Physical Therapist Assistant FAQs

How difficult is it to get into the PTA Program? Admission is competitive and requires preparation. The program typically receives over 100 applicants each fall.  The program can accept a maximum of 32 students.  Applicants with files completed by the deadline are ranked for interview using a numerical point system. Please see admission requirements for information on how to prepare for admission.

Are there any deadlines? Application submission period is September 1, 2011 to January 30, 2012.  The deadline for submission of the Health Care Program Application and all supporting documentation is January 30, 2012.  Students are responsible for making sure files are complete by the published deadline for each application cycle.

What should I expect during the admission interview? You will meet with one or more of the physical therapy faculty to discuss your interest in and capacity to work as a physical therapist assistant. You will be expected to have gained first-hand knowledge of what PTAs do and have considered how you would be good for the field as well as what being a PTA would do for you. You will need to demonstrate good verbal communication skills essential for working in a patient care setting. Our goal is to use the interview to help you and us make a decision about the appropriateness of physical therapy as a career for you.  Any applicant who does not complete a satisfactory interview may not be considered for admission.

How do I complete the 10-hour observation? The on-site observation requirement gives applicants a first-hand look at PTAs in the workplace.  You'll be able to ask questions, learn more about clinical settings and patient needs, and gain a better understanding of the difference between physical therapists (PTs) and PTAs.  All of this information can help you decide if becoming a PTA is a good career choice for you.
Applicants are responsible for coordinating their own observation experience.  Select a physical therapy facility in the area that employs both PTs and PTAs, and plan to spend at least half of the observation time with the PTA.  Hospitals, nursing homes, and outpatient clinics are good choices; doctors offices, home health care agencies, and chiropractic offices generally are not.  Contact the facility of your choice, explain the observation requirement to staff, and schedule your observation hours.  Remember: the PT or PTA who supervises your observation will submit a recommendation form for your application file.

What courses can I take before I get started in the program? Any non-PTA prefixed courses in the PTA curriculum, including Anatomy and Physiology I and II (BIO131 and BIO132) and Medical Terminology (HIT104).

When can I begin the PTA courses at Oakton? The PTA sequence of courses begins in the fall semester (mid-August).

How much will it cost me to go to Oakton? Tuition rates are available on the Tuition and Fees Web page. Lab fees vary.

Note: Through a joint agreement or chargeback, students may attend and pay in-district tuition at a community college outside their home district if they are pursuing a certificate or degree. Joint agreements and chargebacks are available only when the home community college does not offer the certificate or degree program. Residents of the following districts who wish to attend Oakton's PTA program under a joint agreement or chargeback should contact either the Admission or Registration Office at their home college:
College of Lake County
Kishwaukee College
McHenry County College
Rock Valley College
Triton College
William Rainey Harper College

What will my class schedule be like? Most PTA courses consist of lecture and lab components. PTA courses are scheduled four half days per week. Day and time vary from semester to semester. During the spring semester of the first year, and either the fall or spring semester of the second year, there is an additional eight hours per week of clinical affiliation time. Clinical could be scheduled for an eight-hour day on the fifth day of the week or broken into two four-hour half days, either before or after PTA classes. Summer clinicals are full time.  General education courses must be scheduled around the PTA program courses and clinical.

Are there evening courses? Not for most PTA courses. There are two evening lecture classes that are conducted partly on campus and partly online during summer clinicals. Some clinical facilities require students to participate in evening clinical hours.

How long will it take me to complete the program? The program takes four full semesters and involves clinical placements in summers after both the first and second years. If you begin with credits, you will have a lighter load each semester.

Can I work while I am in the PTA program?  PTA course work should take precedence over work obligations. It is recommended that full-time students not work. Part-time students are advised if they do work, their work schedules should be flexible to accommodate semester changes in class and clinical schedules.

What about clinic affiliations? You will begin clinic affiliation in the second semester including five- and six-week summer placements.  This means you have four clinic affiliations and all four of them will be different. An attempt is made to give students a varied experience so that you know how to work with different kinds of facilities and patients. Therefore, it is not always possible to have each affiliation convenient to your home. You are responsible for your own transportation to the clinical assignment. There may be additional costs associated with the clinical affiliation such as parking and meals. Clinical requirements may include drug and alcohol testing and a criminal background check requirement.  Visit www.idfpr.com for more information.

What is the program’s graduation rate? Over the last three years, an average of 82 percent of admitted students graduated from the PTA Program.

Do I need to take a test after graduation to allow me to work as PTA?  Yes, you must take and pass the National Physical Therapy Exam for PTAs in order to be licensed to practice in Illinois. Most states require licensing in order to work. From 2007 to 2009, 97 percent of Oakton graduates passed the licensing exam.

Will I get a job when I finish?  While no one can guarantee anyone a job, the current job market for PTAs in the Chicago metro area and nationwide is very good. For the last several years, 100 percent of Oakton's PTA graduates who sought jobs were employed within six months of graduation.

What PT schools are near Chicago?

• Bradley University, Peoria
• Governors State, University Park
• Midwestern University, Downers Grove
• Northern Illinois University, DeKalb
• Northwestern University, Chicago
• Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago
• University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago

For more information, contact the American Physical Therapy Association at 1-800-999-APTA or at www.apta.org/education.

How can I find out more about Physical Therapist Assistants?

• Oakton's Enrollment Center
• Observe a PTA at work
• American Physical Therapy Association, www.apta.org/
• Illinois Physical Therapy Association (IPTA), www.ipta.org/
• U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov