Physical Therapist Assistant

The Physical Therapist Assistant curriculum prepares graduates to work in direct patient care settings under supervision of physical therapists. Assistants work to improve or restore function by alleviation or prevention of physical impairment and perform other essential activities in a physical therapy department.

Course work includes normal human anatomy and physiology, the consequences of disease or injury, and physical therapy treatment of a variety of patient conditions affecting humans throughout the life-span.

Graduates may be eligible to take the licensure examination administered by the NC Board of Physical Therapy Examiners. Employment is available in general hospitals, rehabilitation centers, extended care facilities, specialty hospitals, home health agencies, private clinics, and public school systems.

Students entering clinical externships (usually in their last two semesters) may be required by the clinical site to provide a criminal background check and a drug screening test before or during each rotation. A criminal history or positive drug screen may preclude the student from being placed for clinical rotation and therefore prevent the student from finishing the degree or diploma. A positive drug screen during the rotation will result in a failing grade for that clinical and will prevent the student from continuing in the program.

Admissions Requirements

The Physical Therapist Assistant program is a competitive, limited-enrollment program that follows the College’s general admissions process plus additional health-program requirements.

Step 1 — General Admission to MCC. All applicants must first complete the College’s general admissions process. Visit the How to Apply page to start your MCC application.

Step 2 — Talk to the PTA Director. Because admission is competitive and program requirements evolve, prospective students should contact the PTA program director directly to confirm the current cycle’s deadlines, prerequisite list, and any additional steps.

Accreditation

The Physical Therapist Assistant program at Martin Community College is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Avenue, Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; telephone: 800-999-2782; email: [email protected]; website: www.capteonline.org.

If needing to contact the program directly, please call 252-789-0265 or 0272, or email [email protected].

Complaints Received Outside of Due Process

Complaints against the PTA program may be directed to the office of the MCC President ([email protected]) where a written record will be kept of the complaint and the appropriate action taken. A complaint against the MCC PTA program may also be filed at the NC Board of PT Examiners at http://www.ncptboard.org and the North Carolina Physical Therapy Association at https://www.aptanc.org/.

Performance Data

The MCC Physical Therapist Assistant program publishes the following performance data in compliance with CAPTE accreditation transparency requirements. Most recent five years shown.

Acceptance Rate

# accepted / # of qualified candidates

Matriculation Rate

# started / # accepted into program

Graduation Rate

Most recent two-year average: 56.25%

Employment Rate of Each Graduating Class (Licensed)

Most recent two-year average: 100%

Licensure Exam Passing Rate (First Time)

Most recent two-year average: 83.35%

Ultimate Licensure Exam Passing Rate

Most recent two-year average: 100%