Information Packet

The Physical Therapist Assistant Program at Santa Fe College is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 1111 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314; telephone 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org ; website: CAPTE Online.

Graduation from a Physical Therapist Assistant program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) is necessary for eligibility to sit for the national licensure examination (NPTAE) in all states. The CAPTE address is 1111 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, VA 22314; phone; 703-706-3245; accreditation@apta.org

1. Complete a Santa Fe College Application for Admission at www.sfcollege.edu. Note: The Program application is separate from the SF application. Acceptance by the college does not guarantee acceptance to the Program.
2. Arrange for official transcripts from high school and each post-secondary institution attended to be sent to the Office of Records at least one month prior to the application deadline.
3. Complete all required college placement testing or be exempt. See Testing section for further information.
4. Plan to meet with a Health Sciences advisor after completing steps 1-4 for coursework recommendations or verifications. No appointment necessary. Advisement hours are posted on the Health Sciences Advisement Office web page.

Placement testing is optional for students who graduated from a Florida public school in 2007 or after. Placement testing is required for students who graduated from a Florida high school prior to 2007, attended a private high school, attended an out-of-state high school or earned a GED. Additionally, students who complete college level English and math courses with a grade of 'C' or better or who have earned an Associate in Arts degree or higher are exempt from placement testing.

Requests for testing accommodations must be made in advance with the Disability Resource Center (DRC) located on the Northwest Campus. Please be prepared to provide documentation of disability to the DRC when making the request. Contact 352-395-4400v/TTY for further assistance. DRC and Testing Accommodations.

The following requirements must be met in order to receive an application to the Program:

Prior Degree or Certificate   

Maximum Points = 7

Overall College GPA

Maximum Points = 15

Grades Earned in Prerequisite Courses

Maximum Points = 52

Military Service

Maximum Points = 5

Military Service - 5 points will be awarded to US Armed Forces active duty and honorably discharged veterans. Includes recent Reservist and National Guard combat deployments. DD-214 or proof of current service required. Minimum of 1 year active duty service required. Part-time Reservist or National Guard service must equal 365 active duty days (i.e., weekend service, annual 2-week assignment and deployment). Service dates may be combined. Veterans who receive a general discharge must be classified without misconduct.

Information in this packet is subject to change. It is the applicant's responsibility to check with the Health Sciences Counseling Office for up-to-date requirements.

The PTA program uses a Selection Criteria/Points System to determine which applicants will receive an invitation to the program. Applicants are ranked according to points earned. Graduates of high school health academies and participants of targeted college programs may be eligible for additional points consideration. To insure meeting the College's goals for diversity, there may be up to 10% representation from the middle and lower range of total points in each class selected (if not achieved through the initial points ranking process). Competitive GPA will be used as primary tie-breaker criteria and also to rank those selected for diversity purposes.

Conditional Application Policy: Students currently enrolled in required prerequisite courses may apply to the PTA program, providing their course work is completed by the end of the College's Summer 2020 term. The conditions are:

1. BSC 2085/L, MAC 1105, ENC 1101  and three (3) other prerequisites must be completed by the end of the College's Spring 2018 term with a "C" grade or higher in order to qualify for conditional application. The final 2 prerequisites must be completed with a "C" grade or higher by the end of the College's Summer 2019 term, prior to program entry.
2. Selection points will be awarded only for courses that have been completed with a "C"   grade or better by the application deadline.
3. Acceptance to the Program through the conditional application process will be voided in the event coursework is not successfully completed on time with a "C" grade or better. The voided conditional applications are not eligible for prior application points (if applicable).

To accept a position in the program, selected students must return the response form as directed in their admission notification. Students will then receive additional instructions for completing all admission requirements by established deadlines. Admission requirements include background screenings, immunizations, physical examinations, BLS/CPR certification, and drug testing. Failure to successfully complete requirements by established deadlines will result in loss of a seat in the program. Students are responsible for all screening costs and program participation requirements at the time of admissions. Screening costs are not refundable. 

Notification letters will be sent electronically to an applicant's SF email address. Ensure that your SF email account is active prior to the application deadline and continue to monitor it on a regular basis for notifications. No status information will be given over the telephone. The P.T.A. program will not retro-act an offer to accept a seat in the program once the acceptance deadline has passed.

Students selected to the program must complete and document 10 hours of Physical Therapy observation by July 1, 2019, in order to be admitted to the program and  begin core coursework.

All tuition and fees are estimated costs and subject to change without notice.

Pre-PTA and PTA Program Course Plan

*These courses may not be transferred from another institution.

