Physical Therapist Assistant A.A.S.

The PTA may perform physical therapy interventions and related tasks that have been selected and delegated by the supervising physical therapist. Such duties may include active or passive exercise, physical agents for pain relief and healing, instruction in the use of assistive devices for walking, hydrotherapy, wound care, prevention, wellness, and much more. Where permitted by law the PTA may also carry out routine operational functions such as supervising the PT aide and documentation of progress.

For further information about physical therapy and the role of the Physical Therapist Assistant, please see the following web pages:

• American Physical Therapy Association
• New York Physical Therapy Association
• PT Central: physical therapy information, news, jobs, online tools
• Physical Therapist Online: physical therapy information, news, jobs, online library
• New York State Career Zone: job description, wages, job outlook

Admission into Herkimer’s PTA program is competitive, and acceptance is selective.

To be considered for admission into the PTA program:

High school graduates:

• Cumulative average of 80 or better AND
• 80 or better in Biology/Living Environment (cumulative course grade or regents exam)
• 75 or better in Chemistry and/or Physics and/or another relative science course (cumulative course grade or regents exam)
• 75 or better average in the high school Math sequence

Out-of-state students or home school students who have no regents, the following SAT or ACT scores will be used for eligibility:

Cumulative average of 80 or better AND:

• SAT score of 1080 or above (minimum of 500 or more required on math portion)
• ACT composite score of 21 or higher

Transfer students:

• Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better AND:
• C or better in any college-level math
• B or better in A&P I

OR

• C or better in A&P I AND B or better in high school or college Biology AND C or better in high school or college chemistry and/or physics

Additional requirements

• A&P I and II may be used to satisfy admission requirements. It can also fulfill requirements for graduation if it is taken within 5 years of matriculation.
• All students entering the Physical Therapist Assistant program are required to have completed a 15-hour clinical observation upon acceptance prior to the start of the first semester.
• Please note: To be eligible to sit for the National Board Examination for licensure as a Physical Therapist Assistant, you must be a US citizen.
• In order to transfer Anatomy and Physiology I or Anatomy and Physiology II to Herkimer, the topics covered must match the topics covered in Herkimer’s course verbatim. If the topics are not verbatim, the course cannot be transferred. It is recommended that if you take A&P at another institution you take both I and II to ensure complete topic coverage.

Should you not meet the specific requirements above, applicants may be reviewed on an individual basis for eligibility.

Clinical education is a key component of the Physical Therapist Assistant Program at Herkimer College. During the course of the two-year program, students will complete two full-time supervised five-week clinical fieldwork experiences and one full-time supervised six-week clinical fieldwork experience. The student has at least one rotation in an acute care hospital, sub-acute or rehabilitation hospital. The student has two other clinical experiences which may include a pediatric setting, private practice outpatient setting, skilled nursing facility, or other areas of interest.

Clinical fieldwork assignments usually involve a 40-hour workweek for the duration of the experience. The final affiliation is scheduled only after all other coursework has been completed satisfactorily. Due to the limited availability of local clinical sites, students enrolled in the Physical Therapist Assistant Program must be prepared to travel to participating facilities regardless of the location. No guarantee of local placement can be made. Students will be required to meet their own living and travel needs during all fieldwork assignments.

Fieldwork sites require compliance with New York State Health Department and pertinent OSHA regulations. This means that a physical examination with evidence of required immunizations is required for each student prior to admission to the program, and the physical must be updated annually and be current for the duration of each clinical. Each student is responsible for providing individual health insurance prior to each clinical fieldwork. Personal liability and malpractice insurance protection, in the amount of $1 million coverage per occurrence, is arranged by Herkimer College for each clinical affiliation and is paid by the student in special program fees. Each student must provide evidence of up-to-date CPR and First Aid certifications prior to every clinical affiliation.

Program graduates must sit for the National Physical Therapist Assistant Licensing Examination at the completion of the program, which is administered by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT). Upon successful completion of the classroom component, clinical fieldwork component, and passing the National Physical Therapist Assistant Licensing Examination, the student is eligible to apply to the State of New York for certification as a Physical Therapist Assistant. Applicants must be aware that New York State requires an applicant to have “good moral character” as defined by the NYS Education Department. If anyone has any doubts about their moral character, they should contact the Office of Professions for Physical Therapy (NYSED.gov ) before applying to or entering the program. Additional background checking and drug screening may be required depending on the area of clinical fieldwork or practice. The licensing examination for the Physical Therapist Assistant program is a National Examination. Once taken in NY, a certificate will be issued and no other testing is required. 

Effective July 1, 2024, federal regulation requires institutions of higher education to make a determination whether a Title IV eligible academic program that leads to professional licensure or certification meets the educational requirements for licensure/certification in the U.S. state where the institution is located and the U.S. states where “distance education” students are located at the time of initial enrollment in the program, as well as U.S. States where the program is advertised as meeting such requirements, and if applicable, the U.S. state where students attest they intend to be licensed/certified. 

The Physical Therapist Assistant program at Herkimer County Community College is registered by the New York State Education Department and thus meets the educational requirements for licensure/certification for New York State. 

