Graduates of the Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) Program at State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota (SCF) took the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE) for PTAs in July, and all 18 from the class that graduated in 2018 passed on their first attempt. It is the third consecutive year that all of the PTA graduates have passed the exam on their first attempt.
The PTA program, accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education, requires rigorous coursework and has limited acceptance. All students in the PTA program must meet the requirements for the Associate in Science degree. Students who want to apply for the program must attend an information session to be considered for acceptance. Applications will be accepted Jan. 1-March 1 for the program that begins in fall 2019.
The NPTE is offered four times a year to give students ample opportunity to pass the test and become eligible for licensure. Once licensed, the graduates can begin their careers. In Florida, PTAs earn a median annual salary of $62,710 as of May 2017, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
For more information on SCF’s PTA program, contact Matthew Connell, program director at ConnelM@SCF.edu. To apply, visit SCF.edu/PTA.