Physical Therapist Assistant

Physical Therapist Assistants (PTAs) work under the direction of a physical therapist to assist patients in improving their mobility, restoring function and relieving their pain. They are trained to prevent or limit permanent physical disabilities of patients suffering from injuries or disease.

Florida Civic Literacy Requirement

Indian River State College requires all incoming students from the 2018-2019 academic year and beyond, to meet the Civic Literacy requirement. All first-time-in-college (FTIC) students entering all Florida College System (FCS) and State University System (SUS) institutions must demonstrate competency in civic literacy by the time they graduate per FL Statute 1007.25 and Florida Board of Governors Regulation 8.006.

Click on the Florida Civic Literacy Competency Requirement page for more information. https://irsc.edu/admissions/florida-civic-literacy-competency.html.

Once You Complete the Program

Graduates of the IRSC Physical Therapist Assistant program sit for the Florida Jurisprudence Examination and the National PTA Licensure Examination and seek employment in a hospital, physical therapist’s office, skilled nursing facility or in home care.

Getting Started

The Physical Therapist Assistant program is a selective-admissions program. Students are selected based on criteria outlined in the Physical Therapist Assistant Application Book.

Illicit drug use, background check, convictions and immunization status may prevent future employment. In addition, externship sites, employers, and regulations about drug use, criminal backgrounds, and immunization status.

For more information, contact:
Wendy McNall
wmcnall@irsc.edu

For questions pertaining to refunds, please click here.

Physical Therapist Assistant Program Information Presentation Video

Applying to the Physical Therapist Assistant Day Program

The application for the Fall 2025 program will be accepted as of January 6, 2025. The deadline to apply is May 9, 2025.

To begin the application process:

Read the Physical Therapist Assistant Application Booklet.
Complete and submit the IRSC Application for the Physical Therapist Assistant program (Pay the $30 non-refundable application fee.)

Apply Here

Note: If at any time during the application process you have a change in personal information (name change, address, phone number, or emails), submit the changes through MyPioneerPortal and to the Health Science Division at 772-462-7550.

Due to House Bill 1507, admission criteria can be affected. This bill has a possibility to change admission requirements for 2022 and beyond based on the Florida Department of Education rule development. For more information on House Bill 1507, visit https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2021/1507.

Due to Rule 6A-10.024 (16), admission criteria can be affected. This bill has a possibility to change admission requirements for 2024 and beyond on the Florida Department of Education rule department. For more information on this rule, visit:
https://www.flrules.org/gateway/ruleNo.asp?id=6A-10.024

Licensure Requirements

Indian River State College offers a number of different degrees and certificates leading to professional licensure in the state of Florida. Some professions require both a degree and the successful completion of additional criteria such as licensure exams, field placements, or clinical hours. Student eligibility to apply to sit for the National Physical Therapist Assistant Exam (NPTE-PTA) in the State of Florida is defined in, F.S., 486.081 and also includes possession of a valid form of identification. Please visit the Florida Senate, fs 486.081 website to ensure your eligibility.

If you are a student who may choose to reside outside of Florida, IRSC cannot confirm whether this degree program meets educational requirements for professional licensure/certification in your state. Some states have requirements in addition to the program’s curriculum. If you wish to take the National Physical Therapist Assistant Exam (NPTE-PTA) exam in another state, contact the regulation of professions and occupations in the state to determine whether this degree will meet their licensure requirements.

Completion of the Physical Therapist Assistant program requirements makes you eligible to apply to take the National Physical Therapist Assistant Exam (NPTE-PTA) exam in Florida.

Professional Licensure and Certification Disclosure Table for Physical Therapist Assistant

Accreditation

The Physical Therapist Assistant Program at Indian River State College is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; telephone: 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org; website: http://www.capteonline.org. If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call 772-462-7771 or email wmcnall@irsc.edu.

Complaints

Any student enrolled in the Physical Therapist Assistant program at Indian River State College may file a complaint that a violation of College policy has been committed. Such complaint may be submitted in writing to the Dean of Health Science, Dr. Ann Hubbard. All formal complaints will be investigated within thirty (30) business days. All records of complaints will be confidentially maintained in the Office of Health Sciences for a time of five years.

Ann Hubbard, Ed.D., D.N.P., C.N.E.
Dean of Health Science Division
3209 Virginia Avenue Fort Pierce, FL 24981-5596
ahubbard@irsc.edu

Additional Program Information

HOSA

This is a national organization which supplements and complements the health occupations education curriculum. HOSA provides students in secondary, postsecondary and collegiate programs with opportunities to develop personal, leadership and career skills needed by healthcare providers. HOSA helps develop the total person, not just job-specific skills. The rapidly changing healthcare system needs workers who are technically skilled, people-oriented and capable of accepting leadership positions as a member of a team. Learn more.