Physical Therapist Assistant - PHTA
17 courses · Bakersfield College · 2026-2027 Catalog
Classes: Fall 2026 · Spring 2027
PHTA B50 Introduction to PTA
- Units
- 2
- Hours
- 36 lecture hours
This course orients the students to the duties and responsibilities of the field of physical therapy by covering the history, ethics, and values of the American Physical Therapy Association. It covers and emphasizes the development of a team approach of specific roles of the Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) in the healthcare team; interpersonal communication between the healthcare team, patients and family member and caretakers. Introduces the student to the physical therapist assistant’s role in a variety of clinical settings from acute care, skilled nursing facilities, acute rehab outpatient orthopedic/neuro and home health while examining areas of diversity, patient privacy HIPAA, and cultural competency as they pertain to physical therapy.
PHTA B51 Kinesiology for the PTA
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 36 lecture hours, 54 lab hours
- Prerequisite
- Successful completion of BIOL B32 or equivalent with a grade of C or better. AND Successful completion of BIOL B33 or equivalent with a grade of C or better. AND Successful completion of PHTA B50 or equivalent with a grade of C or better.
This course includes instruction and laboratory practice for the PTA student in the study of biomechanical principles of human movement as it relates to physical therapy practice. It will explore the laws of physics and motion along with biomechanical forces placed on the body. Specific kinesiological topics will include musculoskeletal origins and insertions along with nerve innervation and muscle actions. Laboratory time will be utilized for instruction and practice of palpation of the musculoskeletal system, goniometry, manual muscle testing, and observation of posture, gait and functional mobility with an introduction to the clinical manifestations of abnormal muscle function.
PHTA B52 Physical Agents/Modalities for the PTA
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 36 lecture hours, 54 lab hours
- Prerequisite
- Successful completion of PHTA B50 or equivalent with a grade of C or better. AND Successful completion of BIOL B32 or equivalent with a grade of C or better. AND Successful completion of BIOL B33 or equivalent with a grade of C or better.
This course includes instruction and laboratory practice for the PTA student of the fundamental principles, physiological effects and application techniques of physical agents, modalities and massage. Modalities that will be covered include the following: ultrasound, ice/heat, electrotherapy, laser light therapy, biofeedback, soft tissue mobilization/massage, manual/mechanical traction, diathermy and hydrotherapy. Basic wound care with dressing changes along with ace wrapping for edema and blood pressure changes will also be addressed. Universal precautions and infection control will be presented with each use of modality. Student will have lab time for practice of equipment and techniques, along with proper PTA/patient communication skills.
PHTA B60 Orthopedics for the PTA
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 36 lecture hours, 54 lab hours
- Prerequisite
- Successful completion of PHTA B51 or equivalent with a grade of C or better. AND Successful completion of PHTA B52 or equivalent with a grade of C or better. AND Successful completion of PHTA B90A, or equivalent with a grade of P.
This course includes instruction and laboratory practice of kinesiology principles as they pertain to specific orthopedic diagnosis in multiple clinical settings for the PTA student. It will focus on the process of safe, legal and ethical use of appropriate manual and therapeutic exercise treatments within the scope of the PTA practice. Clinical thinking skills will be developed so the student is proficient in monitoring and interpreting physiological responses for orthopedic conditions, as well as determining precautions, indications and contraindications for orthopedic conditions in multiple stages of the rehabilitation process from the surgical to outpatient setting. Laboratory time will be utilized for safe practice and application of the above principles.
PHTA B61 Pathophysiology for the PTA
- Units
- 2
- Hours
- 36 lecture hours
- Prerequisite
- Successful completion of PHTA B51 or equivalent with a grade of C or better. AND Successful completion of PHTA B52 or equivalent with a grade of C or better. AND Successful completion of PHTA B90A or equivalent with a grade of P.
This course will present common pathological conditions as they pertain to the PTA including immunology, neurological, circulatory, respiratory, gastrointestinal and genitourinary systems. It will cover tissue injury and inflammation/healing response. Abnormalities of structure and function will be discussed as well as signs, symptoms, and complications of disease processes of the body along with common red flag items and the impact they have on decision making regarding the PTA’s treatment session.
