Krannert School of Physical Therapy
Physical Therapist Assistant Program

Vision

The PTA program in the Krannert School of Physical Therapy at the University of Indianapolis will be recognized for training entry-level physical therapist assistants who reflect the Core Values of the American Physical Therapy Association.

Philosophy

Physical therapy is a profession based in a tradition of service to others. Our physical therapist assistant program reflects this tradition by responding to the needs of individual students, the community, and the profession itself. The program strives to model the humanistic values that we expect our graduates to display in their roles as physical therapist assistants.  Students enrolled in the program are challenged to think critically, develop problem solving skills, manage ambiguity, and develop an appreciation for professional literature and function as adult learners.  In addition, the program values technical competence, recognizing that this competence is necessary for the physical therapist assistant to act as a valuable extension of the practice of the supervising physical therapist.  The foundation for a lifelong contribution to the profession, we believe, is a curriculum and atmosphere that provides a judicious mixture of rigor, creativity and support.

Mission Statement

The central mission of the physical therapist assistant program is the preparation of physical therapist assistants who are engaged in leadership, compassionate care and service within their communities and are influential in the health and well being of persons across diverse populations. Our students and graduates will provide competent assistance to the physical therapist in a broad range of settings with high ethical and moral standings.  To achieve its mission, the graduates of the physical therapist assistant program at the Krannert School of Physical Therapy will:

Goals

1. Possess the knowledge of the general education foundation that emphasizes communication skills and basic science knowledge and makes the sciences relevant through application to clinical practice.

2. Demonstrate professional behavior and communication with interpersonal interactions in a variety of clinical settings.

3. Demonstrate an understanding of the plan of care developed by the physical therapist and who recognize the limits of their technical expertise in implementing the components of the plan of care.

4. Understanding of the role of the physical therapist and physical therapist assistant in the context of a larger health care system.

5. Will value life-long learning and professional development.

The Faculty in the Physical Therapist Assistant program at KSPT will:

Be diverse, clinically oriented, approachable faculty who meet the unique and diverse needs of both traditional and nontraditional students.

Revised and adopted by PTA Faculty, 2010