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Heartland Community College

Physical Therapist Assistant Information

  • If you're looking for a career that's physically active and allows you to help improve the quality of life for patients, the Physical Therapist Assistant program is an outstanding option. As a physical therapist assistant (PTA) you help people who have limited use of their bodies regain strength, balance, flexibility and mobility. Working under the supervision of a physical therapist, you perform various assessments, exercises and treatments. Your training will cover topics such as:

    • Anatomy, physiology, body mechanics
    • Development of basic care skills
    • Use of therapeutic energies such as heat, cold, electricity, water
    • Development of manual skills
    • Therapeutic exercise and functional training skills
    • Educating others
    • Data collection for human movements
    • Documentation utilizing manual and electronic methods
  • You'll need to complete 23 hours of general education coursework prior to admission to the program. PTA preparation itself consists of 49 hours of technical and clinical education courses. You'll also learn to collect data, assess a patient's safety and responses to intervention.
  • Employment for PTAs is expected to grow through 2032, much faster than the average for other occupations. PTAs find employment in a variety of settings, including hospitals, outpatient clinics, schools, nursing homes and home health agencies as well as sports and fitness facilities.*

    *The reader is also referred to the Bureau of Labor Statistics for additional employment and wage information.

  • Earn your Heartland degree and transition directly into the workforce:

    Associate in Applied Science degree in Physical Therapist Assistant

    The Physical Therapist Assistant program at Heartland Community College leads to an Associate in Applied Science Degree in Physical Therapist Assistant. This degree contains general education courses, PTA technical courses and practical clinical experience.

  • Physical Therapist Assistant program at Heartland Community College is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Avenue, Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia, 22305-3085; telephone 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org; If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call 309-268-8673 or email daryl.menke@heartland.edu.

    CAPTE Website

    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).  

    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 .

    Program Outcomes

    View the Physical Therapist Assistant's Program Statistics (PDF).

    View the Physical Therapist Assistant's PTA Outcomes (PDF) summary data.

    Public Comment Policy (PDF)

    CAPTE has a mechanism to consider formal complaints about physical therapy education programs (PT or PTA). 

Physical Therapist Assistant Department

Visit the PTA Department
Physical Therapist Assistant

Physical Therapist Assistant At Heartland Community College Video