Physical Therapist Assistant Steering Committee
Chair: Jason Oliver, PTA
Jason received his Associate of Science in Physical Therapist Assisting in 1999 from Our Lady of the Lake College in Baton Rouge. He later earned his Bachelor of General Studies in 2003 from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. Jason has been a clinical instructor since entering the profession and has completed APTA's PTA Orthopaedic Advanced Proficiency Pathway. He has been an APTA and AOPT member since 1998 and has worked in the outpatient orthopaedic setting since 1999. He has previously served on the state level in the role of PTA Caucus Representative for a period of 5 years as well as AOPT's PTA EIG Chair. After 10 years of outpatient ortho with BRPT in Baton Rouge, Jason moved to Arnaudville LA in 2009 and has worked for MTSPTS in Breaux Bridge LA since. .
Purpose
The PTA Steering Committee will guide the inclusion of PTA members within the AOPT Strategic Framework and serve as an advisory body to the Board of Directors. It will consist of 3 committee members that will have a strategic framework that will guide efforts with PTA involvement through providing opportunities in the areas of:
- Membership promotion and retention through collaboration with membership committee.
- Education standards though collaboration with education committee and SIG involvement.
- Setting and promoting standards for PTA Utilization in Practice through collaboration with practice committee.
Vision
The PTA Steering committee will evolve and maintain the framework that enables PTA members to best capitalize on and contribute to the education, research and practice standards as set forth by AOPT.
APTA's Advanced Proficiency Pathway
Background
In March 2009, the APTA Board of Directors (Board) voted to establish a task force that includes physical therapist assistants, to determine appropriate post entry-level educational pathways in light of APTA positions, standards, guidelines, policies, and procedures, and other appropriate APTA documents, with an interim report to the June 2010 Board of Directors Meeting and a final report to the June 2011 Board of Directors Meeting. (B of D 03/2009, V -14). The Board appointed six members (three physical therapists and three physical therapist assistants to the Educational Pathways of the Physical Therapist Assistant Task Force (Task Force). The Task Force developed the Advanced Proficiency Pathway Program to fulfill this charge.
Purpose
The purposes of the APTA Advanced Proficiency Pathways (APP) Program for the Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) are to:
- Provide PTAs with clearly defined post-graduation educational curriculum that leads to advanced proficiency in a selected area of physical therapy (eg, geriatrics, pediatrics, wound management).
- Promote PTAs career development by providing a self-initiated curriculum completion process that strengthens the PT/PTA working relationship and encourages life-long learning.
- Assist physical therapists, employers, consumers, the health care community, and others in identifying PTAs with advanced knowledge and skill in a specified area of physical therapy.
Visit APTA's Advanced Proficiency Pathways website for more information to include:
- Prerequisite Requirements
- Program Requirements
- Program Fees
- Mentor Requirements