Physical Therapist Assistant
WHY PHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT AT SOUTHERN?
This program prepares students for a rewarding career of improving people’s quality of life.
The Physical Therapist Assistant Program at Southern Adventist University is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE)*
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the physical therapist assistant profession will experience a 41 percent growth rate nationally between 2014 and 2024. With 45,000 jobs added annually, it is one of the fastest growing occupations in the country.
US News and World Report ranks physical therapist assistant as the #4 best health care support job and places it at #38 in the 100 Best Jobs overall.
Who is a Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA)?
The physical therapist assistant is a skilled technical health-care worker who carries out the patient’s treatment program under the supervision of a physical therapist. The physical therapist assistant is involved in patient care to the extent the supervising physical therapist allows.
Common duties of a physical therapist assistant include: conducting physical therapy treatments, training patients and family members on proper performance of exercise and activities of daily living, assist the physical therapist in performing assessments/evaluations and more complex treatment procedures, and observing/reporting the patient’s response to treatment.
Physical therapist assistants commonly work alongside other disciplines such as nursing, occupational therapy, speech language pathology, social work, physician services, recreational therapy, dietary, and psychology. The goal of this team of professionals is the patient’s restoration to his or her highest level of function.
About the Program
Who is a Physical Therapist Assistant?
A physical therapist assistant is an individual who enjoys working with people by applying his or her interest in medical science to each individual. Physical therapist assistants are in high demand at this time and can be found in many settings including: hospitals, outpatient clinics, rehabilitation agencies, medical groups, and schools.
Southern Adventist University’s PTA Program
The Physical Therapist Assistant Program at Southern Adventist University is a 15-month sequence of classes that begin each August and conclude in December of the following year. All students must apply and be selected for each class annually. Upon acceptance, students spend a majority of time in the classroom. Classroom instruction is followed by three major clinical rotations, one four weeks and two six weeks in length.
Complaints
Complaints regarding the program or the program graduates should be first addressed to the PTA Program Director Christopher Stewart at cbstewart@southern.edu or 423-236-2356. Unresolved complaints or complaints about the Program Director should be directed to Robert Young, PhD, Senior Vice President for Academic Administration at ryoung@southern.edu or 423-236-2804. Complaints will be documented, including the projected outcome, and kept on file.
Accreditation
The Physical Therapist Assistant Program at Southern Adventist University is accredited by The Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE); 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, VA 22305-3085; phone: 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org; website: http://capteonline.org. Complaints regarding Accreditation of this program should be addressed to the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE).
PROFESSORS
Christopher Stewart
Chair
Amanda Patton
Assistant Professor
Mandy Sharpe
Director of Clinical Education
Contact
PO Box 370
Collegedale, TN 37315