Starting next spring, Pierce College is offering a new option for students wishing to pursue careers in healthcare. The Physical Therapist Assistant program targets students interested in receiving high-quality career training, while still maintaining their family and work schedules.
The deadline to apply for the Physical Therapist Assistant program is Nov. 5. Classes start in March.
The nine-quarter, part-time Physical Therapist Assistant program is offered to Pierce College students through a partnership with Whatcom Community College in Bellingham. Pierce students take online classes and complete in-person lab experiences one weekend per month in Bellingham. It’s a schedule that accommodates students with family and work obligations, said Lisa Murray, advising coordinator at Pierce College.
“This is the perfect option for working students and parents wishing to break into a really exciting healthcare field,” she said. “Physical therapist assistants typically enjoy high wages, fairly flexible schedules, and satisfaction from knowing they’re helping people recover from, or cope with, illness and injury.”
Physical therapist assistants work with licensed physical therapists to provide treatment for physical injuries and disabilities. This includes training patients in therapeutic exercises, providing hands-on treatment, documenting patient progress, and using special equipment. Assistants are needed in hospitals, pediatric centers, sports medicine clinics, private practices, retirement communities, and home health agencies.
For more information on the Physical Therapist Assistant program at Pierce College, contact Lisa Murray at (253) 964-6482 or lmurray@pierce.ctc.edu.