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University of Pittsburgh Titusville    
2020-2021 Titusville Campus Catalog 
    
 
  Mar 28, 2024
 
2020-2021 Titusville Campus Catalog [Archived Catalog]

Physical Therapist Assistant, AS


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The Physical Therapist Assistant, AS is being discontinued.  New students are not being accepted into the program.  This will not impact students graduating in May 2021.  The University is committed to providing a high quality program to those students as they complete the requirements for their degree.  Students currently enrolled in the program must complete their degree by August 14, 2021. 

Program Overview

The University of Pittsburgh at Titusville’s (Pitt-Titusville) Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) Program is a well-established academic based program. The Physical Therapist Assistant Program at the University of Pittsburgh at Titusville is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). * The program is accredited through the year 2021. The faculty are members of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA).

Upon completion of the two-year Physical Therapist Assistant Program, students will earn an Associate of Science Degree for the Physical Therapist Assistant from the University of Pittsburgh, and will be eligible to sit for the National Physical Therapy Licensure Examination (NPTE).

The PTA Program is a five semester, two-year program. Our faculty will work with you to suggest a curriculum to fit your previous college credits or for students that cannot attend school full time. Our small class size and knowledgeable faculty give you interactive/hands-on learning and personalized attention in a comfortable atmosphere.

As a branch of the main Pitt campus, you will have access to the medical and research resources for which the University of Pittsburgh is respected worldwide.

Accreditation and Licensure

CAPTE Logo (Image)

The Physical Therapist Assistant Program at the University of Pittsburgh-Titusville is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 1111 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314; telephone: 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org; website: http://www.capteonline.org.  The program’s current status is probationary accrediation: for more information see http://www.capteonline.org/WhatWeDo/RecentActions/PublicDisclosureNotices/.  If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call (814-827-4426) or email pmcclain@pitt.edu). 

 

After matriculating with an A.S. degree in physical therapist assistant (PTA), program graduates must successfully pass the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) administered by each state to achieve certification/licensure which is required for clinical practice. The Pitt-Titusville PTA Program assists students in the preparation of the NPTE with the Professional Issues Seminar course, several mock board examinations, a new NPTAE review course, and a professional on-campus review course.

In addition to a PTA certification/licensure, many state licensing boards require a criminal background check, fingerprinting, child abuse clearance and Mandated Reporter Training (Act 31). To maintain acceptance in the program, students must successfully pass drug screening.  Further, prior to beginning the clinical education courses, students must meet all of these common requirements of the respective facilities/companies, which may include some or all of the following: fingerprinting, TB testing, CPR, drug screening, and Act 31, Act 34 and Act 151 clearances.  Students with criminal records should contact the physical therapy licensing board for the state they plan to practice in prior to applying for admission to the PTA Program to inquire about potential restrictions for licensure.

Advisors

Patricia McClain, RN, BSN, MSN Interim Program Director
Physical Therapist


Ms. Joyce Carbaugh, Academic Coordinator Clinical Education
Physical Therapist Assistant

Affiliations

While we have numerous affiliation sites within a 50 mile radius of our campus, we encourage our students to travel to other cities/states to experience the diversity of the physical therapy practice throughout the United States. If a location is chosen in which we do not already have a clinical site, every effort is made to acquire a site of the student’s choice. Ultimately, the academic needs of the student are our priority for clinical placement.

All expenses, including transportation and housing are the student’s responsibility. However, many of our students choose clinical sites near friends or relatives to help offset some of their expenses.

Two-Year Curriculum


Curriculum Subject to Change

Part-Time Status


Students may choose to pursue the PTA Program as a part-time student. Students may take as little as one course per semester of the Required General Foundation and Behavioral Education Courses. However, the Technical and Clinical Education courses must be taken in consecutive sequence without interruption.  This requires prior communication and approval by the PTA Program Director.

Curriculum Subject to Change

Program Outcomes


Graduation Rate

The percentage of students who complete the program within 150% of the normally expected time:

  • Class of 2017 (80%)
  • Class of 2018 (83%)
  • Class of 2019 (92%)

Ultimate Pass Rates

The percentage of graduates who passed the NPTE:

  • Class of 2017 (72.7%)
  • Class of 2018 (70.0%)
  • Class of 2019 (27.3%)

Employment Rate

The percentage of graduates who sought employment and who were employed within 6 months of passing the NPTE:

  • Class of 2017 (100%)
  • Class of 2018 (100%)
  • Class of 2019 (100%)

Employment Opportunities: Please see the APTA job/career center link.

Minimum Entry Requirements for the Program

  • High School GPA of 2.85 or GED of at least 2500
  • College GPA of 2.8
  • SAT score of at least 1000
  • Readiness to take ENG 0101  and MATH 0031  or MATH 0110  
  • Earned an overall 2.0 GPA or better in all pre-technical course work.
  • Students who do not meet the entry requirements of the program, but who meet the entry requirements of the University of Pittsburgh at Titusville are encouraged to pursue health science courses in preparation for later entry into the PTA program. Students must still meet all of the PTA entry requirements.
  • Student admittance pending committee/faculty review.
Volunteer/Recommendation Requirements:
  • Combined total of 40 hours of volunteer work from two separate Physical Therapy Clinics (20 hours at each clinic) (click here for form)
  • One positive letter of recommendation from the PT/PTA with whom the student has volunteered (click here for form)
  • These requirements must be received by November 1st prior to beginning the technical phase of the program in January
First Aid & CPR Requirements:
  • Current certification in First Aid and CPR prior to the end of the second semester
Clearance Requirements:

All students admitted to the technical phase of the PTA Program must complete a recent (defined as within 2 months prior to beginning first clinical experience) a criminal history information (Act 34), Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance (Act 151) and fingerprinting.

Program Academic Requirements:

It is the policy of Pitt-Titusville’s PTA Program that students must maintain a high level of academic achievement in order to continue in the PTA Program. Students are required to maintain at least a 2.5 GPA average in the PTA curriculum and an overall GPA of 2.0 each semester.

A maximum of 24 students are admitted to the technical phase of the program each spring semester. The PTA Selection Committee ranks students based on selection criteria including SAT/ACT score, GPA, core prerequisite course grades, personal essay, and volunteer hours with letter of recommendation. The highest ranking applicants, up to 24, will be offered acceptance into the technical phase of the program. Remaining candidates will either be placed on a waiting list as an alternate or denied admission.

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