sessions and clinic activities	Safe transfers of students and patients; safe and efficient mobility within the school and clinic setting; safe and efficient mobility within the community; safe and efficient transportation of treatment materials
Fine motor strength and coordination	Adequate to allow use of measurement and evaluation devices common in physical therapy, and to ensure safe manipulation of patient’s bodies and of treatment materials	Measuring joint range of motion using a goniometer; setting controls on treatment equipment; performing manual facilitation and mobilization techniques
Critical thinking ability	Adequate to allow mastery of basic course content and to demonstrate sound judgment in simulated and real life therapy situations	Identifying cause and effect relationships in patient behavior in order to modify treatment approach; determining which behaviors could lead to unsafe situations; determining when to request additional support
Interpersonal Skills	Adequate to allow establishment of an effective working relationship with patients, families and other professionals	Interacting with difficult family members; defining physical therapy to physicians or other referral sources; working with a difficult co-worker; motivating a depressed patient
Communication Skills	Adequate to allow completion of course work and effective verbal and written communication with patients families, other professional, and others	Class discussions and presentations; research papers; weekly progress note on a patient; discussing patient behavior and needs with patient and family; home programs and education materials for patients