Physical Therapist Assistant
19 courses · San Diego Mesa College · 2026-2027 Catalog
Classes: Fall 2026 · Spring 2027
PHYR 210 Introduction to Physical Therapy
- Units
- 2
- Hours
- 32 - 36 hours lecture
This course provides general information regarding the field of physical therapy. The course focuses on the history, development, goals and current issues of the profession, an introduction to basic abbreviations and medical terminology and the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). General legal and ethical principles, as well as state laws, relating to the delivery of physical therapy services are examined. The relationship of physical therapy to the health care delivery system in the United States, the settings utilized in the delivery of therapy, and an exploration of the roles and functions of the workers in the field and their part on the healthcare team are explored. This course fosters the development of communication skills, interpersonal relationships, collaboration, and professionalism required for the health care field. The need of the health care worker to develop a therapeutic presence which includes sensitivity to diversity and cultural competency are also presented. This course is designed for students interested in profession of physical therapy and those applying to the Physical Therapist Assistant Program.
PHYR 215 Documentation Skills
- Units
- 1
- Hours
- 16 - 18 hours lecture
This course provides an introduction to physical therapy chart review in line with application of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) and review of patients’ medical and treatment documentation. Students learn the formats used in both paper and electronic medical record documentation. Emphasis is placed on accurate and timely documentation that is consistent with institutional, legal, billing requirements and insurance models involved in physical therapy services. This course is designed for students enrolled in the Physical Therapist Assistant program.
PHYR 220 Growth, Development, and Aging
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 48 - 54 hours lecture
This course will introduce physical therapist assistant (PTA) students to concepts and physical therapy principles applied to the development process from conception through aging. Topics will include normal and abnormal growth and development from conception, through adolescence, and adulthood. Emphasis will be placed on the developmental sequence, testing, and treatment principles in pediatrics, as well as aging changes that affect function in geriatric rehabilitation. Appropriate nutrition and wellness concepts across the lifespan will be considered.
PHYR 225 Acute Care Techniques
- Units
- 2
- Hours
- 32 - 36 hours lecture
- Corequisite
- PHYR 225L
This lecture course provides the future Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) with an exposure to the duties that relate to the PTA scope of practice with an emphasis on the acute and post-acute care settings. These duties include the principles of patient care management, safety within the facility, vital signs, patient positioning, basics of transfer and gait training with assistive devices for general orthopedic problems, wheelchair safety, basic wound care management to include universal precautions and infection control, and appropriate selection and progression of interventions based on physical therapist's plan of care. The course also fosters the development of communication skills, interpersonal relationships, and professionalism required for the health care field.
PHYR 225L Acute Care Techniques Lab
- Units
- 2
- Hours
- 96-108 hours lab
- Corequisite
- PHYR 225
This laboratory course provides the future Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) with an exposure to the duties related to the PTA scope of practice with an emphasis on the acute and post-acute care settings. These duties include the principles of patient care management, safety within the facility, vital signs, patient positioning, basics of transfer and gait training with assistive devices for general orthopedic problems, wheelchair safety, basic wound care management to include universal precautions and infection control, and appropriate selection and progression of interventions based on physical therapist's plan of care. The course also fosters the development of communication skills, interpersonal relationships, and professionalism required for the health care field.
PHYR 230 Introduction To Human Movement
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 32 - 36 hours lecture/48-54 hours lab
- Advisory
- BIOL 160 with a Grade of "C" or better, or equivalent
This lecture and lab course introduces the student Physical Therapist Assistant to the relationship between physical laws and the biomechanical principles of joint motion. The concepts of normal posture and human locomotion are contrasted with obvious posture and gait deviations. An understanding of kinesiology is applied to major joints in the body utilizing basic exercise applications for patients/clients with common orthopedic and neurologic conditions.
PHYR 240 Introduction to Pathology
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 48 - 54 hours lecture
This course focuses on the etiology and characteristics of diseases of the body's systems as they relate to physical therapy, and includes a consideration of the general principles of tissue injury, inflammation, and healing. The course is designed for students enrolled in the Physical Therapist Assistant Program with an emphasis on identification of red flags that may occur with various pathologies and impact treatment decisions.
PHYR 250 Introduction to Therapeutic Exercise
- Units
- 2
- Hours
- 16 - 18 hours lecture/48-54 hours lab
- Prerequisite
- PHYR 230 with a Grade of "C" or better, or equivalent
This lecture and lab course provides physical therapist assistant (PTA) students with the basic principles of therapeutic exercise and measurement techniques used in the field of physical therapy. Students will learn and practice the following skills: range of motion, goniometry, manual muscle testing, and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation. Basic upper and lower extremity exercises will be introduced.
