1. Physical Therapist Assistant Program Academic Advising
Jessica Alvarado - Health Professions Counselor
Lane Community College

2. General Advising Information
Individual questions can be answered by ing
Only meet with the HP Advising Team for guidance
Requirements may change each year so it is important to keep updated by viewing our Academic Advising Resource in Moodle
Enrolling in Moodle will allow us to you updates about the program and other important advising information

3. Health Professions Website
Application information and forms can be found at - choose the Physical Therapy Assistant link and then choose the Application Information link

4. Career & Employment Information
Students can review Section 3 of the Academic Advising Resource for additional career and educational options
Oregon CIS can be useful Career Research tool
Contact Career Center for more information
Program and career overview is provided at the Health Professions website
Program accreditation is provided through the Commission of Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE)
Graduates are eligible to take the National Physical Therapy Assistant Examination
This program is concentrated with a heavy emphasis on on-line and hybrid learning
Cooperative Education is required resulting in 648 hours of supervised clinical instruction at a program-designated site

5. AAS Program Overview PTA Program of Study
Year 1 – Complete pre-reqs and additional application points
Pre-reqs can be completed with a C or Pass grades
A and B grades are more competitive than C or Pass grades
C- grade is not accepted
You can only have 16 credits of Pass grades so not all the pre-reqs can be taken for a Pass grade
Year 2 – Accepted students complete 1st year general education courses with core theory and clinical practice courses
Year 3 – Accepted students complete 2nd year core intervention courses and three terms of Cooperative Education Clinical Affiliation (see catalog)

6. Application Information
Application deadline is typically early Spring term for the upcoming Fall entry
Coursework completed Winter term and before will be eligible for points on the application. Do not apply until Winter term grades appear on a submitted transcript
Register for Spring and Summer courses that are required for Fall entry or meet program requirements
For most courses - A’s are worth more than B’s and B’s are worth more than C/Pass. C- or less is ineligible
Acceptance decisions are based on application points , interview points, and successful completion of all application steps (background check, mandatory orientation, etc…)
Enrollment levels can vary depending on budgetary constraints
Up to 24 Oregon resident students are admitted each year
Application and program requirements are subject to change each year

7. Preparing to Apply
Be admitted to Lane as a Credit Student with an assigned L number
Be an Oregon Resident by date of application
All pre-req courses completed with a letter grade of C or higher (Pass grades also allowed) Winter term or before – for Fall entry
Courses completed at other institutions must be considered equivalent or substituted with an approved course before applying
If students have completed a BA/BS degree from a US accredited institution full writing points are granted (official transcripts are needed to verify this)
25 Observation hours in a minimum of 2 clinical settings
Sites are located by the student
Signed Observation form required

8. Preparing to Apply cont.
Read through Section 1 in our Academic Advising Resource in Moodle to review requirements, application packet and get instructions on how to fill out the application forms
Application forms and supporting documents are submitted via only
Application forms that are scanned, handwritten, or Google docs will not be accepted
Supporting documents can be scanned
Application payment is submitted online
Top point candidates are selected for interviews

9. Required Courses/Transfer Information
Courses completed at other schools must be considered equivalent or be approved for use in the application PRIOR to submitting the application.
Please review the Transfer Advising Information in Section 4 of PTA’s Academic Advising in Moodle if you:
Have previous coursework that you think will be equivalent to or will substitute for the PTA pre-reqs and program course requirements
If you have prior math, writing or health science/science courses and need an override to register for a subsequent course

10. Health Science Options
Health Science options: choose one sequence
BI 231, 232, 233 – BI 231 must be within 7 years of Fall entry
BI 231 pre-req is BI CH112. CH 112 pre-req is MTH 052 or higher or testing into MTH 065 or higher
Must complete BI 233 during the first Fall term in the program or before entry if
BI 231 is used on the application
HO 150 and HO 152 – HO 150 within 7 years of Fall entry
HO 100 can co-req with HO 150 or take HO 100 the term before HO 150
Must complete HO 152 during the first Fall term in the program or before entry if HO 150 is used on the application

11. Preparing to take BI 231 or HO 150
HO 100 Medical Terminology is the pre-req to HO 150
If you have the equivalent of HO 100 – contact an HO 150 instructor and show them your unofficial transcript. The instructor will let you know if you can register for HO 150
HO 100 and HO 150 can be taken together as co- reqs in one term, but this is not recommended
HO 150 is the pre-req to HO 152 – cannot be taken together
If you put HO 150 on your application – you must complete the rest of the series HO 152
BI112 and CH112 courses (known as Biobonds) are the pre-reqs for BI 231 – the first Anatomy and Physiology course
Getting into BI 112/CH 112 – two options:
Passing Lane’s math placement testing OR passing MTH 052 or higher with a C- or higher
Some students may have coursework that will allow them to meet the pre-req for BI112/CH112 or BI 231
Take unofficial transcripts to the Science Department office. The Science department representative will determine if you can register for BI 112/CH 112 or BI 231 or one of the other anatomy courses
If you put BI 231 on the application – you must complete the rest of the series BI
Read Section 4 (How to use the Transfer Tool) in the Academic Advising section in Moodle for more detailed instructions

