Course provides general orientation to health careers and the profession of physical therapy. Content includes professional ethics and conduct, legal issues, and role of the physical therapist assistant.
Course provides introduction to psychological and social aspects of the ill and disabled; verbal, nonverbal and therapeutic communication, special considerations in the care of geriatric patients and issues involved in working with the dying patient.
Course provides instruction in basic health skills used in physical therapy. Content includes anatomical and movement terminology; wound care and patient mobility training; skills and practice in body mechanics, patient positioning and transfers; gait training, first-aid skills, vital signs and medical asepsis.
Fee: $60
Course continues study of physical therapy skills. Content includes therapeutic heat and cold, massage and hydrotherapy.
Fee: $55
Course introduces therapeutic exercise as applied to physical therapy. Content includes principles of exercise activities, posture, kinesiology, basic assessment skills; focus is on application of exercise programs.
Fee: $30
Course covers instruction in basic research reading. Content includes skills needed to interpret physical therapy professional literature and basic research designs.
(Offered spring semester only) Course offers observation and beginning supervised clinical experience at a facility. Content includes lecture discussions of clinical experiences, practice in oral and written communications.
Fee: $50
(offered summer semester only) Course is a five-week clinical experience consisting of 40 hours a week in a clinical facility and weekly online homework, discussions and postings. Content includes opportunities for establishing and following individual patient treatments and programs, performing consecutive treatments; gaining insights into medical, departmental, and institutional functions and organization. On-line sessions include reinforcement of techniques and skills, communication skills and discussion of the PTA role.
Fee: $30
Course is the second unit of instruction in physical agents used in the treatment of physical dysfunction. Content includes the theory and application of traction and electrical currents used in assessment and treatment of patients.
Fee: $55
Course continues study of physical therapy skills. Content includes manual muscle testing, progressive resistive exercise, stretching and patient instruction. Focus is on physical therapy appropriate for orthopedic diseases and disorders that affect all age groups.
Fee: $30
Course introduces the neurology that forms the basis of neurological treatment approaches utilized by the PTA. Content focus is on brain and spinal anatomy, neurodevelopmental stages and motor learning. Major neurological rehabilitation treatment approaches introduced.
Course examines the clinical management of complex physical therapy patients. Focus is on the practical application of effective treatment strategies to a variety of diagnoses using a case-study problem based approach.
Course provides study of diseases and disorders most commonly seen in physical therapy practice.
Course covers implementation of treatment programs for patients with specific diseases and disabilities. Content includes techniques used for neurological disorders, amputees, prosthetics and orthotics, pediatrics, cardiopulmonary physical therapy.
Fee: $30
Course introduces pertinent issues of physical therapy work environment. Content includes work expectations; administrative and departmental organization; various types of clinical treatment pathways and progressions.
Course provides career overview for the PTA. Content includes exploration of career opportunities; professional development strategies; and employment requirements within the physical therapy delivery system.
Course continues supervised practical experience in a physical therapy department. Provides added opportunities to apply and improve physical therapy skills.
Fee: $20
Course is a six-week summer practicum, each week 40 hours. Work experience is continued, stressing comprehensive performance. Content of lectures specifically relates to preparation for the licensing exam. Includes both study strategies and comprehensive reviews.
Fee: $90
Course introduces knowledge of peripheral joint mobilization. Content includes theory and practice of peripheral joint mobilization, and associated soft tissue mobilization as suitable for the Physical Therapist Assistant. Focus of lecture and laboratory sessions is on anatomy, reasoning, and treatment techniques.
Course provides systematic review of PTA practice in preparation for the PTA licensing exam. An example computer-based licensing exam will be given at the end of the course.
Fee: $40
Course offered as an elective for students currently enrolled in Oakton’s PTA program or licensed PTAs who exhibit interest in a specialty area of physic al therapy practice. Topics covered each semester vary based on currency and perceived student need. Course may be repeated on different topics up to three times. Prerequisite may vary by topic.