The knowledge & experience you need to help patients regain functional skills.
This program is designed to prepare the student to be a skilled healthcare provider supervised by a Physical Therapist.
Herkimer’s PTA program is consistently at the “head of its class” with two-year pass rates, on average, over 90% and a 100% employment rate for the past two decades.
Our Philosophy & Mission
The Herkimer College Physical Therapist Assistant program offers an Associate in Applied Science degree, preparing students for a career as a Physical Therapist Assistant. The program focuses on delivering a quality education aligned with APTA guidelines, emphasizing post-graduation professional education and providing additional learning and service opportunities through the Physical Therapist Assistant Club.
Herkimer College offers affordable, quality education to produce competent, professional healthcare providers for local and regional areas. The program follows APTA guidelines, emphasizes postgraduate professional education, and supports the college's overall mission.
Role of a Physical Therapist Assistant
The PTA may perform physical therapy interventions and related tasks that have been selected and delegated by the supervising physical therapist. Such duties may include active or passive exercise, physical agents for pain relief and healing, instruction in the use of assistive devices for walking, hydrotherapy, wound care, prevention, wellness, and much more. Where permitted by law the PTA may also carry out routine operational functions such as supervising the PT aide and documentation of progress.
For further information about physical therapy and the role of the Physical Therapist Assistant, please see the following web pages:
Admission into Herkimer’s PTA program is competitive, and acceptance is selective.
To be considered for admission into the PTA program:
High school graduates:
- Cumulative average of 80 or better AND
- 80 or better in Biology/Living Environment (cumulative course grade or regents exam)
- 75 or better in Chemistry and/or Physics and/or another relative science course (cumulative course grade or regents exam)
- 75 or better average in the high school Math sequence
Out-of-state students or home school students who have no regents, the following SAT or ACT scores will be used for eligibility:
Cumulative average of 80 or better AND:
- SAT score of 1080 or above (minimum of 500 or more required on math portion)
- ACT composite score of 21 or higher
- Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better AND:
- C or better in any college-level math
- B or better in A&P I
- C or better in A&P I AND B or better in high school or college Biology AND C or better in high school or college chemistry and/or physics
- A&P I and II may be used to satisfy admission requirements. It can also fulfill requirements for graduation if it is taken within 5 years of matriculation.
- All students entering the Physical Therapist Assistant program are required to have completed a 15-hour clinical observation upon acceptance prior to the start of the first semester.
- Please note: To be eligible to sit for the National Board Examination for licensure as a Physical Therapist Assistant, you must be a US citizen.
- In order to transfer Anatomy and Physiology I or Anatomy and Physiology II to Herkimer, the topics covered must match the topics covered in Herkimer’s course verbatim. If the topics are not verbatim, the course cannot be transferred. It is recommended that if you take A&P at another institution you take both I and II to ensure complete topic coverage.
Should you not meet the specific requirements above, applicants may be reviewed on an individual basis for eligibility.
Clinical education is a key component of the Physical Therapist Assistant Program at Herkimer College. During the course of the two-year program, students will complete two full-time supervised five-week clinical fieldwork experiences and one full-time supervised six-week clinical fieldwork experience. The student has at least one rotation in an acute care hospital, sub-acute or rehabilitation hospital. The student has two other clinical experiences which may include a pediatric setting, private practice outpatient setting, skilled nursing facility, or other areas of interest.
Clinical fieldwork assignments usually involve a 40-hour workweek for the duration of the experience. The final affiliation is scheduled only after all other coursework has been completed satisfactorily. Due to the limited availability of local clinical sites, students enrolled in the Physical Therapist Assistant Program must be prepared to travel to participating facilities regardless of the location. No guarantee of local placement can be made. Students will be required to meet their own living and travel needs during all fieldwork assignments.
Fieldwork sites require compliance with New York State Health Department and pertinent OSHA regulations. This means that a physical examination with evidence of required immunizations is required for each student prior to admission to the program, and the physical must be updated annually and be current for the duration of each clinical. Each student is responsible for providing individual health insurance prior to each clinical fieldwork. Personal liability and malpractice insurance protection, in the amount of $1 million coverage per occurrence, is arranged by Herkimer College for each clinical affiliation and is paid by the student in special program fees. Each student must provide evidence of up-to-date CPR and First Aid certifications prior to every clinical affiliation.
