As an aspiring college student, you are tasked with the responsibility of deciding which subject to major in. A decision such as this shouldn’t be taken lightly, because it’s not just about learning an academic subject, it’s about applying what you’ve learned to real-life scenarios.
What Physical Therapist Assistants Do
The job of a Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) plays a key role in helping patients rehabilitate. Patients need the help of a PTA so that they can become mobile and independent. Whether it’s from a disease, accident, or surgery, a PTA is there to help patients recover from such episodes.
The human body is resilient, but it’s also fragile. Something as simple as lifting your arm over your head could be a physical challenge depending on your physical condition. A PTA not only needs to be technically advanced in physically caring for a patient and helping him or her recover by doing simple exercises, he or she also needs to have a pleasant bedside manner.
Taking Another Look at What Healthcare Means
Many people tend to forget what working in healthcare is all about. For some, it’s easy to look at the financial benefits that it can bring. But the faculty and administration of Florida National University (FNU) encourages you to consider what healthcare actually means.
In the healthcare industry, you need to be mindful that you’re not only working with people, you’re also caring for them. This takes a certain amount of people skills, but also some empathy. While the best PTA degree programs can equip you for jobs in this profession, empathy is something that comes from within. It can be taught, but only you can apply it to real life situations and unforeseen scenarios in the healthcare field.
Health. Care.
Your job as a healthcare worker is to care for the health of your patients.
If you strongly feel that working as a PTA is the career choice for you, then FNU encourages you to consider enrolling in our Associate of Science Physical Therapist Assistant Program.
FNU’S PTA Associate’s Degree Program
This associate’s program requires a strong commitment level because it’s structured as a full-time degree program that is offered in the daytime at our Hialeah campus. And like most associate degrees, the PTA program can be completed in approximately two years, possibly even less.
For FNU’s PTA degree program, there are a series of steps that you must take in order to apply. Here is the list you should bookmark, or copy and save for your own personal records:
- Must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 and no less than a “B” in Anatomy & Physiology, Intro to Physical Therapy, Algebra, and Physics.
- Provide an official copy of your college transcript(s)
- Pass all 3 portions of the College Success Exam
- Complete FNU’s Admission Application
- Attend FNU’s PTA Program Information Session
- Complete the PTA Program Application that is received at the Information Session.
- Complete 25 observation hours
- Provide two personal references. One for work, and the other for academic.
- Must score in 70th percentile overall for the HESI Exam
- Must score in 75th percentile in Reading Comprehension of the HESI Exam
- Write an admissions essay
- Interview with a PTA program faculty
- Turn in a signed Technical Standards for the PTA form
As you can see, there are many steps to applying for FNU’s PTA degree program. So, it’s perfectly natural if you have questions about the process. Email our PTA advisors with any questions or if you need any assistance with this application.
What Do You Get Out of a PTA Associate’s Degree?
As a PTA graduate, you’ll have the option to apply to such job positions as a licensed PTA, an educator, working in the field of orthopedics and sports, in a private practice, or hospital. The scope of job opportunities that a trained and certified PTA has is versatile. You’re not restricted to working in just one type of healthcare field. It’s all about what specific area in healthcare interests you the most.
Living in South Florida, a widely populated metropolitan area, you’re more likely to have a wider variety of job opportunities than you would in a smaller town. Aside from living in a location where there’s an increased chance of landing your dream job as a PTA, there are other great benefits to choosing this profession. Here are a couple of good reasons:
- Learn from industry professionals and gain more experience.
- Work in South Florida near Miami, home to NFL, MLB, and NBA teams, and the best nightlife entertainment.
Whatever your reason is for pursing a career as a PTA, make sure that you choose the best university in the South Florida area to earn your education. FNU is a regionally accredited university located in the South Florida area with two campuses in Miami and Hialeah. FNU’s PTA program is also a candidate for accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education. As a university, our goal is to be a leader in academic excellence. This is why we take pride in our accreditation status as a university as well as our individual degree program.
Contact an FNU advisor to learn more about enrolling in the PTA degree program today.
