Physical Therapist Assistant
Bring Motion to Life as a Physical Therapist Assistant
As a selective admission program, the PTA program enrollment is limited to 16 students per year. Decision for admission is based on achievement of minimum academic criteria, residency and the quality of the applicant's credentials in relation to those of other applicants.
Program Accreditation
Physical Therapist Assistant program at Heartland Community College is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 1111 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, Virginia, 22314; telephone 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org; website: http://www.capteonline.org. If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call 309-268-8673 or email daryl.menke@heartland.edu.

Website: www.capteonline.org
COMPLAINTS to the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE)
CAPTE has a mechanism to consider formal complaints about physical therapy education programs (PT or PTA). Please refer to the CAPTE website: http://www.capteonline.org/Complaints/.
Review Licensure Considerations
Passing the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE) is required for licensure. In order to sit for the NPTE, students must graduate from a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) and meet eligibility criteria designated by each state's licensing authority. The Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) administers the NPTE.
Applicants seeking licensure in the state of Illinois will need to answer several licensure questions including personal history, child support, and/or student loan information questions.
The program has determined that its curriculum meets the state educational requirements for 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 on the following: CAPTE accreditation of a physical therapist or 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 and physical therapist assistant education 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.
Program Outcomes
View the Physical Therapist Assistant's Program Statistics (PDF).
View the Physical Therapist Assistant's PTA Outcomes (PDF) summary data.
View the Physical Therapist Assistant's Assessment of Mission and Goals (PDF).
About the Physical Therapist Assistant Program
Important Deadlines
Event | Deadline |
---|---|
Application process begins. | April 1 |
Application Deadline. | August 1 |
Supporting documentation due. | September 15 |
Applicants notified about admission. | November 15 |
PTA Upcoming Events
We strongly recommend you attend one of these informational sessions. All information meetings are held at the main campus in Normal, IL, unless otherwise noted.
Day Time Room Beginning May 1, 2020, and until further notice, informational meetings will be held virtually utilizing ZOOM. Please continue to check this site for dates and additional information.
Wednesday, January 20, 2021
5 pm Please contact the program coordinator listed below to request the ZOOM link for the meeting that you would like to attend.
TBD
Please contact the program coordinator listed below to request the ZOOM link for the meeting that you would like to attend. TBD
Please contact the program coordinator listed below to request the ZOOM link for the meeting that you would like to attend. TBD
Please contact the program coordinator listed below to request the ZOOM link for the meeting that you would like to attend. Please contact the following program coordinator and request the ZOOM link for the meeting that you would like to attend:
EMT/Paramedic - Please contact Travis Wilson at twilson@mcleancountyems.org
Medical Assistant - Please contact Martha Stearns at martha.stearns@heartland.edu
Nursing - Please watch this brief informational video. Then contact Tara Morris at tara.morris@heartland.edu
Physical Therapist Assistant - Please contact Daryl Menke at daryl.menke@heartland.edu
Radiography - Please contact Jo Gramley at joan.gramley@heartland.edu
Work Ready Programs* - Please contact Kelly Pyle at kelly.pyle@heartland.edu
* Work Ready Programs currently consist of Pharmacy Technician, Dental Assistant, Phlebotomy, and Veterinary Assistant.
Students applying for the 2021 Physical Therapist Assistant program must take the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS). To schedule the TEAS test, please log into your myHeartland account, click on Appointments, Allied Health, TEAS Testing. Check your myHeartland for email confirmation. A $70.00 fee must be paid by credit card at the time of testing. Study guides are available at www.atitesting.com or the Heartland Community College Library. Students may retake the TEAS one time within the application period. The highest grade within the application period will be used for evaluation. TEAS scores are valid for a period of two years.
PLEASE NOTE: Secondary to current conditions related to COVID-19, the ATI - TEAS will only be provided virtually online from May 1, 2020, until the foreseeable future.
ATI is partnering with Proctorio to virtually proctor assessments.
In addition to the normal fee, there is an additional $5.00 proctor fee.
Technical requirements: https://atitesting.com/technical-requirements
In the event a student has technical difficulties or problems with the technology requirements, he/she should contact HCC Admissions at the following:
- For the Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) Program = pta.admissions@heartland.edu
- For the Radiography Program = radiography.admissions@heartland.edu