Requirements for Certification
Through a good faith effort, and for the purpose of complying with the federal regulation, we have determined that the Physical Therapist Assistant program at Herkimer County Community College meets the educational requirements for licensure/certification in the following U.S. states: CO, CT, DE, HI, IL, IN, IA, KS, ME, MA, MN, NY, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, UT, VT, VA, WV. To receive a certificate or license for these states, the individual would need to request transcripts be sent to the individual state board and transfer their passing FSBPT board score along with any items such as background check or drug screening as required. UPDATED 3/21/2025.
However, it is important to note that Herkimer County Community College is not the licensure/certification authority in these U.S. states: AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, DC, FL, GA, ID, KY, LA, MD, MI, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NC, ND, OH, OR, TX, WA, WI, WY and cannot assess whether an individual candidate will be issued a license/certificate in these U.S. States and instead it is incumbent on each individual candidate to contact the licensure/certification authority in the applicable U.S. State for any further guidance on the requirements for licensure/certification requirements and application processes. To receive a certificate or license for these states, the individual would need to request transcripts be sent to the individual state board and transfer their passing FSBPT board score. In addition these states will have other requirements including, but not limited to, additional jurisprudence testing. This jurisprudence testing may be onsite, online, or through completion of modules at the discretion of the individual state board. The jurisprudence testing assesses the knowledge of the candidate as to what a PTA can or cannot do in that particular state and specific state laws. This is not a Physical Therapist Assistant skill examination as the National Physical Therapy Board examination tests. UPDATED 3/21/2025.
What makes a successful Physical Therapist Assistant student?
Successful Physical Therapist Assistant students focus on their academic preparation. Allied Health programs, by the nature of the heavy science and professional emphasis, are among the toughest programs at Herkimer College, requiring increased study and dedication over other programs. The demands placed upon Physical Therapist Assistant students in the academic and practical portions of the program, and later in clinical settings, make good physical and mental health essential. Areas of study consist of both theoretical and practical knowledge, but emphasize practical applications. After graduation, graduates will take the National Physical Therapist Assistant Licensing Exam. The student must realize that the board examination will test in all aspects of their education. Successful completion of the Herkimer College curriculum and the National Physical Therapist Assistant Licensing Exam makes the graduate eligible to be certified by the NYS Board of Education as a Physical Therapist Assistant.
Special PTA Program Requirements
A student in the PTA curriculum must pass all PT courses with a “C+” or better, SC courses with a “C” or better, and pass all PTA lab practical examinations with a “B” or better to continue in this program. Each student must demonstrate professional behavior in class, lab, and clinical settings. A student must demonstrate discernable progress toward the achievement of a degree in this program. A student previously enrolled in, and dropped from the program who has successfully completed readmission requirements may be readmitted one time.
Students interested in pursuing a career as a physical therapist assistant are encouraged to “look into a mirror” to see if they have the necessary abilities to perform the work of a PTA with or without accommodations.
Special Application Procedures
Applicants to the Physical Therapist Assistant Program will be notified by mail of special application procedures and retention requirements.
Having met all of the New York State and college requirements, the Herkimer College PTA program graduate:
- Demonstrates a sound theoretical and practical knowledge base for physical therapy
- Demonstrates competence with the computer and other current technology as it relates to the Physical Therapy environment
- Demonstrates the skills and abilities to safely practice in the field of physical therapy
- Utilizes the skills to apply scientific principles as a means to treat or prevent disability, injury or disease
- Practices with integrity and adherence to ethical principles
- Practices with respect and sensitivity for individual differences
- Demonstrates the ability to use the problem-solving process of physical therapy in dealing with a variety of patients/clients
- Demonstrates the ability to carry out patient care functions in a timely, cost efficient manner under the supervision of the physical therapist
- Seeks new knowledge through continuing education
- Fulfills a need in the marketplace
- Graduation: At least 60% of students entering the program will graduate from the PTA program within 2-3 years.
