RCGC Physical Therapist Assistant Program Earns Accreditation

Rowan College at Gloucester County (RCGC) earned five-year accreditation status on May 2 to become the only Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) program in South Jersey, a coup that answers a need for area employers and offers students a career with a competitive salary. One of four colleges in the state to offer the PTA program, RCGC joins Essex, Mercer and Union Community Colleges and is the only institution to service all of the counties in Southern New Jersey.

“This is an exciting opportunity for our college students who are interested in a career in the physical therapy profession but do not want to earn a doctoral degree, which is now a requirement to become a physical therapist in New Jersey,” stated RCGC President Frederick Keating. “The College’s PTA program uses a combination of in-classroom instruction and hands-on, clinical experience to prepare students to successfully pass the National Physical Therapy Examination for Physical Therapist Assistants. While many traditional programs throughout the country require between 65 and 75 credits to graduate, RCGC’s streamlined program enables students to graduate with 60 credits — saving both time and money.”

RCGC received full accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) after being granted Candidate for Accreditation status in 2016. CAPTE accredits physical therapy education programs to assure quality — both that the quality of the course work is high and that the schools produce people qualified to serve the public. In order to take the licensure exam, students must have graduated from a CAPTE-accredited program.

“We are grateful to the Board of Trustees, administration, staff and students for their support during the development and approval process of the PTA program,” stated Dr. Susan Hall, dean of Nursing and Allied Health. “The PTA program is a great addition to all of the quality programs within RCGC’s Division of Nursing and Allied Health. We look forward to meeting the needs of the community by developing partnerships and assisting those students who will enter the workforce with a solid educational foundation.”

PTAs work under the direction and supervision of a licensed physical therapist to help patients of all ages with movement difficulties due to injury or illness. They assist in implementing therapies designed to improve mobility, relieve pain, prevent or limit permanent physical disability and promote overall fitness and wellness. PTAs work within a wide-range of settings, including hospitals, out-patient facilities, private practices, nursing homes and assisted-living facilities, and the number of available positions is only expected to grow. The Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates a 40-percent increase in the number of PTA jobs available nationally (by 2024), as demand is predicted to increase in response to the health-care needs of an aging population and individuals with chronic conditions.

According to Dr. LaVonne Couch, PTA program director at RCGC, employers are already heavily recruiting the College’s four May graduates who represent Gloucester, Burlington, Camden and Salem Counties, and have expressed an interest in future candidates. Good news for PTA grads since compensation is quite competitive, especially in New Jersey.

“With a two-year Physical Therapist Assistant degree, you can start out making between $45,000 and $55,000 a year in New Jersey,” said Couch. “And that is as a new graduate. As you increase in your experience, the salary can go as high as $70,000 a year. This program offers the opportunity to make a very good living, especially with a two-year degree.”

PTA graduate Yuliya Belikova, of West Deptford, is scheduled to take her licensure exam on July 10. A friend’s story of recovery — from being bed bound to becoming completely independent with the help of a physical therapist — inspired her to pursue a career in the field. Belikova, originally from Tyumen, Russia said, “As soon as I learned about the new PTA program at RCGC, I knew that it was exactly what I was looking for.”

Hardy Herrera, of Atlantic City, is a second-year student in the College’s PTA program. Taking advantage of the only PTA program in South Jersey, his goal is to work in an outpatient/sports rehabilitation setting.

“I have worked as a physical therapy aide for a number of years and in doing so, I have witnessed firsthand how physical therapists and physical therapist assistants can really improve a person’s quality of life. This, in my opinion, is what makes the job very rewarding,” said Herrera. “The program at RCGC is great. The staff, which includes Dr. Couch, Dr. Lewis, Ms. Doyle and adjunct professors, have been very helpful in our progression through the program. In addition, the classrooms are equipped with brand new equipment and the tools that we need.”

“The local education, rehab and medical communities have been extremely supportive of our program, initially allowing potential applicants to experience physical therapy through observation and following up that commitment by forming partnerships with the College to host students during structured clinical experiences,” said Couch, who has been a physical therapist for 22 years. “This has truly been an extended community effort.”

As a current massage therapist, recent grad Sasha Strain’s career choices have been driven by the fact that she wants to help people feel better and be able to do more. It was the main thrust behind her desire to become a PTA.

“So now, I have come to the end of my journey as a student at RCGC, part of the first PTA graduating class. It seems impossible. It seems incredible. It seems as though I’ve made the best decision of my life.”

The PTA program at RCGC is a selective-admissions program and students are required to attend a mandatory information session as part of the application process. Information sessions are scheduled for June 14, July 25, Aug. 15 and Sept. 26. To find out more about the program, visit RCGC.com/Nursing, email future@rcgc.edu or watch an interview with Dr. Couch on the May episode of RCGC Today at RCGC.edu/Today.

Rowan College at Gloucester County’s 250-acre campus is located on Tanyard Road in Deptford, just off Exit 56 of Route 55.

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Photos:

Hardy Herrera of Atlantic City, a second-year student in RCGC’s Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) program, plans to work in an outpatient /sports rehabilitation setting after completing his studies. The College’s new PTA program is the only accredited program available to students in the South Jersey area.

Rowan College at Gloucester County Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) students (left to right); Kavita Patel, Sasha Strain, Yuliya Belikova and Donna Zamost are the first class to graduate from the College’s program. The four May graduates, hailing from Gloucester, Burlington, Camden and Salem Counties, are already being recruited by potential employers, according to Dr. LaVonne Couch, PTA director at RCGC.