PHYR 260 Topics in Neurology and Rehabilitation
- Units
- 2
- Hours
- 32 - 36 hours lecture
- Prerequisite
- PHYR 225 with a Grade of "C" or better, or equivalent and PHYR 225L with a Grade of "C" or better, or equivalent
- Corequisite
- PHYR 260L
This course provides physical therapist assistant (PTA) students with the principles of functional activities and rehabilitation procedures relating to the management of clients with neurological diagnoses. Topics include rehabilitation of cerebral vascular accidents, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, other neurological conditions, cardiopulmonary conditions, amputations, lymphedema, and pediatric conditions. The focus is on the safe, legal, ethical and appropriate use of rehabilitation procedures including physiological and therapeutic effects of treatment. The course also fosters the development of communication skills, interpersonal relationships, and professionalism required for the health care field.
PHYR 260L Topics in Neurology and Rehabilitation Lab
- Units
- 2
- Hours
- 96-108 hours lab
- Prerequisite
- PHYR 225 with a Grade of "C" or better, or equivalent and PHYR 225L with a Grade of "C" or better, or equivalent
- Corequisite
- PHYR 260
This course for physical therapist assistant (PTA) students deals with the clinical application of functional activities and rehabilitation procedures relating to the management of clients with neurological diagnoses. Topics include rehabilitation of cerebral vascular accidents, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, other neurological conditions, cardiopulmonary conditions, amputations, lymphedema, and pediatric conditions. The focus is on the safe, legal, ethical and appropriate use of rehabilitation procedures including physiological and therapeutic effects of treatment. The course also fosters the development of communication skills, interpersonal relationships, and professionalism required for the health care field.
PHYR 263 Patient Management
- Units
- 1
- Hours
- 48-54 hours lab
- Prerequisite
- PHYR 250 with a Grade of "C" or better, or equivalent
- Advisory
- PHYR 240 with a Grade of "C" or better, or equivalent and PHYR 260 with a Grade of "C" or better, or equivalent
This laboratory course provides physical therapist assistant (PTA) students with an opportunity to apply knowledge and skills from previous courses to actual patient scenarios. Students will review patient evaluations including plans of care and design appropriate beginning, intermediate, and advanced treatment plans. Emphasis will be placed on developing critical thinking and communication skills needed in a patient care environment.
PHYR 264 Therapeutic Modalities
- Units
- 1.5
- Hours
- 24 - 27 hours lecture
- Corequisite
- PHYR 264L
This lecture course introduces the student Physical Therapist Assistant to the fundamental principles, physiological effects, and application techniques in the use of biophysical agents. Biophysical agents include soft tissue mobilization, thermotherapy, cryotherapy, compression therapy, hydrotherapy, ultrasound, electrotherapy, biofeedback, light therapy, and manual/mechanical traction procedures. Emphasis will be placed on indications, contraindications, and safe application of the above techniques, as well as assessment of technique effectiveness. The course also fosters development of patient communication and appropriate documentation of modality treatments.
PHYR 264L Therapeutic Modalities Lab
- Units
- 1.5
- Hours
- 72-81 hours lab
- Corequisite
- PHYR 264
This lab course introduces the student Physical Therapist Assistant to the fundamental principles, physiological effects, and application techniques in the use of biophysical agents. Biophysical agents include soft tissue mobilization, thermotherapy, cryotherapy, compression therapy, hydrotherapy, ultrasound, electrotherapy, biofeedback, light therapy, and manual/mechanical traction procedures. Emphasis will be placed on indications, contraindications, and safe application of the above techniques, as well as assessment of technique effectiveness within the laboratory setting. The course also fosters development of patient communication and appropriate documentation of modality treatments.
PHYR 276 Orthopedic Exercise and Rehabilitation
- Units
- 3.5
- Hours
- 56 - 63 hours lecture
- Prerequisite
- PHYR 250 with a Grade of "C" or better, or equivalent
- Corequisite
- PHYR 276L
This lecture course provides the physical therapist assistant student with a kinesiology based approach to the clinical applications used in the treatment and rehabilitation of the patient/client with orthopedic and related diagnoses. The focus is on safe, legal, ethical, and appropriate use of manual and therapeutic exercise interventions and screening assessment procedures within the physical therapist assistant scope of practice. The course fosters the development of critical thinking skills needed in the consideration of indications, precautions, contraindications, along with physiological and therapeutic effects of various techniques as applied to various orthopedic and related diagnoses.