- Experience: 100% of program graduates will have had a variety of clinical experiences. One clinical experience will include an acute care experience, subacute experience or rehabilitation experience. The other clinical experiences may include, but will not be limited to, outpatient orthopedics, pediatric, geriatric, and developmental disabilities.
- Professional Behavior: At least 85% of employers will rate graduates as average or above average in professional behavior, ethical behavior, interpersonal skills, and time management skills.
- Lifelong Learning: At least 85% of graduates will participate in professional continuing education.
- Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Integration of Skills and Procedures Learned in all Coursework: At least 85% of employers will rate graduates as average to above average in critical thinking, problem solving, and integration of skills and procedures learned from classroom to clinical site.
- Communication Skills: At least 85% of employers will rate graduates as average to above average in all aspects of communication.
- Documentation Skills: At least 85% of employers will rate graduates as average to above average in documentation skills.
- Cultural Competence: At least 85% of employers will rate graduates as average to above average in cultural competency.
- Physical Therapy Technical Competence: At least 85% of employers will rate graduates as average to above average in PT intervention delivery and data collection.
- Safety: 100% of employers will rate graduates as average to above average in meeting safety competency.
- Performance on the FSBPT Licensing Examination: Over any two-year period, graduates will achieve an average pass rate of 85% on the FSBPT licensing examination.
- Employment Rate: 100% of graduates seeking employment will be employed within 1 year of graduation.
- Technology Competence: At least 85% of employers will rate graduates as competent in computer and other current technology as it relates to the Physical Therapy environment.
Current Program Outcomes
1. Pass Rate on Boards
Class 2023 First time 100% Ultimate 100% Class 2022 First time 88.8% Ultimate 88.8% Class 2021 First time 94.4% Ultimate 94.4% 2 year pass rate 2022-2023 94.4% 2 year pass rate 2021-2022 91.6% 2 year pass rate 2020-2021 93.85% 2. Employment (those actively seeking a job were offered a job within 6 months of passing the boards)
Class of 2023: 100% were employed within 6 months of graduation
2 year employment rate 2022-2023 100% 2 year employment rate 2021-2022 100% 2 year employment rate 2020-2021 100% 3. Program Retention/Graduation Rate
(Using the method of calculation adopted by CAPTE per website).
2 year retention/graduation rate average from 2021-2022 93% 2 year retention/graduation rate average from 2020-2021 91.6% Date of Graduation
Class of 2023 graduated 91%
Class of 2022 graduated 91%
Class of 2021 graduated 95%
4. Employer Satisfaction Survey Class of 2023Category Category Results Safety competency 100% PT intervention delivery 100% Documentations skills 100% Data collection skills 100% All aspects of communication 100% Critical thinking, problem solving and integration of skills and procedures learned from classroom to clinical site 100% Professional behavior, ethical behavior, interpersonal skills and time management skills 100% Cultural competence 100% Participate in professional continuing education 100% Competent in computer and other current technology as it relates to the Physical Therapy environment 100% Herkimer College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, age, creed, religion, national origin, marital status, disability or any other characteristic protected by federal or state law in admissions, employment or in any aspect regarding the conduct of College business.
Student Financial Fact Sheet - In-State, Out-of-State 2023The Physical Therapist Assistant Program at Herkimer 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: firstname.lastname@example.org; website: http://www.capteonline.org.
If you need to contact the program/institution directly, please contact Dr. Elizabeth Pogonowski, PT, DPT, at 315-866-0300 x8740; email@example.com; Academic Coordinator of Clinical Education Shawna Marmet, PT, DPT, at 315-866-0300 x8340; firstname.lastname@example.org; or Dr. Karen Jones, PT, DPT, email@example.com.
If you have further questions or concerns, please contact Dean of Academic Affairs William McDonald at 315-866-0300 ext. 8240 or firstname.lastname@example.org.
View our program course requirements as published in the College Catalog.
Herkimer College offers a quality and affordable educational experience.
Adult students enrolled in this program may qualify for free college through the SUNY Reconnect initiative.