PHTA B62 Acute Care/Inpatient Interventions for the PTA
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 36 lecture hours, 54 lab hours
- Prerequisite
- Successful completion of PHTA B50 or equivalent with a grade of C or better. AND Successful completion of PHTA B51 or equivalent with a grade of C or better. AND Successful completion of PHTA B52 or equivalent with a grade of C or better. AND Successful completion of PHTA B90A or equivalent with a grade of P.
This lecture/lab course is designed to provide instruction and training in patient management from the acute care to a rehab setting including ICU and early mobilization. Course content includes instruction on common diagnosis in this setting as it applies to the physical therapist assistant. Basic documentation skills will be covered including introduction to the ABCDEFG Bundle mobility documentation in the ICU along with instruction on chart review, precautions and interpretation of vitals, lab values and diagnostics for safe, appropriate functional mobilization. It will address infection control, isolation precautions, common red flags, assessment of vitals and response to pain. Lab time will be utilized for demonstration and practice of basic treatment techniques and monitoring for the low to high level patient with safe progression of treatments. It will also include training/assessment in bed mobility, transfers, gait and equipment management. Interdisciplinary communication between the healthcare team along with the PT-PTA relationship will be emphasized.
PHTA B63 Administration/Laws/Regulations for the PTA
- Units
- 2
- Hours
- 36 lecture hours
- Prerequisite
- Successful completion of PHTA B51 or equivalent with a grade of C or better. AND Successful completion of PHTA B52 or equivalent with a grade of C or better.
This course will cover the role of the physical therapist assistant and issues facing the profession in the nation and local health care environment. California laws and regulations, ethics, values, patient advocacy, personal/career development, reimbursement, documentation, quality assurance, productivity, leadership, and life-long learning will be addressed throughout the course. Students will review concepts of clinical preparation and be able to identify their strengths and weaknesses as it pertains to their progression of skill attainment and professional growth.
PHTA B64 Clinical Education I for the PTA
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 162 lab hours
- Prerequisite
- Successful completion of PHTA B60 or equivalent with a grade of C or better. AND Successful completion of PHTA B61 or equivalent with a grade of C or better. AND Successful completion of PHTA B62 or equivalent with a grade of C or better. AND Successful completion of PHTA B63 or equivalent with a grade of C or better. AND PHTA B90B (PTA PTA Skills Lab Intermediate): Successful completion of PHTA B90A or equivalent with a grade of P.
This course will include a supervised clinical affiliation provided by a PT or PTA clinical instructor. The student will observe/participate in PT/PTA treatment sessions with supervision from their clinical instructor. The emphasis of this first clinical experience will be to develop professional behaviors, interpersonal skills, practice data collection, modalities application, patient handling skills including transfers and patient positioning, patient instruction and goniometric measurement of range of motion and manual muscle testing as well as documentation of all these services. Students will be able to observe and practice skills learned thus far in the PTA program with supervision and assistance from their clinical instructor. Clinical sites will determine skills practiced. This clinical rotation requires clinical instruction for 40 hours per week for 4 weeks at an off-campus clinical site.
PHTA B70 Neurorehabilitation for the PTA
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 36 lecture hours, 54 lab hours
- Prerequisite
- Successful completion of PHTA B63 or equivalent with a grade of C or better. AND Successful completion of PHTA B64 or equivalent with a grade of C or better. AND Successful completion of PHTA B60 or equivalent with a grade of C or better. AND Successful completion of PHTA B61 or equivalent with a grade of C or better. AND Successful completion of PHTA B62 or equivalent with a grade of C or better. AND Successful completion of PHTA B90B or equivalent with a grade of P.
This course will cover principles of treatment as they relate to neurological diagnoses. Treatment techniques include neurodevelopmental treatment (NDT), Neuro-IFRAH (Neuro-Integrative Functional Rehabilitation and Habilitation) and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) along with application of various other techniques in the treatment of the following; cerebral vascular accident (CVA), traumatic brain injury (TBI), spinal cord injuries, pediatric neurological diagnosis, amputations, central and peripheral nervous and autonomic disorders. Normal neurological development along with delay in development will be discussed. Critical thinking in physiological responses to treatment progression of functional mobility will be addressed along with appropriate patient communication for the neurological patient. Emphasis on safety and appropriate progression of rehab techniques from ICU to outpatient will be discussed and practiced.
