Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) Program Guide : Welcome

A physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) is a member of the health care team who provides physical therapy services under the direction and supervision of a licensed physical therapist. The PTA helps people from all age groups with health or medical problems who have limited ability to move or perform functional activities in their daily lives. Students completing this degree will complete course work in Kinesiology, Orthopedics, Neurorehabilitation, Physical Agents/Modalities, Pathophysiology, Therapeutic Exercise, Acute Care/Inpatient Management for the PTA and will acquire skills in patient care and professionalism as a member of the healthcare team. The PTA once graduated and licensed provides care through instruction to patients/clients' exercises for range of motion, strength, and coordination along with mobility training for functional activities such as gait, transfers, and bed mobility with varying assistive devices, wheelchairs, crutches, canes, and walkers. The PTA is also skilled in massage and usage of modalities/physical agents such as electrical stimulation or ultrasound and cryotherapy /thermotherapy. The PTA provides all services under the supervision of a licensed physical therapist’s plan of care.

Bakersfield College’s Physical Therapist Assistant Associate of Science Degree Program has been granted Candidate for Accreditation status by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education as of November 2nd. Achievement of Candidate for Accreditation status does not assure that the program will be granted Initial Accreditation.  Accreditation decision for Bakersfield College's PTA AS Degree Program will be decided upon at the regularly scheduled Fall 2023 meeting of CAPTE following the on-site visit, which will occur during the penultimate term that the charter class is enrolled, Spring 2022-Fall of 2023.  The Accreditation decision will occur prior to December graduation date in Fall of 2023.  Bakersfield College's Physical Therapist Assistant Program initial technical courses began in the Spring of 2022 with applications for Spring of 2023 cohort being accepted August 1st to November 1st 2022.   

For more information visit BC’s Physical Therapist Assistant Website