Physical Therapist Assistant

Overview

There continues to be a great deal of uncertainty right now in healthcare and the community. Becoming a PTA is an excellent decision and will bring many years of very rewarding work. As the government, local health care agencies and the MCC administration continue to wrestle with decisions regarding the best plans moving forward, the PTA program will be making some adjustments to this year's application process.

Physical therapist assistants (PTA) provide direct client care under the supervision of a physical therapist and help improve mobility, relieve pain and prevent or limit permanent physical disabilities due to injury or disease. PTAs work in hospitals, outpatient clinics, sports clinics, rehabilitation centers, extended-care facilities and schools.

The program includes interactive classroom experiences along with 720 hours of supervised clinical rotations.

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Program options

The PTA program offers a traditional classroom lecture program with labs beginning each fall semester.

Once admitted the program is 4 semesters with the first 3 semesters typically meeting Monday through Thursday. We also offer a web based program where "lecture" materials are learned in a distance education format and the student spends 1-2 mornings a week in the lab for learning and examinations.

Both programs have identical clinical experiences in local facilities. Web based learning is an excellent option for many students but it not for everyone and careful consideration should be taken before pursuing this option.

Is web based learning is right for you?  Visit MCC's Distance Education frequently asked questions page.

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Program admission

Additional steps are required for acceptance into this program beyond the standard MCC admissions application. This is a 4 semester program (additional semesters of prerequisites) that accepts approximately 22 students in the on ground program and 14 students in the web based program annually.

Steps to apply to the program

Program Application Deadline: June 10 is the deadline for the in person program; October 1 is the application deadline for the web-based program.

Step 1

Step 1 of 6

 

Prerequsite Courses

Complete all required prerequisite courses

See PTA prerequisite courses

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Step 2

Step 2 of 6

 

Complete the application packet

Download the program application packet and student information,  program application and prospective student information packets and follow the directions carefully.

PTA Program Application (PDF)

PTA Prospective Student Information Packet (PDF)

Be sure to note all of the program requirements. The application deadline for the traditional program beginning each August is June 10 and the application for the web based program beginning each January is October 1.

Applications must be post marked no later than the application deadline date.

Mail applications to:

MCC-PTA Application
3444 Broadway Ste 410
Kansas City, MO 64111

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Step 3

Step 3 of 6

 

Complete observation hours

MCC understands that many prospective students will not be able to complete observation hours in the near future.

If you are able complete your observation hours, please submit your observation forms and essay as outlined in the application. If you are unable to complete observation hours due to limited access to healthcare providers, please watch the videos below.

After watching all four videos type a single, one-page report (not one for each) about the videos. Include what you saw, discuss how these videos align with what you expected the career of PT to be, if your impression of PT has changed and if the experience has influenced your decision to become a PTA. Do not put your name on this one page paper. Rather, staple it to a cover page on which you have written your name and include it in your application packet.

• Phyllis recovering in an ICU
• Treating a patient with Parkinson's Disease in an outpatient setting
• Broken part 4. Therapy after brain injury in a rehab facility.
• Pediatric PT

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Step 4

Step 4 of 6

 

Take the ACCUPLACER® or submit your ACT scores

Take the ACCUPLACER® or submit your ACT scores.

If you do not have an ACT, Compass or ACCUPLACER score that is less than 3 years-old for the reading comprehension section, then you will need to take the ACCUPLACER at the testing center or through ZOOM prior to June 10.

You only need to take the Reading Comprehension section of any of these tests, you do not need to take the entire battery of test.

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Step 5

Step 5 of 6

 

Interviews

Currently interviews for applicants are being planned for the week of June 14.

A determination regarding whether interviews will be conducted face to face or through Zoom will be made closer to the application deadline in accordance with MCC and the state of Missouri policy. Be sure to include a valid email address in your application so we can send an invite.

If you have not used Zoom, it is a free app that can be downloaded to your home computer or phone. If you do not have access to a device (computer or phone) that allows video conferencing please indicate that on your application.

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Step 6

Step 6 of 6

 

Apply for financial aid

Apply for financial aid. The federal financial aid application (FAFSA) is also available online.

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If you have additional questions about the application process please email the PTA Program Coordinator Dr. Randy Leighton at randy.leighton@mcckc.edu.

Program Acceptance

Students accepted into the program will work directly with the program coordinator to determine next steps. Students not accepted into the program should contact the Student Advising Department or the MCC-Penn Valley Health Science Institute (healthcare@mcckc.edu) to determine next steps.

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Professional Certification/Licensure

Upon successful completion of the PTA program graduates are eligible to sit for the state licensure examination through the Missouri Board of Registration for the Healing Arts.

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Personal qualities

PTAs interact directly with the clients to provide direct client care so they need to be personable, empathetic, motivators and educators.

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Accreditation

The PTA program at MCC-Penn Valley is accredited by:

MCC- Penn Valley PTA Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; Call: 703.706.3245; email: accreditation@apta.org; website: capteonline.org.

If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call Randy Leighton, MSPT, Ph.D. at 816.604.4808 or email randy.leighton@mcckc.edu.

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Program feedback

Students with instructional feedback or concerns should follow the feedback process outlined in the course syllabus. For other feedback please contact Tarana Chapple, Associate Dean of Instruction at 816.604.4344.

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Program outcomes

Two years of outcomes report

Graduation Year	Program	Number of Students Admitted Goal Class Size=22/14	Number of Graduates	CAPTE Retention Percentage**
2019	Web based	14	11*	92%
	Land based	22	17	77%
2020	Web based	14	8*	66%
	Land based	22	18	82%
			2 year Graduation rate: Web based	77%
			2 year Graduation rate: Land based	80%

*2 students withdrew due to nonacademic issues
** Retention does not include students who withdrew for nonacademic issues

2 year Licensure Pass Rate for Both Programs: 100%

Land based program

Graduate Data	*Job Placement Percentage	TSA Pass Rate Results (Certification/Licensure) Number of Students Who Took the Exam/ Number of Students Who Passed
Class of: 2019	100%	# sat for the exam = 16
		# passed the exam = 16 - 100%
Class of: 2020	100%	# sat for the exam = 18
		# passed the exam = 18 100%

Web Based Program

Time Frame	Graduate Data	*Job Placement Percentage	*TSA Pass Rate Results (Certification/Licensure) Number of students who took the exam/number of students who passed
	Class of: 2019	100%	# sat for the exam = 11
			# passed the exam = 11 100%
	Class of: 2020	100%	# sat for the exam = 8
			# passed the exam = 8 100%