Associate in Applied Science Physical Therapist Assistant Degree
The Associate in Applied Science Physical Therapist Assistant Degree prepares students to perform physical therapy treatments and related duties under the direction and supervision of a physical therapist. Graduates must take the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE) to practice as physical therapist assistants in many states including Illinois.
For more information, please visit the Physical Therapist Assistant Department
PTA Program Descriptoin
The core courses of the Morton College Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) Program begin in August of each academic year and continue for two years (four semesters) as a full-time day curriculum. Each core course is offered once a year. Core courses must be completed in sequential order.
Students who enroll in the professional/technical component of the program can expect to spend a minimum of 15 hours per week in the classroom or lab each semester.
The program prepares PTA students to provide skilled, direct patient care under the supervision of a licensed physical therapist in a variety of health care settings.
To graduate, the PTA student must achieve a grade of 75% or better in all PTA coursework (PHT) and maintain a college GPA of 2.0 or better on a 4.0 scale.
PTA Program Clinical Experiences
Clinical experiences are designed to integrate classroom learning progressively into hands-on clinical intervention. With each clinical experience, students are expected to increase their competency and the level of their clinical skills and responsibilities.
Clinical experiences are offered in the second year of the program in the Fall (one four-week block; 40 hours per week) and Spring (two six-week blocks; 40 hours per week) Semesters.
Prior to beginning clinical education, students are required to obtain a criminal background check and undergo a drug screen. Students who have committed a felony or other disqualifying offense may be ineligible to proceed with clinical education.
PTA Program Student Complaint Policy
Students are encouraged to first attempt to address any concerns with their instructor or other program faculty/staff directly. If this is not feasible or if the situation remains unresolved then the student is encouraged to report their concerns to the PTA Program Chair. When this is not feasible or if the situation remains unresolved the student is encouraged to report their concerns to the PTA Program Director. When this is not feasible or if the situation remains unresolved the student is encouraged to follow the formal Student Complaints and Grievance Procedure of the college (found in the Morton College Catalog).
If student complaints are not addressed, students can contact ICCB. Please visit our website at Students Right to Know Information – Morton College for more details.
Complaints regarding the program and/or the program graduates should be first addressed with the PTA Program Director, Alison Gehrke, PT, DPT. Dr. Gehrke’s email address is alison.gehrke@morton.edu and her contact number is 708.656.8000 Ext. 2380. Unresolved complaints or complaints about the Program Director should be directed to Laurie Cashman, Dean of Adult, Career and Technical Education. Ms. Cashman’s email address is laurie.cashman@morton.edu and her contact number is 708.656.8000 Ext. 2335. All complaints will be documented, including the projected outcome, and kept on file at the program institution. Complaints regarding Accreditation of this program should be addressed to the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education. This Commission is located at 3030 Potomac Ave. Suite 100, Alexandria, VA 22305-3085. No retaliation will occur by Morton College or the PTA Program due to filing a complaint.
The general public is invited to raise concerns or complaints at the monthly meetings held by the Morton College Board. Board meetings and agenda are announced on the Morton College website Board of Trustees – Morton College
Further information regarding student complaint and grievance procedures can be found in the Morton College Catalog.