Allied Health Core Courses

This course is designed to give the student an overview of the Occupational and Physical Therapy professions.  The history and development of the professions, scope of practice, education, and roles of the health care personnel are discussed.  Also reviewed will be professional organizations, role delineations in practice, practice models, ethical standards, and state practice acts. 

Clinical disorders and diseases commonly treated by physical and occupational therapy are presented. Pathology, etiology, diagnosis, signs and symptoms, and prognosis will be discussed. This course is designed to give a background on clinical conditions the PTA and OTA student will encounter during clinical education experiences / fieldwork.  For students in the PTA and OTA programs, this is a first year, first semester course.

This course is designed to give the student a basic understanding of normal human body movement as related to skeletal, articular, neurological, and muscular systems.  Anatomical palpation and biomechanical principles with a focus on lever systems in the body are also included. This course follows the successful completion of Anatomy & Physiology I. For students in the PTA and OTA programs: this course is a first year, second semester course.

This course is a foundation course offered in the first semester of the first year. It provides the students with an introduction to patient care, foundational intervention, and an introductory understanding to the practice as an OTA and PTA. The course builds upon concepts presented in AHLT 104R Introduction to OT/PT and OCTA 110R Fundamentals of OT. This course provides an opportunity for both OTA and PTA students to begin integrating team collaboration

This combined occupational and physical therapy course introduces foundational concepts related to patient/practitioner interaction and safety.  Students will learn safe practices related to patient mobility, handling, and positioning; body mechanics, therapeutic relationships, effects of disability, management of daily living, and equipment needs.  Data collection and documentation will also be introduced.  An understanding of how utilization of these skills in a variety of clinical settings and from various cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds is addressed. These skills provide a strong foundation for future competence in treatment planning and implementation.
 

This interdisciplinary course is held in the first semester of the senior year and builds upon previously introduced concepts of professional roles, role delineation, supervision, ethics, billing, and professionalism. Students will explore aspects of organizational management including healthcare systems, organizational planning, reimbursement, budgeting, quality assurance, liability, the management process, and leadership styles as related to physical and occupational therapy practice. Personal management topics including job searching, salary negotiation, interviewing, and personal budgeting will be addressed in preparation for transition to the work environment.

This lecture-based course is offered in the second year, fall semester, and focuses on neuroanatomy and function of the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems. Clinical neuropathology of common deficits related to brain and spinal cord injury including cognitive, behavioral, visual, and physical impairments, introduction of motor control theory, motor learning, screening of the nervous system, and neurorehabilitation approaches to patient care are included.
This course draws upon concepts learned in AHLT 112R Clinical Conditions, AHLT 123R Clinical Kinesiology, AHLT135R Foundations of Rehabilitation, OCTA 214R Physical Function in Occupational Therapy, and PTAC115R Therapeutic Exercise, as these courses introduced typical and atypical conditions that affect the nervous system of the human body.