Pearl River Community College is setting a new standard in allied health education by embedding collaboration and real-world experience into every step of its Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) program. Through a unique partnership with the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program at William Carey University, students are immersed in a hands-on learning experience that models the physical therapist (PT) and PTA teamwork dynamic before they ever enter the field.
The innovative clinical skills education course has PRCC PTA students assist DPT students in conducting patient evaluations. PTA students serve as mock patients, learning about specific disabilities to create realistic clinical scenarios. After completing the evaluation, the DPT student sends their documentation to the PTA student, who then executes a treatment plan during clinical skills lab. On treatment day, students move through real-time clinical exercises, negotiating care plans with the same urgency and creativity they’ll need in hospitals and rehabilitation centers.
Fall 2025 brought an expansion of interdisciplinary efforts through collaboration with the Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program. Students from both programs are paired and provided with a patient evaluation. Together, they must determine the most effective treatment approach and present their plan to instructors from both disciplines.
“We believe that interdisciplinary collaboration between the PTA and OTA programs fosters a deeper understanding of holistic patient care,” said LaBriska Sylvester, Academic Coordinator of Clinical Education for the PRCC PTA program. “By working together, our students learn to appreciate the unique contributions each discipline brings to rehabilitation, ultimately preparing them to deliver more comprehensive and coordinated therapy services in real-world clinical settings.”
These collaborative experiences not only enhance clinical competence but also prepare students to thrive in real-world healthcare settings where teamwork is essential. The PRCC PTA program has implemented innovative approaches to learning, ensuring its graduates are confident, capable, and compassionate professionals.
Gabby Fantroy of Biloxi, a current PTA student, is a fan of the approach.
“I am so grateful for a course dedicated specifically to using scenario-based application of the skills we have learned thus far,” said Fantroy. “The clinical skills education course allows us to use what our professors call our personal toolbox of skills we have collected and can pull from to create a treatment plan.
“From our first day in the program, we were instructed about building our toolbox with various compartments and how we will continue to add to it not only throughout this program but throughout our physical therapy career. The clinical skills course allows us to get hands-on experience in utilizing our toolbox full of skills. Like me, many of my classmates are hands-on learners so this course allows us to shine in an interactive element.”
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