12. English Composition Sequence
Choice of WR 121, 122, 123 or 227 is required to apply
WR 115 is the pre-req for WR 121
WR 121 is the pre-req to WR 122 and WR 227
WR 122 is the pre-req to WR 123
Students with a BA/BS will get max points for English Composition
Degree must be verified by submitting a US accredited college transcript

13. General Science/Physics
Choice of:
GS 104
PH 101
PH 102
PH 201
Pre-req is MTH 052 or higher or pass math placement test
Pre-req is MTH 112 or pass math placement test
A section of these classes is typically reserved for PTA students during Winter term registration.
Your major must be listed as PTA

14. HO 100 Medical Terminology
HO 100 is recommend prior to taking HO 150 or BI 231
Can be taken concurrently with HO 150 but it is not recommended
Course options are traditional in-person or online
Both options have an oral final examination

15. Social Science Choice of: PSY 201 General Psychology
PSY 215 Lifespan and Development
Instructors recommend that students complete
WR 115 or
Concurrently take WR 121 with PSY courses
PSY 201 is recommended prior to PSY 202 and PSY 215
PSY 201 section offerings are highest in the Fall
PSY 202 section offerings are highest in the Winter
PSY 215 section are typically offered every term except Summer

16. Math Program Requirement Additional Points on Application
The program requirement is MTH 065 Elementary Algebra or higher
The pre-req for MTH 065 is MTH 060 or passing a Lane placement test
Students who receive a B or C grade in a course considered higher than MTH 095 will receive the same number of application points as students with an A grade in MTH 065 though MTH 095
Example of higher level math courses that meet this requirement are:
MTH 075 Applied Algebra for Technicians, 
MTH 095 Intermediate Algebra,
MTH 098 Math Literacy, and
MTH 105 Contemporary Mathematics or higher
MTH 085 Applied Geometry for Technicians is not accepted
It is highly suggested that math be listed on the application
Math sequence is : MTH 010, MTH 020, MTH 060, MTH 065 .

17. Observation Hours
A minimum of 25 Work/Observation hours between 2 clinical sites
Required to apply
Examples of approved settings include: hospital, nursing home, sub-acute facility, developmental enter, outpatient clinic or school setting
Must be supervised by a Physical Therapist or a PTA
Signed Verification form includes agency name, begin and end dates, a supervisor's name (to verify hours), job duties/patients observed, and current contact phone number/
Observation hours as a student, patient, volunteer, or as an employee may be used

18. Additional Application Points
MTH 065 or higher
DD214 Honorable Discharge - does not need to be Health care related experience
Need to submit a scanned copy of DD214 with application
Basic Health Care Certificate (BHC)
PTA pre-req plus taking HO 110 and CIS 101 or CS 120
HO 110 and computer coursers can be taken online
Courses must appear on a Lane transcript or an official submitted transcript from other institution
Course equivalencies must be established before applying

19. Post Application
Proctored Essay – Review Moodle and Application Information Packet
In-person interviews are completed in small groups. Candidates should reserve the dates listed in the application in order to be available should they be selected.

20. Program Requirements
Program requirements – recommended these be completed prior to entry
COMM 115 Introduction to Intercultural Comm.
HE 262 First Aid – Beyond the Basics
This course provides the advanced first aid training needed to earn a 2 year CPR/AED Certification for the professional rescuer
HO 152 Human Body Systems 2 or BI 233 A&P 3
Must be completed the first Fall term of the program or prior to entry

21. Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What kind of grades do I need to be competitive? A: To be competitive you need to have as strong of a GPA as possible on the pre-reqs. Receiving an A grade in MTH 065-MTH 95 course or completion of a math course higher than MTH 95 is strongly recommended on the application. Q: Should I repeat courses? A: The decision is your choice, but repeating courses could affect your financial aid. us and Financial Aid to learn more about the effects of repeating courses. Q: I have been in Physical Therapy recently – can I use that as my observation hours? A: You can use some of hours from your experience (get the observation form signed). You still need more hours (to meet the 25 hour requirement) from a different clinical site.

22. FAQ Continued
Q: What happens after the applications are submitted? A: Register for classes required for Fall entry and you will be notified about the interview selection in mid April. Q: I am having trouble doing the application – where can I go for help? A: Please read over Section 1 in Moodle for information about how to do the online application. Help with Adobe can be obtained in the ATC (building 2). Your advising team can answer questions, but cannot sit and do the application with you. your concerns to Q: How long is the waiting list? A: There is no waiting list. Students are either accepted, placed on a standby or alternate list, or not accepted.

23. Tips for Success
Don’t do this alone. Ask for help (use tutoring, advisors, counselors)
Consider less than full-time. Perform well in each class
Do informational interviews-see if this is what you really want
Get work in the Health Care field to see what opportunities exist in the medical world
Seek advising the second or third week of the term to check-in and get updates – typically this is the slowest time of each term
Register early to help with your term-by-term planning and to gain access to high demand courses