Physical Therapist Assistant Degree Program

As a Physical Therapist Assistant, you'll work closely with patients to improve their ability to move easily or without pain. You will use your knowledge about human anatomy to help people who suffer from an injury, accident, surgery, or general mobility issues. Your work will allow them to live more normal, pain-free daily lives.

Here are some things you may do:

• Work hands-on, directly with patients
• Teach patients basic exercises to improve range of motion and coordination
• Treat patients using techniques like stretching
• Communicate with the physical therapist to monitor patient progress and results

Physical therapist assistants use exercises, stretches, and their knowledge of the body to help patients recover or improve mobility. Students in our physical therapy assistant program will be trained to do the following: 

• Provide treatment to improve patient mobility or relieve pain
• Help with exercise, soft tissue mobilization, joint mobilization, electrical stimulation, and more
• Put on or remove supportive devices such as braces or splints
• Record the patient’s responses to treatment¹

¹California Employment Development Department Detailed Guide, Physical Therapist Assistants in California

If you want a hands-on career that allows you to work with people one-on-one, you might enjoy physical therapy.

Here are some of the top skills and attributes that make for a great physical therapist assistant:

Communication – Because physical therapist assistants work directly with patients, they must be able to communicate effectively with them, explaining exercises, adaptive devices, and more.

Monitoring – Physical therapist assistants should be able to monitor and assess their patients’ performance and progress.

Social perceptiveness - Being aware of and understanding patients’ reactions helps physical therapist assistants provide patient-centered service.

Service orientation – A great physical therapist assistant is one with a passion for helping patients and for providing the best care possible.

Instructing – Physical therapist assistants must be able to lead patients through exercises an

Physical therapy assistants can work in a variety of settings, including:

• Offices of other health practitioners
• General medical and surgical hospitals
• Home health care services
• Nursing care facilities
• Outpatient care centers¹
• Physical Therapy Clinics
• Rehabilitation Facilities

¹California Employment Development Department Detailed Guide, Physical Therapist Assistants in California

The goal of the school's program is to help you graduate with the confidence, knowledge, and qualifications to be a Physical Therapist Assistant.

Physical Therapy Assistants play critical roles in helping physical therapists with the rehabilitation of patients—including accident victims, injured athletes, those suffering from burns, strokes, arthritis, and more.

American Career College's Physical Therapist Assistant Associate of Occupational Science degree program encompasses:

Two clinical courses at the conclusion of the classroom and laboratory portion of the program.

A total of 600 clinical hours is required for program completion.

Clinical Practicum I

This clinical practicum experience provides each student with the opportunity to observe and apply basic skills performed within the classroom while under constant supervision in the clinical setting. The aim of this experience includes observation of departmental activities including familiarization in delegation while applying basic intervention skills, safety awareness, documentation, communication, and modality application.

Clinical Practicum II

This clinical practicum experience is a full time 10 week clinical affiliation where students will have the opportunity to experience clinical practice in a minimum of two rehabilitation settings. Upon completion, the student is expected to achieve knowledge and skills that are required to implement a plan of care under the direction of a licensed physical therapist to improve mobility and function of patients of varying diagnoses and impairments. Students are expected to perform clinical skills with increasing efficiency as well as implement knowledge learned through ongoing coursework including cardiopulmonary rehabilitation and therapeutic interventions related to prosthetics and orthotics. Attention will be paid to developing proficiency in the communication and interaction between a PT/PTA as well as demonstrating appropriate PT/PTA clinical relationship. The student will attain the ability to provide patient care with quality, efficiency, complexity, and consistency under the supervision and guidance of a physical therapist and reflective of a PTA student progressing toward competency consistent with an entry level physical therapist assistant.

Didactic and Laboratory Courses

Various delivery methods are employed within the didactic portion of the school's program. Self-discovery methods and problem-based learning supplement standard lecture delivery platforms. In combination, these delivery methods will maximize exchange of information and encourage student initiative in and out of the clinical setting.

Throughout the class curriculum, documentation skills will be developed, with emphasis placed on accurate documentation and its relationship to patient safety, practitioner communication, interdisciplinary plans of care, denied reimbursement, and practice acts and laws.

Interdisciplinary instruction personnel from inside the college are incorporated into some classes, using the expertise of other program instructors (e.g., respiratory). Interdisciplinary instruction personnel from outside the college are incorporated into some classes, using the expertise of other clinical professionals (e.g., pharmacy).

Exposure to advanced equipment will be available to students in a newly constructed facility.

For a complete description of coursework in these modules, please refer to the ACC Catalog.

Students can earn their degree to become a physical therapy assistant in as little as 20 months.

CAPTE Physical Therapist Assistant Student Achievement Measures  (Orange County Campus)

*Obtained from the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy.

Our admissions advisors and financial aid advisors are here to support you. They can help you figure out the physical therapist assistant school cost and help you explore financial aid options.

To learn more about ACC’s Physical Therapy Assistant program cost, access our tuition info.

Yes, financial aid and scholarships are available for those who qualify.

Yes! ACC's physical therapist assistant program includes over 600 hours of clinicals which gives students the opportunity to demonstrate and reinforce the knowledge and skills they acquired learning hands-on throughout the training program.