Physical Therapist Assistant
The Physical Therapist Assistant Program (PTA) at the Wayne County Community College District (WCCCD) is a two-year associate of applied science (AAS) degree program that prepares students for a career as a physical therapist assistant (PTA).
The program is designed to prepare students for a career as a PTA in various settings, including acute care hospitals, rehabilitation hospitals, long-term care facilities, outpatient rehabilitation settings, school systems, and/or home care settings. It includes both classroom instruction and clinical experience.
The mission of the Physical Therapist Assistant Program is to empower students to become highly skilled, safe, and responsible PTAs by providing them with access to high-quality contemporary physical therapist assistant education in a diverse environment that is dedicated to meeting the current and emerging needs of the individuals and communities it serves.
Physical Therapy Assistant Application
More Information
Graduation from a physical therapist assistant education program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; phone; 703-706-3245; accreditation@apta.org is necessary for eligibility to sit for the licensure examination, which is required in all states.
The Wayne County Community College District is seeking accreditation of a new physical therapist assistant education program from CAPTE. The program is planning to submit an Application for Candidacy, which is the formal application required in the pre-accreditation stage, on December 01, 2023. Submission of this document does not assure that the program will be granted Candidate for Accreditation status. Achievement of Candidate for Accreditation status is required prior to implementation of the technical phase of the program; therefore, no students may be enrolled in technical courses until Candidate for Accreditation status has been achieved. Further, though achievement of Candidate for Accreditation status signifies satisfactory progress toward accreditation, it does not assure that the program will be granted accreditation.
The Wayne County Community College District Physical Therapist Assistant program is committed to unconditional compliance with CAPTE standards, so it is our intention to maintain integrity in all aspects of the accreditation process including, but not limited to the:
- timely submission of annual accreditation reports once the program is implemented;
- timely submission of fees associated with CAPTE accreditation;
- timely notification of any planned or unexpected substantive program changes;
- timely reporting any institutional factors that may affect the program’s progress toward accreditation;
- timely correction of any areas of deficiency identified by CAPTE which may result in non-compliance;
- publicly reporting of program data related to admission, graduation rates, national physical therapy examination outcomes, and employment rates.
As a student, the PTA program encourages you to file a complain if needed. Review the process in the document here.
PTA students should be aware that they will incur costs beyond tuition, books, and fees. These costs may include:
- Uniforms
- Mock license exams
- Supplemental supplies
- Immunizations
In addition, students should understand that they will incur significant costs to take the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE), which is the license exam required to work as a PTA. While the NPTE is not required to complete the PTA program, it is required to practice as a PTA.
For more information on the specific costs associated with the PTA program, please see the Program Handbook. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact program staff.
We encourage students to budget carefully for all of the costs associated with the PTA program, including tuition, books, fees, and additional expenses.
Dr. Sherry Saggers, PTA Program Dean
Email: ssagger1@wcccd.edu
Phone: (313) 496-2818
Dr. Celestine Walker, PTA Program Associate Dean
Email: cwalker2@wcccd.edu
Phone: (313) 496- 2758 ext. 2034
We look forward to sharing information with you regarding the Physical Therapist Assistant program.
