Physical therapy assistant online degree programs

Doctors and researchers constantly make new discoveries that impact the best practices in this field. After finishing an associate in physical therapy assistant, graduates may further their education. Becoming a doctor of physical therapy can give professionals access to new opportunities with higher pay.

A doctoral program in physical therapy takes three years of study to complete. Graduates must then earn their license. Each state sets its own licensure requirements. Professionals can pursue continuing education in other ways.

For example, they can join a professional organization. The American Physical Therapy Association is one such group in this field.

This organization allows individuals to network and keep up with industry standards. They provide members with webinars, conferences, and informative newsletters. When selecting a school, learners should consider the cost. Contact a school to learn the true cost of tuition and student activity fees. A program's format may influence a learner's success. For example, students who need more accountability should pursue a synchronous online program. Synchronous classes are live and occur at set times.

Students who prefer more flexibility might thrive in an asynchronous program , which allows learners to study on their own schedule. Students who want to graduate fast should choose an accelerated format. Students who pursue a virtual associate in physical therapy assistant should still consider location. Even online programs sometimes feature limited in-person requirements like labs. Schools may let students complete such requirements in their home state, but they may request that students travel to campus.

Additionally, programs prepare students for licensure in specific states. Learners should consider where they wish to practice when selecting a program.

Most employers only view degrees from accredited schools as legitimate. The Department of Education oversees third-party accrediting agencies. These agencies evaluate schools to ensure their programs of study meet rigorous standards. To find a program or school's accreditation status, use the Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs. Student support also matters when selecting a school. Colleges and universities offer varying levels of services. For example, some schools provide free tutoring centers or online help desks for technical issues.

Some schools may even connect learners with mentorships , internships , and networking opportunities via an alumni network. At BestColleges, we believe a college education is one of the most important investments you can make. We want to help you navigate the college selection process by offering transparent, inclusive, and relevant school rankings. Our rankings are grounded in a few guiding principles and use the latest statistical data available from trusted sources.

Read our ranking methodology. We hope our approach helps you find the school that is best for you. Rankings compiled by the the BestColleges Ranking Team. Is your school on this list? Get the BestColleges ranking seal. SJC offers an associate in physical therapy assistant program that blends online coursework with on-campus labs in Farmington, New Mexico. But it is still something entirely new to anyone who has never done it before. The grey box below contains details on the online education process to help you understand how your online program works.

The first thing to know about this program is that it will be completed in the same way as most online medical courses. You will be able to do all of your basic coursework in lectures, reading, and written assignments online.

Physical therapy training requires hands-on experiences, so online programs are supplemented with on-campus lab sessions and clinical experiences. This is to be expected because physical therapy professionals provide a hands-on service and need to engage with patients in person. The first step for any PTA career in the U. Generally it can take two years of full-time study to complete, but many people choose to take the course online or through a campus-based community or technical college program.

Depending on the pace you choose to study, online PTA degree programs may take a bit more time than traditional on-campus ones. Some online programs could take up to three years or more to complete all general education and PTA coursework as well as all hands-on practicum requirements depending on your pace.

All online PTA programs consist of a hybrid program, which is a combination of online and in-person work. A few programs offer some courses in a fully-online format while others are mixed with on-campus labs and clinical experiences. For detailed information on the online PTA course curriculum and which classes are fully online or partially online or fully in person, please view our table of PTA classes above.

Online courses are typically asynchronous. Distance learning students may not be able to attend live lectures and related events.

The good news is, they still have ample opportunities for success with flexible course options and deadlines. There are times, though, when students will need to log in to a live streamed lecture or event that has a particular time. The main objective of physical therapist assistant schools is to graduate capable, knowledgeable, adaptable, self-confident, and service-oriented patient care providers.

Of course, the PTA will be working under the supervision and direction of a physical therapist but preparing PTAs with sufficient education is crucial to their success. Physical therapy assistant schools look to ensure that PTAs can perform their functions in a legal, ethical, effective, and safe manner.