PHTA B71 Cardiopulmonary Rehab for the PTA
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 36 lecture hours, 54 lab hours
- Prerequisite
- Successful completion of PHTA B60 or equivalent with a grade of C or better. AND Successful completion of PHTA B61 or equivalent with a grade of C or better. AND Successful completion of PHTA B62 or equivalent with a grade of C or better. AND Successful completion of PHTA B63 or equivalent with a grade of C or better. AND Successful completion of PHTA B64 or equivalent with a grade of C or better. AND Successful completion of PHTA B90B or equivalent with a grade of P.
This course will examine cardiopulmonary physiology as it relates to various issues of aging, environment, and pathological disease processes. Common cardiovascular/pulmonary disease pathways covered throughout the course include but are not limited to heart disease, congestive heart failure, A-fib arrhythmias, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and lung cancer. Normal and abnormal responses to cardiopulmonary fitness as well as rehabilitation techniques to address these issues will be shown. Normal ranges for labs and vitals along with critical values will be reviewed with an application to treatment sessions in the intensive care unit/hospital, rehab, and outpatient setting including cardiopulmonary rehab.
PHTA B72 Therapeutic Exercise for the PTA
- Units
- 4
- Hours
- 36 lecture hours, 108 lab hours
- Prerequisite
- Successful completion of PHTA B60 or equivalent with C or better. AND Successful completion of PHTA B61 or equivalent with C or better. AND Successful completion of PHTA B62 or equivalent with C or better. AND Successful completion of PHTA B63 equivalent with C or better, AND Successful completion of PHTA B64 or equivalent with C or better. AND Successful completion PHTA B90B or equivalent with a grade of P.
This course will build on concepts learned in previous courses as they relate to developing knowledge and skills in treating various conditions across the lifespan utilizing therapeutic principles for preventative and wellness as well as pathological conditions. Integration, modification and progression of concepts taught in previous PTA courses will be emphasized in order to perform physical therapy interventions with patients with multiple system conditions. It will include review of integrated principles and application of therapeutic exercises with application to functional activities. Specific areas of learning will focus on various body systems and include upper extremity/lower extremity therapeutic exercise, motor learning, balance, aquatics, proprioception, and spinal stabilization with emphasis placed on sequence and modification of exercises. Red flags, normal/abnormal physiological responses to exercise will be reviewed along with review of various assessments to determine the effectiveness of the physical therapy intervention as set forth by the supervising physical therapist.
PHTA B80 Clinical Education II for the PTA
- Units
- 5
- Hours
- 270 lab hours
- Prerequisite
- Successful completion of PHTA B70 or equivalent with C or better. AND Successful completion of PHTA B71 or equivalent with C or better. AND Successful completion of PHTA B72 or equivalent with C or better. AND Successful completion of PHTA B90C or equivalent with a grade of P.
This course will include a full-time 6 weeks 40 hrs./ week clinical affiliation provided by a PT or PTA clinical instructor. The student will observe/participate in PT/PTA treatment sessions with supervision from their clinical instructor. Students will apply knowledge and skills learned from the PTA academic program and previous clinical education I rotation. Focus on the second clinical rotation is practicing and improving interpersonal communication, relationships, and professionalism. Students will now be expected to perform more independently with less assistance from the clinical instructor as they have finished the didactic portion of the curriculum. As the student progresses through this clinical rotation they should be making satisfactory progress toward competent and safe entry-level PTA skills. Clinical sites will determine skills practiced. Clinical Instructor supervision should now be at an intermediate level as determined by the clinical instructor and coordinated by the ACCE.
PHTA B81 Clinical Education III for the PTA
- Units
- 6
- Hours
- 324 lab hours
- Prerequisite
- Successful completion of PHTA B70 or equivalent with C or better. AND Successful completion of PHTA B71 or equivalent with C or better. AND Successful completion of PHTA B72 or equivalent with C or better. AND Successful completion of PHTA B90C or equivalent with a grade of P.
