Overview
The first Physical Therapist Assistant program in the state of West Virginia and accredited since 1997, Pierpont’s PTA program is located at the Gaston Caperton Center campus in Clarksburg.
The program is designed to educate and prepare students to work under the supervision of a physical therapist to provide therapeutic treatments to patients who have lost functional ability because of illness or injury.
Andrea Wamsley-Barr
Program Director/ Assistant Professor
- 304-367-4043
- awamsleybarr@pierpont.edu
- Caperton Center, Room 310B
This program prepares students to sit for a state licensing exam and graduates must pass this exam in order to work as a Physical Therapist Assistant.
This program is selective and has additional admission requirements.
This program will prepare students to implement a plan of care established by the physical therapist using appropriate technology, perform data collection through tests, measurements and observations and interpret results in compliance with the PTA role and so much more.
Career Opportunites
Career opportunities for licensed PTAs can be found in hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing care facilities, offices of physical therapists in private practice, and in home health care.
According to the US Department of Labor, employment of PTAs is expected to grow much faster than average for the next several years (2021-2031), and the median annual salary for WV is over $46,400.
Many PTA graduates continue their education in a baccalaureate field such as Allied Health Administration or Exercise Science.
$46,400*
Median Salary Two Years After Graduation
*WV Workforce Outcomes
Accreditation
The Physical Therapist Assistant program at Pierpont Community and Technical 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. The program’s current status is probationary accreditation; for more information see https://www.capteonline.org/about-capte/recent-actions-and-updates/recent-actions. If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call the Program Director at 304-367-4043 or email awamsleybarr@pierpont.edu
| Graduation Year | Group | Number of Candidates | Number of Passing Candidates | Pass Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | First Time | 7 | 6 | 85.7% |
| 2023 | Ultimate | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| 2022 | First Time | 13 | 9 | 69.2% |
| 2022 | Ultimate | 13 | 13 | 100% |
| Class Year | Graduation Rate (%) |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 50% | 2020 | 84% |
| 2021 | 93% | 2022 | 69% |
| 2023 | 54% |
| Year | Aggregate (%) | CAPTE Benchmark (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2021-22 (Ultimate Board Pass Rate) | 85.1% | 85% | 2021-22 (Graduation Rate) | 61% | 60% |
Employment Rate: Of the students who have graduated, passed their boards, and sought employment in the past 5 years, 100% were employed as a physical therapist assistant within 6 months of graduation.
Student Handbook
2022-23 Pierpont PTA Student Financial Fact Sheet
Program Missions and Goals
Observation Form
Course Catalog
To see a model schedule for this program, please see our academic catalog.
Admission
This program is a selective program and has additional requirements for admission. Successful candidates must complete the following academic and technical standards:
- Apply to Pierpont Community and Technical College for the term you want to begin the program and meet the general admission requirements or be a current student
- First-time students should select “Health Sciences: Physical Therapist Assistant” as their educational goal on their application.
- Complete the PTA application ($20 fee). Applications and supporting documentation are due to the Admission’s Office by March 1. Applicants who are not admitted must reapply if they wish to be considered for the next academic year.
- Submit all required documents (Official ACT or SAT scores [ACT/SAT has been waived secondary to the pandemic. It may be brought back in the future]; High School Equivalency Exam or high school transcripts; any college transcripts, clinical observations forms) to the Admission’s Office prior to the PTA application deadline.
- Have a high school and/or college GPA of 2.0 or better or passing score on High School Equivalency Exam. GPA will be evaluated based on high school transcripts or passing score on High School Equivalency Exam for students with less than 10 hours of college credit.
- Have a score of 18 or better on the English portion of the ACT (or SAT score of 480, or completion of English 1104 with a “C” or higher; NOTE: ACT/SAT has been waived secondary to the pandemic. It may be brought back in the future)
- Complete at least 10 hours of observation under a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant in two different clinical sites (outpatient, acute care, inpatient, rehabilitation, skilled nursing, school system, home health, etc.) Observation forms must be completed and submitted to the Admission’s Office.
- Physics is the only true pre-requisite course prior to entering the program. The requirement is that the applicant will have successfully completed a course in Physics in high school or college with a “C” or higher. Physics is a prerequisite and must be completed prior to the beginning the PTA program.
Admissions open on October 1 and close on March 1.
Qualified students are accepted into the program until capacity is met.
*Students can begin the program in the fall semester.
Admission to the PTA program is competitive and selective. A numerical score sheet is used to assign points to applicants for ACT/SAT scores taken with five years of application, grades in physics, grades in any support courses (ENGL 1104 ,ENGL 1108 , HLCA 1100 , HLCA 1170 , HLCA 1171 , OFAD 1150 , PSYG 1101 and MTH 1207 ).The GPA for admission into the program must be a 2.0 or higher. The program looks to admit a cohort of qualified applicants until capacity is met.
Program Requirements
- Students must pass a criminal background clearance check, meet health and immunization requirements, and drug testing.
- Students must be able to meet the essential functions of the program and classes, with or without accommodations.
- Students will need to provide their own transportation to assigned clinical sites.
Students must complete each course in the PTA program model schedule with a grade of “C” or higher and maintain an overall 2.0 GPA to remain in the program. Exam averages must be maintained at least a 75% in PTA courses. Any classes accepted as substitutes for curricular classes also require a grade of “C” or higher. Failure to meet any of these requirements will result in dismissal from the program. Students who have been dismissed may reapply to the program and their credentials will be reevaluated.