Physical Therapist Assistant, AAS - Partnership Agreement with Germanna Community College

The program is offered at Laurel Ridge Community College through a partnership with Germanna Community College (GCC). Students attend lecture classes at the Luray-Page County Center via distance education along with students at GCC. Labs will be conducted at the Page Memorial Hospital rehabilitation facility in Page County. Students will be placed in clinical education experiences throughout the Laurel Ridge Community College service region and nearby areas.

The associate of applied science degree with a major in Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA), awarded by GCC, is designed to prepare successful graduates with the knowledge, skills and attitudes expected of entry-level physical therapist assistants. Upon completion of the program, graduates will be eligible to take the national physical therapist assistant licensure examination, administered by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT).

Accreditation Status: The GCC PTA program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), a specialized accrediting body nationally recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDE) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). The satellite program is under CAPTE review, with approval anticipated in early May 2021.

Admissions Requirements: Applicants must meet the general admission requirements for admission to both Laurel Ridge Community College, for general education credits, and GCC, for core PTA program courses. For application information, materials and additional program information, please see: GCC College Catalog Pathway: Health Science website at
https://www.germanna.edu/pathways/health-science/physical-therapist-assistant, and the PTA program website at https://www.germanna.edu/physical-therapist-assistant.

Program Curriculum

Students progress sequentially through the PTA curriculum, designed to prepare the student with the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for the physical therapist assistant. The curriculum includes classroom and lab components, and three full-time clinical education experiences. Progression to the subsequent semester is dependent on passing each PTH-prefix course with a C or better, maintaining an overall 2.5 or better GPA, and meeting course-specific requirements presented in each syllabus. Students are given opportunity for remediation if they are in danger of not passing a course.

The First Five courses below must be completed or in progress at the time of application to the program. Prerequisites completed at other institutions, including other VCCS colleges, will be evaluated for transfer upon the submission of the GCC transfer evaluation request form. Official transcripts are required for courses taken at non-VCCS institutions.

First Five

BIO 141 - Human Anatomy & Physiology I 4 cr.
ENG 111 - College Composition I 3 cr.
PSY 230 - Developmental Psychology 3 cr.
SDV 101 - Orientation to Health Professions 1 cr.
Elective - Humanities 3 cr.¹

Semester Total: 14 Credits

Second Semester

Semester Total: 13 Credits

Summer Semester

PTH 131 - Clinical Education I 2 cr.

Semester Total: 2 Credits

Third Semester

Semester Total: 13 Credits

Fourth Semester

BIO 142 - Human Anatomy & Physiology II 4 cr. *
PTH 210 - Psychological Aspects of Therapy 2 cr.
PTH 225 - Rehabilitation Procedures 5 cr.
PTH 251 - Clinical Practicum I 3 cr.

Semester Total: 14 Credits

Fifth Semester

PTH 226 - Therapeutic Exercise 4 cr.
PTH 227 - Pathological Conditions 2 cr.
PTH 252 - Clinical Practicum II 4 cr.
PTH 255 - Seminar in Physical Therapy 2 cr.

Semester Total: 12 Credits

Program Total: 68 Credits

¹ART, ENG LIT, HUM, MUS, PHI, REL or Foreign Language elective. ELECTIVES General Studies All Programs (excluding Liberal Arts Degrees)

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