This course will include a full time 7 weeks 40 hrs./ week clinical affiliation provided by a PT or PTA clinical instructor. The student will observe/participate in PT/PTA treatment sessions with supervision from their clinical instructor. Students will demonstrate knowledge and skills learned from the PTA academic program and previous clinical education I and II rotations. The student will have an opportunity to progress skills learned from previous clinical rotations to an entry-level skill set for the PTA. Students will now be expected to demonstrate safe, competent entry level PTA skills in preparation for graduation from the program. Clinical Instructor supervision should now be at entry-level as determined by the clinical instructor and coordinated by the ACCE.
PHTA B82 Professional Development for the PTA
- Units
- 1
- Hours
- 18 lecture hours
- Prerequisite
- Successful completion of PHTA B80 or equivalent with a grade of C or better. AND Successful completion of PHTA B81 or equivalent with a grade of C or better.
This course will review the various systems and management of interventions learned throughout the PTA program in preparation for NPTE exam for licensure. The students will review how to apply and prepare for the state PTA licensure exam including CA law and regulations exam.
PHTA B90A PTA Skills Lab Beginner
- Units
- 1
- Hours
- 54 lab hours
- Prerequisite
- Successful completion of BIOL B32 or equivalent with a grade of C or better. AND BIOL B33 (Human Anatomy and Physiology II): Successful completion of BIOL33 or equivalent with a grade of C or better. AND Successful completion of PHTA B50 or equivalent with a grade of C or better.
An on-campus laboratory designed for self-paced practice and mastery of PTA skills necessary for providing safe client care throughout the program. This beginning course builds upon content from the 1st semester of core class of the physical therapist assistant program and provides instructional guidance to assist students in refining newly acquired skills and to develop the expected competencies for beginning students. This is the first class in a series of 3 PTA Skills Lab Classes with the other 2 to include PHTA B90B PTA Skills Lab Intermediate and PHTA B90C PTA Skills Lab Advanced. Note: open entry/open exit.
PHTA B90B PTA Skills Lab Intermediate
- Units
- 1
- Hours
- 54 lab hours
- Prerequisite
- Successful completion of PHTA B90A or equivalent with a grade of P. AND Successful completion of PHTA B51 or equivalent with a grade of C or better. AND Successful completion of PHTA B52 or equivalent with a grade of C or better.
An on-campus laboratory designed for self-paced practice and mastery of PTA skills necessary for providing safe client care throughout the program. This intermediate course builds upon content learned from the 1st semester of the technical program and allows for skill practice taught in the 2nd semester of the technical portion of the physical therapist assistant program and provides instructional guidance to assist students in refining newly acquired skills and to develop the expected competencies for intermediate students. This is the second class in a series of 3 PTA Skills Lab Classes with the other 2 to include PHTA B90A PTA Skills Lab Beginner and PHTA B90C PTA Skills Lab Advanced. Note: Open entry/open exit.
PHTA B90C PTA Skills Lab Advanced
- Units
- 1
- Hours
- 54 lab hours
- Prerequisite
- Successful completion of PHTA B60 or equivalent with a grade of C or better. AND Successful completion of PHTA B61 or equivalent with a grade of C or better. AND Successful completion of PHTA B62 or equivalent with a grade of C or better. AND Successful completion of PHTA B63 or equivalent with a grade ofC or better. AND Successful completion of PHTA B64 or equivalent with a grade of C or better. AND Successful completion of PHTA B90B or equivalent with a grade of P.
An on-campus laboratory designed for self-paced practice and mastery of PTA skills necessary for providing safe client care throughout the program. This advanced course builds upon content from the 1st & 2nd semesters of core technical coursework of the physical therapist assistant program and provides instructional guidance to assist students in refining newly acquired skills and to develop the expected competencies for advanced students to prepare them for their last clinical rotations. This is the last class in a series of 3 PTA Skills Lab Classes with the other 2 to include PHTA B90A PTA Skills Lab Beginner and PHTA B90B PTA Skills Lab Intermediate. Note: Open entry/open exit.