Through a good faith effort, and for the purpose of complying with the federal regulation, we have determined that the Physical Therapist Assistant program at Herkimer County Community College meets the educational requirements for licensure/certification in the following U.S. states: CO, CT, DE, HI, IL, IN, IA, ME, MA, NY, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, VT, VI, WV. To receive a certificate or license for these states, the individual would need to request transcripts be sent to the individual state board and transfer their passing FSBPT board score along with any items such as background check or drug screening as required.

However, it is important to note that Herkimer County Community College is not the licensure/certification authority in these U.S. states: AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, FL, GA, ID, KA, KY, LA, MD, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NC, ND, OH, OR, TN, TX, UT, WA, WI, WY and cannot assess whether an individual candidate will be issued a license/certificate in these U.S. States and instead it is incumbent on each individual candidate to contact the licensure/certification authority in the applicable U.S. State for any further guidance on the requirements for licensure/certification requirements and application processes. To receive a certificate or license for these states, the individual would need to request transcripts be sent to the individual state board and transfer their passing FSBPT board score. In addition these states will have other requirements including, but not limited to, additional jurisprudence testing. This jurisprudence testing may be onsite, online, or through completion of modules at the discretion of the individual state board. The jurisprudence testing assesses the knowledge of the candidate as to what a PTA can or cannot do in that particular state and specific state laws. This is not a Physical Therapist Assistant skill examination as the National Physical Therapy Board examination tests.

The candidate will also need to submit any other required documentation, background check, or drug testing as requested by the individual state.

Successful Physical Therapist Assistant students focus on their academic preparation. Allied Health programs, by the nature of the heavy science and professional emphasis, are among the toughest programs at Herkimer College, requiring increased study and dedication over other programs. The demands placed upon Physical Therapist Assistant students in the academic and practical portions of the program, and later in clinical settings, make good physical and mental health essential. Areas of study consist of both theoretical and practical knowledge, but emphasize practical applications. After graduation, graduates will take the National Physical Therapist Assistant Licensing Exam. The student must realize that the board examination will test in all aspects of their education. Successful completion of the Herkimer College curriculum and the National Physical Therapist Assistant Licensing Exam makes the graduate eligible to be certified by the NYS Board of Education as a Physical Therapist Assistant.

A student in the PTA curriculum must pass all PT courses with a “C+” or better, SC courses with a “C” or better, and pass all PTA lab practical examinations with a “B” or better to continue in this program. Each student must demonstrate professional behavior in class, lab, and clinical settings. A student must demonstrate discernable progress toward the achievement of a degree in this program. A student previously enrolled in, and dropped from the program who has successfully completed readmission requirements may be readmitted one time.

Students interested in pursuing a career as a physical therapist assistant are encouraged to “look into a mirror” to see if they have the necessary abilities to perform the work of a PTA with or without accommodations.

Essential functions for a PTA.

Applicants to the Physical Therapist Assistant Program will be notified by mail of special application procedures and retention requirements.

Having met all of the New York State and college requirements, the Herkimer College PTA program graduate:

1. Demonstrates a sound theoretical and practical knowledge base for physical therapy
2. Demonstrates competence with the computer and other current technology as it relates to the Physical Therapy environment
3. Demonstrates the skills and abilities to safely practice in the field of physical therapy
4. Utilizes the skills to apply scientific principles as a means to treat or prevent disability, injury or disease
5. Practices with integrity and adherence to ethical principles
6. Practices with respect and sensitivity for individual differences
7. Demonstrates the ability to use the problem-solving process of physical therapy in dealing with a variety of patients/clients
8. Demonstrates the ability to carry out patient care functions in a timely, cost efficient manner under the supervision of the physical therapist
9. Seeks new knowledge through continuing education
10. Fulfills a need in the marketplace

Download the Physical Therapist Assistant Program Handbook

• Graduation: At least 60% of students entering the program will graduate from the PTA program within 2-3 years.
• Experience: 100% of program graduates will have had a variety of clinical experiences. One clinical experience will include an acute care experience, subacute experience or rehabilitation experience. The other clinical experiences may include, but will not be limited to, outpatient orthopedics, pediatric, geriatric, and developmental disabilities.
• Professional Behavior: At least 85% of employers will rate graduates as average or above average in professional behavior, ethical behavior, interpersonal skills, and time management skills.
• Lifelong Learning: At least 85% of graduates will participate in professional continuing education.
• Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Integration of Skills and Procedures Learned in all Coursework: At least 85% of employers will rate graduates as average to above average in critical thinking, problem solving, and integration of skills and procedures learned from classroom to clinical site.
• Communication Skills: At least 85% of employers will rate graduates as average to above average in all aspects of communication.
• Documentation Skills: At least 85% of employers will rate graduates as average to above average in documentation skills.
• Cultural Competence: At least 85% of employers will rate graduates as average to above average in cultural competency.
• Physical Therapy Technical Competence: At least 85% of employers will rate graduates as average to above average in PT intervention delivery and data collection.
• Safety: 100% of employers will rate graduates as average to above average in meeting safety competency.
• Performance on the FSBPT Licensing Examination: Over any two-year period, graduates will achieve an average pass rate of 85% on the FSBPT licensing examination.
• Employment Rate: 100% of graduates seeking employment will be employed within 1 year of graduation.
• Technology Competence: At least 85% of employers will rate graduates as competent in computer and other current technology as it relates to the Physical Therapy environment.