Physical Therapist Assistant

Students interested in one of Volunteer State Community Colleges Health Sciences programs must follow the A.S. in Health Sciences curriculum. You must contact an advisor in your preferred area of emphasis to identify appropriate general education and elective courses for admission into your selected program. For more information about specific program deadlines and requirements, please refer to the program's information packet.

students practicing moving a patientA Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) is an individual who, upon graduating from an accredited program and passing a licensure examination, is qualified to provide physical therapy services to patients. The PTA works under the supervision of a professional physical therapist in a variety of settings including hospitals, extended care facilities, rehabilitation centers, home health agencies, health maintenance organizations, school settings, and outpatient clinics.

Physical therapist assistant (PTA) programs in Tennessee's state community college system are accredited two-year associate degree programs that prepare graduates to perform selected components of patient treatment and assessment under the direction and supervision of the physical therapist in an ethical, legal, safe, and effective manner. These PTA programs combine general education courses, physical therapy lecture and laboratory courses, and clinical education to produce competent, caring, quality oriented physical therapist assistants who are prepared for taking the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) and for entering the field of physical therapy with the required knowledge, skills, and behaviors of an entry-level PTA.

Graduates of Volunteer State Community College Physical Therapist Assistant Program are eligible to apply for licensure in any state and, if approved by that state, sit for the National Physical Therapy Examination administered by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT). The program has determined that its curriculum meets the state educational requirements for PTA licensure or certification in all states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands secondary to its accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education, based upon the following:

CAPTE accreditation of a physical therapist assistant program satisfies state educational requirements in all states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Thus, students graduating from CAPTE-accredited physical therapist assistant programs are eligible to take the National Physical Therapy Examination and apply for licensure in all states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. For more information regarding state qualifications and licensure requirements, refer to the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy website at www.fsbpt.org.

Accreditation

The Physical Therapist Assistant Program at Volunteer State Community College is accredited by:

Commission of Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE)
3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100
Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085
Telephone: 703-706-3245
Email: accrediation@apta.org
Website: http://www.capteonline.org

If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call 615-230-3332 or 615-230-3336 or email regina.brown@volstate.edu.

Enrollment Requirements

Admission to the PTA program is competitive. Applicants must complete all 27 hours of prerequisite courses required for the Associate of Applied Science Degree in the Physical Therapist Assistant curriculum. A grade of C or higher is required for transfer of credits into the program (ENGL 1010, AHC 101, PSYC 1030 & Humanities/Fine Arts). A grade of B or higher is required in the Math and Sciences (Math 1130 or Math 1710, BIOL 2010, BIOL 2020, AHC 1100, and AHC 115) to be considered for the program. A minimum GPA of 3.00 is currently required in the prerequisite courses for a student to be eligible for an interview.

Information Sessions

Potential applications are required to attend an information session where the PTA Program, class schedules, application procedures, and acceptance policies are discussed in detail. Information sessions are held once a month: No reservation is necessary to attend.

Physical Therapist Assistant Spring 2023 Information Session Dates. All information sessions will be held virtually through Zoom. Please email regina.brown@volstate.edu if you are interested in attending an information session.

  • January 3, 2024 @ 1:00 p.m.
  • February 7, 2024 @ 1:00 p.m.
  • March 6, 2024 @ 1:00 p.m.
  • April 3, 2024 @ 1:00 p.m.
  • May 1, 2024 @ 1:00 p.m.
  • September 4, 2024 @ 1:00 p.m.
  • October 2, 2024 @ 1:00 p.m.
  • November 6, 2024 @ 1:00 p.m.
  • December 4, 2024 @ 1:00 p.m.