Frequently Asked Questions
1. How long is the PTA Program?
Four semesters over two academic years. No summers.
2. Can anyone enroll in PTA courses?
No. Enrollment in the PTA Program is by application only. The PTA Program application is separate from the general Cerritos College application. Please see our Application Information tab for more details.
3. When does the PTA Program start?
The program begins each year in the Fall semester which is generally in mid-August. Applications for acceptance to the program are due on April 15th for consideration for admittance to the following Fall semester.
4. How are students selected for the program?
Please refer to the Program Overview tab and Application Information tab for more details.
5. Are work experience or volunteer hours in physical therapy required to apply to the PTA Program?
No. You can apply to the PTA Program without work or volunteer experience, though experience in physical therapy is highly recommended and strengthens your application.
6. Is a Medical Terminology course required before applying for the PTA Program?
No. Medical Terminology is not a pre-requisite to apply. It is, however, a requirement to earn the PTA Associate of Science degree which means this course will need to be completed before graduation from the PTA Program.
7. Can courses I have taken at other colleges be transferred to Cerritos College to meet general education and pre-requisite requirements?
Yes. Cerritos College will accept most courses completed at a regionally accredited college or university, provided the course description and units are similar to courses offered at Cerritos College. If you would like further assistance or advice, you can make an appointment with one of our Health Occupations Counselors. They can review your transcripts and let you know what classes will meet our pre-requisite requirements or will transfer and cover general education for Cerritos College. The counselors will also help give suggestions on steps to take and classes that will benefit you. You can make a virtual and/or drop-in appointment with them via their webpage at www.cerritos.edu/counseling. To schedule a virtual counseling appointment, you need a Cerritos Student ID # which you can get by applying to the college at no cost. You can also schedule a drop-in session without a student ID number.
8. By whom does a college or university need to be accredited for courses to be considered for transfer to Cerritos College?
Cerritos College accepts transfer units from colleges or universities accredited by the following agencies:
- Middle States Commission on Higher Education
- The Higher Learning Commission
- Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education
9. What are the chances of being accepted into the PTA Program?
The program receives between 150 to 200 applications during any given application cycle. Approximately 10-15% of applicants do not qualify because they have not completed pre-requisite courses or do not submit complete applications per the instructions. We accept 32 students and offer 15 alternate status spots from the qualified pool of applicants each year. Not all students who are selected chose to begin the program. These vacant spots are filled from those on the alternate status list. The PTA Program is a competitive entry-by-application program. The typically accepted applicant has, in addition to completion of the minimum prerequisite courses, work experience in the field of physical therapy or healthcare and other completed courses in pure science, math, kinesiology, or psychology.
10. Does the PTA Program offer hybrid or on-line courses?
No. All lectures and labs are held in-person on the Cerritos College campus.
11. When are PTA Program courses offered?
The Cerritos College PTA Program is an evening program. Currently, all our classes are in the evening between 4pm and 10 pm, Monday – Thursday. There are no Friday classes. Depending on the semester, there may be 1 or 2 lab days per week where you can choose to come from either 4-7 pm OR 7-10 pm. Students are required to drive to clinical experiences for 6 weeks in each of the second, third and fourth semesters.
12. How are clinical experiences (internships) handled?
Clinical experiences vary in days/times, but are generally 4-5 days per week, 8-10 hours per day. Some locations require weekend work. Days and times of work will vary based on the Clinical Instructor (CI) and the staffing patterns of the facility you are assigned to for the semester. All clinical assignments are full-time (36-40 hours a week). Students are required to attend class in the evenings while they are completing their clinical experiences. Those who are employed during their time in the PTA Program generally take a leave of absence from their regular employer during their assigned clinical experience interval. Clinical assignments will be made at least 6 weeks prior to the start of the upcoming semester. In order to graduate, each student must successfully complete three 6-week clinical experiences.
Year | Fall Semester | Spring Semester |
---|---|---|
First | No assignment | Six weeks |
Second | Six weeks | Six weeks |
13. What degree will I have at the end of the PTA Program, and do I automatically get licensed to practice as a Physical Therapist Assistant when I graduate?
Graduates of the program will be awarded a Physical Therapist Assistant Associate in Science degree. However, earning the A.S. degree does not automatically entitle the graduate to practice as a Physical Therapist Assistant. The graduate must apply for permission to sit for the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE) as well as a California Jurisprudence (Laws & Regulations) exam. A graduate must pass a background check and fingerprinting as well as both the NPTE & CA Jurisprudence exams to gain licensure in the state of California.
For more information on Physical Therapy licensing within California, please visit following website: www.ptbc.ca.gov
14. What does a Physical Therapist Assistant do?
PTAs perform patient interventions in the form of treatment for various disabilities and age ranges under the direction of a physical therapist. These interventions may include physical agents such thermal, cryotherapy, and electrotherapy, as well as therapeutic exercises, balance & neuro re-education training, manual techniques, and patient retraining for bed mobility, transfers, walking, work, and other activities of daily living or leisure activities. PTAs provide family training and patient education as part of their role while also collaborating with other members of the healthcare team as needed, including DPTs, PT aides, medical doctors, nurses, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, case managers, prosthetics and orthotics personnel and more.
15. What is the difference between Physical Therapists, Physical Therapist Assistants, and Physical Therapy Aides or Technicians?
See above for the job description of a Physical Therapist Assistant.
Physical Therapists complete all the interventions listed above for the PTA. In addition, a physical therapist is responsible for managing all aspects of the physical therapy care for each patient. A physical therapist provides: initial evaluation, periodic re-evaluation, regular documentation and a discharge evaluation for each patient. A physical therapist also assures the qualifications of all physical therapist assistants and physical therapy aides under his or her direction and supervision. A physical therapist provides all the therapeutic intervention that requires the expertise of a physical therapist and determines the appropriate use of physical therapist assistants or physical therapy aides to provide delivery of therapy services that are safe, effective, and efficient for each patient. A physical therapist may use physical therapy aides to assist with interventions such as therapeutic exercise or functional mobility. A physical therapy aide must work under the direct supervision of a physical therapist when performing patient care related tasks and can perform assigned non-patient related tasks such billing or cleaning.
For further information regarding Physical Therapy practice, please see the "Learn Physical Therapy Basics" page at the following link: https://www.fsbpt.org/Secondary-Pages/The-Public/Learn-Physical-Therapy-Basics
16. What are the career opportunities for Physical Therapist Assistants?
A licensed Physical Therapist Assistant can work in a variety of settings under the direction of a Physical Therapist. Settings where PTAs work include hospitals, rehabilitation centers, pediatric treatment units, outpatient orthopedic clinics, home health, and skilled nursing facilities. Currently, the job market is excellent. Many students have accepted positions by the time they graduate. Graduate surveys show that 100% of the program graduates who sought employment over the past several years were employed within 1 year of graduation.
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