PTA Core program enrollment is limited to a maximum of 24 students per cohort. The Technical courses must be taken as a cohort in the order above. The general education courses may be taken in any order based on prerequisite requirements and course offerings.

Students who are receiving financial aid and have accumulated more than 45 credit hours in coursework prior to entrance to the program must consult with the SF Financial Aid Office prior to accepting a position in the program in order to determine funding eligibility. For more information regarding ways to pay for the program, please visit the Financial Aid Office's web page, Ways to Pay.

Applicants previously enrolled in a health-related program but did not complete it, must be in good standing with their former program prior to application to the SF Physical Therapist Assistant Program. Previous Program/Good Standing documentation will be required before any final decision is made regarding acceptance to the program. Applicants not in good standing, or otherwise unable to return to their previous program, may be ineligible for selection.

Additionally, applicants must declare all incidents of general or academic misconduct at an educational institution. Declarations of misconduct will be reviewed by Health Sciences Programs at the time of admission to determine eligibility to participate in a program. Failure to disclose misconduct incidents will result in your application to program being voided.

Reliable transportation is a requirement for participation. Students are expected to have their own transportation to/from campus and clinical sites for the duration of the program.

A two-part state and national background screening will be conducted upon acceptance to the program. Students must be free of offenses that may disqualify them from participating in a health care program. This includes active probation, active protection orders against them, or pending case status. Under Florida Statutes, certain offenses may preclude an individual from receiving licensure for up to 15 years. See Background Screenings located on the Health Sciences Counseling Office web page for the screening procedure and a complete listing of disqualifying offenses. Additionally, drug testing results will be used to determine program participation eligibility.

SF Health Sciences Programs recognize only current American Heart Association Basic Lifesaver for Health care Professionals BLS/CPR certification (2 person, infant/child). Certification is required by the beginning of the program and cannot expire prior to graduation. BLS/CPR instruction must be from an instructor-led course. Online BLS/CPR certification or training will not be accepted. Students are encouraged to have health insurance in accordance with the Affordable Care Act by the beginning of the program.

The Physical Therapist Assistant Program (PTA) is a practice discipline with cognitive, sensory, affective and psychomotor performance requirements. Applicants should assess their aptitude and ability to perform professional duties by reviewing the Program Performance Standards below and discussing them with their healthcare provider. Applicants who identify potential difficulties with meeting the Program Performance Standards should communicate their concerns to the Academic Chair for Allied Health Programs. If the concern is related to a documented disability, applicants are responsible for contacting the Disability Resource Center for determination of reasonable and appropriate accommodation.

Professional Appearance - Students must abide by specific professional appearance requirements while in the program. These requirements have been agreed upon by SF College and its clinical partners. Hair must be maintained within the range of natural color and must be conservative in length and style. Completely shaved or bald styles are acceptable; however, no partially shaved or one-sided haircuts are permitted. Visible tattoos must be covered at all times. Visible body piercings are not allowed and earlobe gauges must be covered. Earrings are limited to one stud-style pair per ear. Clothing and footwear must comply with standards prescribed by the program. Facial hair should be kept neat and trimmed short. Artificial nails, nail polish, jewelry, watches and perfume are not permitted. 

Immunization Advisory:

Because all clinical affiliates require immunizations, all students must demonstrate immunity for a variety of pathogens in order to participate in clinical education. Pregnant and immunocompromised individuals are advised their immune status may be altered. This may affect being able to fulfill program entry or participation requirements. Any applicant who has been selected to the program that is pregnant, becomes pregnant, or is immunocompromised must advise the Health Sciences Counseling Office for further information and/or requirements. Individuals who are pregnant or immunocompromised should seek expert advice from their health care provider so that they may receive information to make an informed decision regarding their exposure to infectious diseases in the health care field. A statement from the student's health care provider, noting that the student may proceed through the program with "no limitations", will be required of all pregnant or immunocompromised students.  The Program's operational and procedural guidelines for students are found in the Student Handbook. A copy, including the pregnancy policy, is available for review in the Health Sciences Administration Office located in W building, room 201.  (updated February 2017)

Latex Advisory:

The use of latex/latex based products may exist in health care universal precautions and in environments such as, but not limited to: classrooms and training labs, hospitals, nursing care facilities, laboratories, clinical areas and medical/dental offices. Individuals with latex allergies should seek expert advice from their health care provider so that they may receive information to make an informed decision regarding their exposure to latex in the health care field.

Flu Vaccination Advisory:

All students enrolled in a Health Sciences Program with clinical components must receive an annual flu vaccination.

For more information, visit sfcollege.edu/eaeo.