Physical Therapist Assistant

Physical Therapist Assistants work in diverse healthcare settings, including hospitals, outpatient clinics, rehabilitation centers, skilled nursing facilities, schools, and home health agencies. They treat patients of all ages, helping people recover from injuries, surgeries, and other medical conditions. Career opportunities span numerous specialty areas, including sports medicine, orthopedics, pediatrics, neurological rehabilitation, oncology, and women's health, enabling graduates to pursue their professional interests.

Degree program

Discover the LMC PTA Advantage

Learn by doing. Gain confidence through dynamic classroom instruction, hands-on lab training, and 18 weeks of full-time clinical experience in diverse healthcare settings.

State-of-the-art training. Train in a brand-new PTA lab at the South Haven Campus equipped with the latest tools and technology used in today’s healthcare environments.

Small class advantage. Join a selective cohort of up to 18 students for personalized instruction, meaningful feedback, and strong peer support.

Strong job outlook. PTA employment is projected to grow 25% over the next decade, offering strong job prospects both locally and nationwide.

The PTA Program Advising Guide is an essential resource for prospective students applying to Lake Michigan College's Physical Therapist Assistant program. This comprehensive guide covers admission requirements, prerequisite coursework, application procedures, and important deadlines for the Fall 2027 program launch.

The PTA program’s financial fact sheet will be available in 2027 for the 2027–28 academic year. It will provide detailed information on tuition, fees, and estimated program costs. Program cost information can also be found in the PTA Advising Guide. Please check back for the most current information and contact the PTA program office with any questions.

Graduation from a physical therapist assistant education program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (3030 Potomac Avenue, Suite 100, Alexandria, VA 22305; 703.706.3245; accreditation@apta.org) is necessary for eligibility to sit for the licensure examination, which is required in all states. Candidacy is considered to be an accredited status, as such the credits and degree earned from a program with Candidacy status are considered, by CAPTE, to be from an accredited program. Therefore, students in the charter (first) class should be eligible to take the licensure exam even if CAPTE withholds accreditation at the end of the candidacy period. That said, it is up to each state licensing agency, not CAPTE, to determine who is eligible for licensure. Information on licensing requirements should be directed to the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (www.fsbpt.org) or specific state boards. A list of state boards and contact information is available on FSBPT's website (www.fsbpt.org).

Lake Michigan College (LMC) is seeking accreditation of a new physical therapist assistant education program from CAPTE. The program is planning to submit an Application for Candidacy, which is the formal application required in the pre-accreditation stage, on May 1, 2026. Submission of this document does not assure that the program will be granted Candidate for Accreditation status. Achievement of Candidate for Accreditation status is required prior to implementation of the professional phase of the program; therefore, no students may be enrolled in professional courses until Candidate for Accreditation status has been achieved. Further, though achievement of Candidate for Accreditation status signifies satisfactory progress toward accreditation, it does not assure that the program will be granted accreditation.

The PTA program tracks key outcomes to ensure students are prepared for successful careers in physical therapy. Outcomes for the first cohort (2027–28) will be reported once available.

Metric	2027-28
Graduation Rate	TBD
First-Time NPTE Pass Rate	TBD
Ultimate NPTE Pass Rate	TBD
Employment Rate	TBD

Students complete 72 credit hours to earn an Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degree, Physical Therapist Assistant.

GENERAL EDUCATION AND PREREQUISITE COURSES	Credit Hours	Contact Hours
ENGL 101 English Composition I	3	3
BIOL 110 Anatomy and Physiology	4	5
MATH 122 Intermediate Algebra or MATH 123 Quantitative Reasoning	4	4
HEAL 103 Medical Terminology	2	2
ENGL 102 English Composition II	3	3
PSYC 201 Introduction to Psychology	3	3
EXSC 208 Kinesiology	3	5
Humanities/Fine Arts Elective	3	3

PTA PROGRAM COURSE SEQUENCE	Credit Hours	Contact Hours
First Semester: Fall (12 Credits)
PTA 110 Professional Practice I	2	2
PTA 115 Applied Biomechanics	2	3
PTA 120 Fundamentals of Patient Care	4	6
PTA 125 Musculoskeletal Interventions I	4	6
Second Semester: Spring (12 Credits)
PTA 140 Clinical Neuroscience	3	3
PTA 155 Physical Agents	2	3
PTA 165 Musculoskeletal Interventions II	4	6
PTA 170 Clinical Education I	3	7
Third Semester: Summer (12 Credits)
PTA 210 Cardiopulmonary and Integumentary Management	3	3
PTA 220 Neuromuscular Interventions	4	6
PTA 230 Clinical Medicine	2	2
PTA 240 Clinical Education II	3	9
Fourth Semester: Fall (11 Credits)
PTA 255 Musculoskeletal Interventions III	2	3
PTA 260 Special Populations	3	3
PTA 270 Clinical Education III	4	12
PTA 290 Professional Practice II	2	2

Graduates must pass the National Physical Therapy Examination for Physical Therapist Assistants (NPTE-PTA), administered by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT), to become licensed to practice. For detailed information about the exam, visit: https://www.fsbpt.org

Physical therapy assistants work in diverse healthcare settings, such as hospitals, outpatient clinics, rehab centers, skilled nursing facilities, schools, home health agencies, and specialty practices. They treat patients of all ages, helping people recover from injuries, surgeries, and other medical conditions. Career opportunities include many specialty areas, such as sports medicine, orthopedics, pediatrics, neurological rehabilitation, oncology, and women's health, allowing graduates to pursue their professional interests.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, physical therapist assistants earn competitive salaries with a median annual wage of $65,510 as of May 2024, with the top 10% of earners making more than $87,630. (https://www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes312021.htm#nat).

The employment outlook is excellent, with PTA jobs projected to grow by 25% from 2023 to 2033, much faster than the average for all occupations. (https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physical-therapist-assistants-and-aides.htm#tab-6).

This strong growth is driven by the increasing healthcare needs of an aging population. PTAs can expect varying salaries based on location, experience, and practice setting, with opportunities for advancement through experience and specialization.