Mission and Goals

Mission

The Physical Therapist Assistant program will provide students with a comprehensive education leading to an associate of applied science degree, including the training, knowledge, skills and professional attitudes necessary to prepare the students to be competent and integral members of a health-care delivery team. The program will be dedicated to providing educational opportunities which will allow the students to reach their maximum potential and excel in their profession.

Institutional and Program Goals & Graduate Outcomes:

1. Responsibility: Students will demonstrate personal and social responsibility including time management skills, professionalism and community service.

Program Goals:

1. Provide a curriculum that emphasizes safe, legal and ethical practices.
2. Encourage altruism, compassion, cultural competence and social responsibility by providing opportunities for student learning and growth in these areas.

Graduate Outcomes:

1. Graduates will provide safe physical therapy interventions to progress a patient through their plan of care.
2. Graduates will maintain CPR competency and respond appropriately to emergency situations.
3. Graduates will demonstrate good patient management skills, such as time management, accurate billing, appropriate supervision of support personnel, etc.
4. Graduates will act in a manner consistent with the Standards of Ethical Conduct for the Physical Therapist Assistant.
   

2. Outcomes: Students will set reasonable and realistic personal goals and assess their progress toward achieving them.

Program Goals:

1. Emphasize the importance of ethical considerations in the practice of physical therapy and make the students cognizant of the value of professional organizations, as well as the need for continuing education.

Graduate Outcomes:

1. Graduates will participate in learning activities that improve their abilities as a physical therapist assistant and enhance their role in the profession.
2. Graduates will promote health, wellness and prevention to their patients and their community.

3. Communication Skills: Students will demonstrate clear and accurate communications skills including listening, speaking and writing.

Program Goals:

1. Provide a curriculum that promotes effective communication in all the roles of a physical therapist assistant.

Graduate Outcomes:

1. Graduates will effectively communicate with their supervising physical therapist, patients, caregivers, healthcare workers and the public.
2. Graduates will complete accurate and timely documentation supporting physical therapy services.
3. Graduates will provide healthcare education to colleagues, students, and the community.

4. Knowledge and Skills: Students will demonstrate technical competence, learning to learn, information literacy, and problem solving/critical thinking.

Program Goals:

1. Provide a competency-based curriculum which will prepare students to perform the professional duties of a physical therapist assistant.
2. Ensure that the students understand the role and scope of the physical therapist assistant within the physical therapy profession and the health-care delivery system.

Graduate Outcomes:

1. Graduates will be competent in reviewing physical therapy documents and medical records recognizing the rationale for selected interventions and the PTA’s role in application of the plan of care.
2. Graduates will competently apply interventions as directed in the plan of care, including progression or identifying when modifications are necessary.
3. Graduates will perform accurate data collection.
4. Graduates will provide effective instruction to patients and others to achieve the goals and outcomes as described in the plan of care.
5. Graduates will demonstrate the ability to read and understand healthcare literature.