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Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019 • Page 8
School will launch physical therapist assistant program
Classes for the degree
will begin in May
By SETH ROWE
[email protected]
Herzing University in St. Louis Park
has added a physical therapist assistant
program to its offerings.
The school will offer an associate of
applied science degree relating to the
occupation. The program is designed to
prepare students for the National Physi-
cal Therapy Examination required for a
license in the profession, according to a
statement from the school.
The school is offering “inaugural
class scholarships” of up to $15,000 to
full-time students who enroll in time for
the program’s launch in May.
“We’re offering a (physical therapist
assistant) program in Minneapolis be-
cause we know there is a signifi cant
need across the region that isn’t slow-
ing down,” said Herzing-Minneapolis
Campus President Jason Morgan. “Stu-
dents will appreciate that the program
has direct admission with no wait list
and year-round study, allowing them to
graduate in as little as 20 months. It’s a
great opportunity for someone who is
looking to start a new career quickly.”
The career is one of the fastest grow-
ing occupations in the country, accord-
ing to representatives of the school. The
U.S. Department of Labor has project-
ed that employment for physical thera-
pist assistants in the state will increase.
According to CareerOneStop.org, a
site sponsored by the U.S. Department
of Labor, there were more than 1,500
people working as physical therapist
assistants in Minnesota in 2016. That
fi gure is projected to increase 19 percent
to 1,800 by 2026.
Nationally, the federal government
projected a 31 percent jump in that time
span, from more than 88,000 in 2016 to
nearly 116,000 in 2026.
Physical therapist assistants may help
develop treatment plans, document
treatment progress and modify treat-
ments based on patient status and ac-
cording to plans established by a physi-
cal therapist, according to the website
sponsored by the labor department. The
position generally requires formal train-
ing, and people starting their careers in
the fi eld usually have an associate’s de-
gree, the site states.
The median income for physical ther-
apist assistants in Minnesota is nearly
$54,000, according to a chart on the site.
“Well-trained (physical therapist as-
sistants) are a critical aspect of any
physical therapy program,” Dr. Henry
Lozano, director of rehabilitation at
Capitol View Transitional Care Center
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in St. Paul, said in a statement provided
by the university. “They execute the care
plan developed by the (physical thera-
pist) and work directly with patients to
help them achieve their goals.”
The assistants work on a team that
works with patients, according to the
school.
“They may assist in the treatment
of individuals who have health-related
conditions that limit their ability to per-
form functional activities,” the school’s
announcement explains. “(Physical
therapist assistants) typically teach,
coach and cheer on patients as they
work through their treatment plan, as
directed by the physical therapist.”
The private, nonprofi t school is lo-
cated at 435 Ford Road in St. Louis
Park. The campus is one of nine in seven
states.
For more information, call 612-360-
2484 or visit herzing.edu/minneapolis.
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