“I’m now ready to embark on a new chapter of my career growth and pursue my DPT.” – Exercise Science student Yelitza Estrada
Harrisburg, PA – One of the newer programs at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology (HU) is the Exercise Science Physical Therapist Assistant Pathway – a program designed to increase the accessibility, affordability, and flexibility for Physical Therapist Assistants to earn a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science. Graduates of the Physical Therapist Assistant Pathway will also have the prerequisites for admission into the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program, currently in development* at HU.
The EXSC PTA Pathway program is built to accommodate learners from a variety of lived experiences, from virtually anywhere in the United States. The largely asynchronous schedule meets the needs of a diverse student population by utilizing a cost-effective approach combining distant, simulation, and experiential learning. Using advanced technologies and established best practices, students complete their courses primarily online and remote, except for a few onsite laboratory weekends. The first cohort of students visited campus this summer for their on-campus experiences on the weekends of July 20 and August 16.
“For students visiting our campus for the first time, it’s an exciting chance to get immersed in the collaborative opportunities, experiential technologies, and learning environments available on our campus,” said Lori Portzer, PhD, Program Lead for Exercise Science. “And for our HU staff and faculty, it’s exciting to meet these learners in person, hear their stories, and get a sense of their goals to positively impact not only their lives but also their communities with these new skills.”
“I’ve wanted to work in physical therapy since I was 16,” said John Hower, a Physical Therapist Assistant at the Orthopedic Institute of Pennsylvania at Hershey. “I sustained a quad contusion during high-school football and had to do physical therapy. I really admired what they were able to do for me. This program caught my eye because I want to be the first person in my family to get a bachelor’s degree. I like the flexibility [the program] offers because it allows me to keep working full-time as a PTA. I feel this program will help me fulfill career goals I’ve had since I was 16.”
Allen Robinson, a 20-year PTA, added: “PTA is my second career; I decided that I wanted a career where I could help people, because I enjoy helping others. My goal is to become a doctor of physical therapy, and this program will help me do it with a lot less debt than any other way.”
“Watching these students arrive at HU is a great sight to see,” added Luanne Hutchinson, Executive Director of Strategic Healthcare Initiatives. “They arrive energized and truly ready to learn. It’s encouraging and inspiring – and it really speaks to the value of the learner’s journey and experience that we’ve cultivated here at HU.”
That journey includes access to laboratory and research equipment that informs healthcare education today. The UPMC Health Sciences Tower at Harrisburg University comprises a wide variety of learning spaces and innovative, immersive technologies – including augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR).
Tonya Miller PT, DPT, PhD, Associate Professor Academic and Program Lead Doctor of Physical Therapy at HU, added: “It’s so exciting to see Physical Therapist Assistants in our Exercise Science program and to hear their future educational goals. Several students plan to enter the DPT program upon completion of the Exercise Science program. On more than one occasion, a student told me they never thought they would find a program that was flexible enough for them to complete their goal of becoming a Doctor of Physical Therapy. It is exciting to know that we are creating access to career advancement in our profession.”
ABOUT HARRISBURG UNIVERSITY
Harrisburg University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and is a private, nonprofit university offering bachelor’s and graduate degree programs in the fields of science, technology, and mathematics. For additional information about the University’s affordable, demand-driven undergraduate and graduate programs, please call 717.901.5146 or email Connect@HarrisburgU.edu. Stay updated by following Harrisburg University on X, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.
*Graduation from a physical therapist education program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education, 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; phone; 703-706-3245; accreditation@apta.org is necessary for eligibility to sit for the licensure examination, which is required in all states. Candidacy is considered to be an accredited status, as such the credits and degree earned from a program with Candidacy status are considered, by CAPTE, to be from an accredited program. Therefore, students in the charter (first) class should be eligible to take the licensure exam even if CAPTE withholds accreditation at the end of the candidacy period. That said, it is up to each state licensing agency, not CAPTE, to determine who is eligible for licensure. Information on licensing requirements should be directed to the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT; www.fsbpt.org) or specific state boards (a list of state boards and contact information is available on FSBPT’s website.Harrisburg University is seeking accreditation of a new physical therapist education program from CAPTE. The program is planning to submit an Application for Candidacy, which is the formal application required in the pre-accreditation stage, on November 1, 2024. Submission of this document does not assure that the program will be granted Candidate for Accreditation status. Achievement of Candidate for Accreditation status is required prior to implementation of the professional phase of the program; therefore, no students may be enrolled in professional courses until Candidate for Accreditation status has been achieved. Further, though achievement of Candidate for Accreditation status signifies satisfactory progress toward accreditation, it does not assure that the program will be granted accreditation.