PHYR 276L Orthopedic Exercise and Rehabilitation-Lab
- Units
- 2
- Hours
- 96-108 hours lab
- Prerequisite
- PHYR 250 with a Grade of "C" or better, or equivalent
- Corequisite
- PHYR 276
This lab course provides the physical therapist assistant student with a kinesiology based approach to the clinical applications used in the treatment and rehabilitation of the patient/client with orthopedic and related diagnoses. The focus is on safe, legal, ethical and appropriate use of manual and therapeutic exercise interventions and screening assessment procedures within the physical therapist assistant scope of practice. Students will demonstrate the critical thinking skills needed in the application and modification of physical therapy interventions including indications, precautions, contraindications, and physiological and therapeutic effects of various techniques as applied to various orthopedic and related diagnoses. In addition, this course fosters the development of communication skills, interpersonal relationships, and professionalism required in the health care field.
PHYR 280 Organization of Physical Therapy
- Units
- 2
- Hours
- 32 - 36 hours lecture
This course provides physical therapist assistant (PTA) students with the fundamentals of ethics, values, and responsibilities in physical therapy as described by legal practice standards, including federal, state, and institutional regulations related to patient/client care and fiscal management. Topics include American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) guidelines for ethics and values, California Physical Therapy Practice Act and regulations, reporting requirements, insurance regulations, productivity, management, supervision, performance evaluations, professional liability insurance, career development, lifelong learning, and leadership skills. Students will assess their strengths and limitations as a PTA and their reactions to illness and disability with a diverse patient population.
PHYR 291 Directed Clinical Practice I
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 144-162 hours other
- Prerequisite
- PHYR 225 with a Grade of "C" or better, or equivalent and PHYR 225L with a Grade of "C" or better, or equivalent and PHYR 250 with a Grade of "C" or better, or equivalent
This course provides the Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) student a moderate to maximum supervised application of previously learned techniques and skills in the rehabilitation of patients in one selected clinical facility affiliated with the college. The focus is on intermediate level application in the safe, legal, ethical and effective use of physical therapy interventions. Emphasis is placed on intermediate level skills of professional communication and interpersonal relationships necessary for the healthcare field. Students are placed in either an inpatient or outpatient facility. Supervision of the student is at the intermediate level progressing to advanced intermediate, and is provided by the staff of the affiliating institution and is coordinated by the college faculty. This course is the first of three Directed Clinical Practice courses in the PTA program.
PHYR 295 Directed Clinical Practice II
- Units
- 5
- Hours
- 240-270 hours other
- Prerequisite
- PHYR 291 with a Grade of "C" or better, or equivalent
This course provides the Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) student a minimum to moderate supervised application of previously learned techniques and skills in the rehabilitation of patients in one selected clinical facility affiliated with the college. The focus is on advanced intermediate level application in the safe, legal, ethical and effective use of physical therapy interventions. Emphasis is placed on advanced intermediate level skills of professional communication and interpersonal relationships necessary for the healthcare field. Students are placed in either an inpatient or outpatient facility. Supervision of the student is at the advanced intermediate level progressing to entry-level, and is provided by the staff of the affiliating institution and is coordinated by the college faculty. This course is the second of three Directed Clinical Practice courses in the PTA program.
PHYR 298 Directed Clinical Practice III
- Units
- 5
- Hours
- 240-270 hours other
- Prerequisite
- PHYR 295 with a Grade of "C" or better, or equivalent
This course provides the Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) student a minimum to entry-level supervised application of previously learned techniques and skills in the rehabilitation of patients in one selected clinical facility affiliated with the college. The focus is on entry-level application in the safe, legal, ethical and effective use of physical therapy interventions. Emphasis is placed on entry-level skills of professional communication and interpersonal relationships necessary for the healthcare field. Students apply a higher level of critical thinking related to the implementation, modification and progression of physical therapy rehabilitation programs. Although under the supervision of a physical therapist, students are expected to apply their skills independently with minimal input from the clinical instructor. Students are placed in either an inpatient or outpatient facility. Supervision of the student is at the minimal level progressing to entry-level, and is provided by the staff of the affiliating institution and is coordinated by the college faculty. This course is the final of three Directed Clinical Practice courses in the PTA program.