Physical Therapist Assistants (PTAs) provide physical therapy services under the direction and supervision of a licensed physical therapist. PTAs help people of all ages who have medical or health-related conditions that limit their ability to move or perform functional activities in their daily lives. PTAs work in a variety of settings including hospitals, outpatient clinics, home health, extended care facilities, schools, and sports facilities.
Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to
Follow a plan of care established by a physical therapist and carry out physical therapy interventions in a safe, ethical, and competent manner at entry-level;
Demonstrate effective written, oral, and nonverbal communication skills with patients, families/caregivers, health care providers, peers, third-party payers, and the public;
Recognize the need for continued personal and professional growth to ensure competence in current practices of physical therapy and a commitment to lifelong learning;
Demonstrate behavioral expectations as established by the APTA in the Values-Based Behaviors for the Physical Therapist Assistant (January 2011);
Participate as an effective member of the health care team and educate the health care community on the respective roles of the PT and PTA; and
Show a personal commitment of health and wellness and dedication to serve to the profession of physical therapy and the community.
Students must apply for select admission to the PTA program.
Applications are linked at the top of this page or can be picked up in the Admissions Office in the Learning Resource Center, or through a centralized application website: PTACAS. Applications are available at the beginning of spring semester and must be returned no later than the third Friday in May. Once applicants have met all the program criteria, selected students will be interviewed by PTA faculty. Students will be informed of their admission status by mid-June.
Admission to the program is based upon the following:
High school diploma or GED/HiSET;
Successful completion of the prerequisite first-year courses (a minimum grade of “C” must be earned in each class with an overall GPA of at least a 2.75);
Clinical observation hours (minimum of 30 hours with at least 10 hours in an inpatient setting);
An interview;
Essay;
A background check, drug screen and proof of medical health insurance at the student’s expense;
Documentation of immunization; and
Two professional references.
Program Information
Prior to applying to the program, students must have completed or be in the process of completing the first year of prerequisite courses by the end of spring semester. Students may be advised to take BIOB 101, BIOB 160, or CHMY 121 in preparation for BIOH 201; prerequisite math courses in preparation for M 115 or M 140; and a prerequisite writing class in preparation for WRIT 101.
Students having completed Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II courses more than five years ago will require program director permission to be considered as an applicant.
A grade of “C” or higher is required for ALL non-PT prerequisite courses.
Once a student is officially accepted into the PTA program, each AHPT course must be passed with a grade of at least a “C+” for the student to continue in the program. If any course grade is less than a “C+” the student must withdraw from the PTA program (a “C” will not be accepted in technical PTA courses). Remediation will be attempted after filling out an Action Plan form to formulate a plan for improving performance in technical PTA courses. A failing grade will require that the course be repeated, and re-enrollment for courses being repeated will be on a space-available basis. Because PTA technical courses are offered only once per year, this could mean students must wait until the following year to petition for readmission to the program.
The Physical Therapist Assistant Program at Flathead Valley Community College is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education of the American Physical Therapy Association (1111 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, VA, 2314; phone: (703) 706-3158; email: accreditation@pata.org).
Graduates of this program will be eligible and prepared to take the National Physical Therapist Assistant Licensing Exam.
Additional Costs
Once accepted into the PTA program, students may incur costs associated with living expenses and travel to various locations required for clinical experiences. Students should expect to complete a minimum of 1-2 of their clinical experiences outside of the Flathead Valley, dependent upon site availability.
In addition, students will be assigned a program fee of $300 per semester that covers durable lab items, licensure test, prep course, and miscellaneous clinical/lab program costs.
Physical Therapist Assistant Program at Flathead Valley Community College 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: https://www.capteonline.org. If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call 406-756-3373 or email jheil@fvcc.edu.
The Program will graduate competent entry-level physical therapist assistants who function effectively under the direction and supervision of a physical therapist.
The Program will prepare graduates with the knowledge and technical skills needed to pass the PTA NPTE exam and obtain employment as a licensed PTA who functions under the supervision of a physical therapist.
The Program will promote an evidence-based curriculum that supports the mission of FVCC based upon input from the PTA advisory committee, academic faculty, students and clinical instructors.
Graduate Outcomes
Graduates will follow a plan of care established by a physical therapist and carry out physical therapy interventions in a safe, ethical and competent manner at entry level.
Graduates will demonstrate effective written, oral and nonverbal communication skills with patients, families/caregivers, healthcare providers, peers, third party payers and the public.
Graduates will recognize the need for continued personal and professional growth to ensure competence in current practices of physical therapy and a commitment to lifelong learning.
Graduates will demonstrate behavioral expectations as established by the APTA in the Value Based Behavior for the Physical Therapist Assistant (January 2011)
Graduates will participate as an effective member of the health care team and educate the healthcare community on the respective roles of the PT and PTA.
Graduates will show a personal commitment of health and wellness and dedication to service to the profession of physical therapy and the community.
’20-’21
’21-’22
’22-’23
Number Accepted into Program
10
10
8
Graduation Rate
(admit to graduation)
90%
9/10
100%
10/10
87.5%
7/8
Percent of Graduates taking
National Licensing Exam (NPTE)
100%
9/9
90%
9/10
100%
7/7
First Time Pass Rate NPTE
100%
9/9
100%
9/9
85.7%
6/7
Overall Pass Rate
NPTE FSBPT
100%
9/9
100%
9/9
100%
7/7
Employment Rate of Licensed PTA’s
(six (6) months after passing NPTE exam)
