222A - Physical Therapist Assistant (A.S.)

This is a Limited/Selective Access program.

The mission of the Associate in Science Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) program is to create competent, ethical and confident entry-level health care practitioners committed to professional development through life-long learning in a positive, non-discriminatory, and supportive learning environment. The program is a balance between theory and practice that enhances the educational experience and provides students with the skills and preparation necessary for employment in the field of physical therapy.

The PTA program is a combination of general education and professional coursework including lecture, laboratory, and clinical education components. Upon completion of the program, students are awarded an Associate in Science in Physical Therapist Assistant degree, and are eligible to apply to sit for the state administered national examination in order to qualify for licensure to practice as a PTA.

Admission to this program is limited and is based on academic performance and other criteria.

A minimum grade of C or higher must be achieved in all professional coursework.

*The years represented reflect the years that these cohorts of students graduated from the PTA program.

The Physical Therapist Assistant program at Florida State College at Jacksonville is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; telephone: (703) 706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org. If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call (904) 766-5574 or email dianne.mcauliffe@fscj.edu.

Admission to the professional phase of the program is limited and based upon selective academic performance and other criteria. An information/application packet outlining requirements, procedures, costs and other pertinent information is available from the Health Career Information Center at North Campus, or at fscj.edu/222A.

Minimum requirements that must be met for consideration for admission to the Professional (PHT prefix) coursework of the PTA program are as follows:

1. Applicants must be accepted for admission to Florida State College at Jacksonville or be currently enrolled at Florida State College at Jacksonville. Acceptance to Florida State College at Jacksonville does not guarantee admission to the Professional (PHT prefix) coursework of the PTA program.

2. Applicants must submit a completed application for the Professional (PHT prefix) coursework of the program to the PTA department. Incomplete and late applications will not be considered. Contact the PTA department for information/application packets and deadlines.

3. Complete the Health Education Systems, Inc. Admission Test (HESI-A2) with a score at least a 75% averaged across all 9 categories and a 75% minimum on the A&P. Include the results in the PTA application file.

4. Applicants must have completed 17 credit hours of prerequisite coursework including ENC1101 or ENC1101C or ENC1102, BSC2085C and BSC2086C and MAC1105 or higher-level MAC prefix course or MAP2302 or MGF1106 or MGF1107 or STA2023, and HSC1531, all with a minimum grade of C and minimum combined grade point average of 2.5 prior to the Application Deadline.

5. Applicants must submit documented evidence verifying completion of a minimum of 10 hours of outpatient and 10 hours of inpatient observation, volunteer service, and/or work experience in physical therapy. Verification forms can be obtained from the PTA department.

6. Applicants are required to submit official transcripts from both high school/GED® and any postsecondary education. Transcripts must be officially sealed and sent directly from the awarding institution via electronic delivery to studentrecords@fscj.edu or via mail to FSCJ Admissions Office, PO Box 40515, Jacksonville, FL 32203.

Students who have submitted completed applications to the PTA department by the deadline will be ranked according to a point scale. The 30 highest ranked students each Summer and the 15 highest ranked students each Spring will be accepted into the Professional (PHT prefix) coursework of the PTA program and notified of their acceptance by FSCJ email. Refer to the PTA program points rubric for a complete description of the point system on which ranking is based, by contacting Health Career Advising at hcic@fscj.edu or (904-713-4545.

The application deadline is February 15 each year for the cohort starting in the Summer term and September 15th each year for the cohort starting in the Spring term.

(904) 646-2300 or hcic@fscj.edu.

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