...application of heat, cold, ultrasound, electrical stimulation and massage, as well as training in therapeutic exercise and functional activities.  Whatcom Community College's PTA Program is particularly successful at training PTAs both locally and across the state.

The PTA program prepares students to work in a variety of settings including:

Click here for information from the Washington state Department of Health on licensing requirements, process, costs and interim permits. If you intend to work as a PTA somewhere other than Washington, be sure to check local licensing requirements.

Students who complete the Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) program at WCC receive an Associate of Science in PTA (AS-PTA) degree. Students are then eligible to take the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE), for Physical Therapist Assistants, which is one requirement for licensure in Washington state. The licensure exam is managed and administered by The Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy. For the latest information on testing dates, preparation material and comparing testing and licensing pass rates between schools, click here.

Other requirements for licensure include:

• Graduation from a nationally accredited, board approved school, such as Whatcom Community College, and
• A completed licensure application which includes personal data questions, and
• Proof of at least seven (7) hours of HIV/AIDS training, and
• Completion of the online jurisprudence examination

These requirements are submitted to the Department of Health, Board of Physical Therapy for consideration of licensure.

Education and licensing requirements vary between states. Click here for a list of each states licensing authority and information on licensing requirements and processes.