Another important aspect of PTA school is teaching the students to effectively communicate with other members of the health care and physical therapy teams they work with. Additionally, learning communication skills for interacting with patients, members of their family, and other caregivers is emphasized. Cooperative work with other health care providers is very important to a PTAs success. Graduates of PTA schools will be prepared to assist physical therapists in educating other health care providers and offering psychosocial support for patients, their families, and their caregivers all while considering individual, economic, and cultural differences.

As you can see, in addition to educating PTA students on the necessary sciences and procedures, or technical aspects to their career, social and communication skills are highly important and emphasized in physical therapist assistant schools.

Surely you are curious how much a PTA education is going to cost you. These figures remain consistent for many current students. It should be noted that there are many student loans and other financial aid options available for physical therapy assistant degrees.

Going to college is expensive, even for an associate degree, and cost is often the main barrier to obtaining a degree. Fortunately, there are a number of financial aid options for PTA students that can help alleviate the financial burden. If physical therapist assistant schools are too expensive for you, then make sure you contact the PTA school directly to learn about potential financial aid opportunities. However, this is where many PTA students make their first mistake; they assume that there is no chance for obtaining scholarships or grants.

In fact, they have at least three different types of scholarships that they regularly award to minority group members. In addition, dozens of other non-physical therapy specific colleges also regularly award PTA students with scholarships. Student Loans Within the United States, student loans are the most common form of financial aid for college. Although there are several methods of acquiring a loan, such as state and federal governments and private lenders, federally issued loans account for the bulk of these funds.

However, online physical therapy assistant programs come with a number of distinct benefits and advantages over the traditional on-campus format such as:. Students in a physical therapy degree path focus on bodily systems, therapy techniques, and other appropriate anatomy and physiology training.

While degree paths may vary slightly, these are five common courses students will take. Students gain a deeper knowledge of the human body and its systems.

This knowledge helps students understand the cause and effect of injuries, surgery, and other challenges, as well as offers students a foundation for planning physical therapy approaches.

What happens when the human body exercises, and how does exercise affect the overall movement and flexibility of the body? Students explore these questions in this course. These courses study the mechanics of movement. Students learn how to identify issues with movement based on movement norms and build physical therapy programs that tackle movement challenges.

Most doctor of physical therapy programs require research in the field. Research methods courses teach students the best practices for approaching research from an academic standpoint and support students who plan to conduct research in the field. Students take part in on-site clinicals designed to provide hands-on experience in both physical therapy and the workplace. They then apply their skills and see what happens in a real clinical setting.

Physical therapists may choose to specialize in a certain area of the field for their doctoral studies. These concentrations fall into three distinct areas. Yes, a program in physical therapy assistant is worth it for many students. With PTA training and licensure, you could help fill the need for qualified physical therapy assistants. You could potentially complete your PTA training program in 2 to 3 years and be on your way to assisting patients and physical therapists.

Your learned PTA skills could also help you down the road if you ever desire to pursue additional qualifications in physical therapy or even look into how to become a physical therapist or a related profession. This would require earning a doctorate, which you could accomplish by entering one of the Doctor of Physical Therapy programs that a number of universities offer.

Methodology: The following school list is in alphabetical order. To be included, a college or university must be regionally accredited and offer degree programs online or in a hybrid format. The curriculum covers medical terminology, organization of the human body, infection control, and other related topics.

The program includes an externship starter kit. Topics covered in this program include the basics of human anatomy and ethical and legal behavior in healthcare settings. It is designed to help students obtain entry-level access to the growing career field of physical therapy. Students are expected to learn about clinical essentials in a convenient online format and then complete a 52 hour, on-site clinical experience.

Its purpose is to help students develop the knowledge and skills needed to provide physical therapy patients with positive experiences. The program is designed to help students develop the knowledge and skills needed to assist licensed physical therapists in their practices. It is meant to prepare students for employment in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing facilities, home health companies, outpatient clinics, sports clinics, and schools.

There are many fully accredited PTA programs that are now offered as online or hybrid programs.