Program Description/Purpose: 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 Physical Therapist Assistant Program at Germanna Community College is accredited by:
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: http://www.capteonline.org
If you need to contact the program/institution directly, please call (540) 423-9844 or email ptassistant@germanna.edu. The satellite location offered in cooperation with Laurel Ridge Community College operates under the GCC PTA accreditation. If you need to contact the program/institution directly, please email rparameswaran@laurelridge.edu.
Admissions Requirements:
Applicants must meet the general admission requirements for admission to both Laurel Ridge Community College, for general education credits, and Germanna Community College, for core PTA program courses. For application information, materials, and additional program information, please see:
Germanna Community 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 Student Learning Outcomes
- Graduates will demonstrate the ability to collect and review data and administer evidence-based interventions within the limits of the PTA scope of work and as outlined by the physical therapist in the plan of care.
- Graduates will demonstrate written and verbal communication related to the practice of physical therapy that is effective, professional, and presented in a manner appropriate to the intended audience.
- Graduates will apply critical thinking and decision-making skills to the provision of physical therapy care to ensure patient safety and to appropriately progress the plan of care developed by the physical therapist.
- Graduates will adhere to federal and state regulations, facility policies and procedures, and will meet standards of performance-based and values-based behaviors expected of the entry-level physical therapist assistant.
Courses are displayed under the semester in which they are regularly offered and are recommended to be taken in this sequence to ensure timely graduation. It is possible that a course shown in a particular semester may not be offered due to low enrollment or other factors.