For the thousands of certified athletic trainers working throughout the U.S., Kent State offers them a unique opportunity to add physical therapist assistant (PTA) training and credentials to their clinical skill sets — no matter where they live.
Offered through Kent State’s College of Applied and Technical Studies (CATS), the PTA Associate of Applied Science accelerated degree program for athletic trainers is a hybrid model that makes it possible for students to continue working while taking online courses wherever they live, and at their own pace.
This accredited degree program can be completed in as little as 15 months and students only need to attend on-campus classes two weekends per semester (a total of six weekends). They can complete clinical rotations at sites close to them. The program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE).
Because the course is offered at Kent State Ashtabula, the university’s lower Regional Campus tuition rate makes this affordable — at a fraction of the cost of large residential universities and private colleges.
This program provides opportunities to learn from experienced and recognized faculty, which helps graduates become more versatile practitioners while improving their earning potential and professional marketability.
While hundreds of athletic trainers have graduated from this PTA transition program over the years, five individuals are sharing their experiences as testament to the benefits of this degree.
Heidi Watkins
Heidi Watkins works as a PTA for Christus Spohn Hospital in Corpus Christi, Texas, but was living in Fairbanks, Alaska, when she was a student in the program.
“I have always loved being a certified athletic trainer. Our skillset sets our profession apart from others and experience keeps us on the cutting edge of a variety of health topics, from concussion management to functional movement practices,” she shared. “As my career aspirations evolved and I was looking for new opportunities, I was fortunate to find the ATC to PTA, accelerated, accredited program at Kent State Ashtabula. …The program was advantageous as it allowed the flexibility to remain at home while completing my degree.
“I firmly believe the excellent education and training I received at Kent State took my 10 years of experience as a certified athletic trainer and elevated it. It allows me to work in a variety of settings (inpatient, outpatient and skilled nursing); be confident as a clinical instructor; and it provided me an opportunity to hone my wound care skills in the acute care setting.”
John Zemanek
John Zemanek graduated from the AT to PTA program in 2022 and now works as a PTA and ATC for ATI Physical Therapy in Illinois.
He explained that he became an ATC in 2000 and a clinical ATC in 2005, gaining years of experience in his field. Still, being an ATC in a clinic limited his ability to treat some patients because of insurance providers’ limitations.
“The PTA degree provided me more tools and opened up more avenues for me, allowing me to treat and impact a wider population of people and diagnoses,” he said. “Another benefit of PTA compared to ATC is job security in the outpatient physical therapy setting.”
Zemanek said he appreciated that the program offers a good balance of remote, in-person and hands-on application.
“Since it was a bridge program, Kent State took my completed college credits into account, which let me focus more on the classes I needed to complete this degree. The program’s set-up allowed me to continue to work to help provide for my family, which was an important factor in allowing me to return to school.
“All the instructors had years of experience in education and clinical practice. They were very knowledgeable and brought real-life application into their hands-on instruction, which I feel is very effective in the educational process. They were all committed to our success as future PTAs.”
Zemanek shared that he has only one regret: “I should have done it sooner.”
Taryn Fabian
While enrolled in the PTA program for athletic trainers, Taryn Fabian lived in Florida and just before she was scheduled to graduate in August 2020, the COVID pandemic changed life for everyone. Because of the flexibility of this program, however, she was able to complete her studies, work as an ATC, experience motherhood and help care for a seriously ill family member.
“I loved the flexibility of the program! Even being a newer mom at the time, I felt as though I could still juggle being a full-time employee without missing those early, irreplaceable days with my little one,” she said. “This program can be completed from anywhere. I flew direct from Tampa to Pittsburgh and rented a car for the two-hour drive to Ashtabula. It may seem like a lot but, for me, it was a chance to reset my mind and prepare for a weekend of learning and testing. And on the way back, it was a way to decompress before returning to work and mom life!”
Fabian said that a few months after graduating, she took her certification test and passed her first attempt. “I was prepared,” she said.
“Working in the field as an athletic trainer at the time was such a good experience. I was able to apply things I was learning in real time and help people in ways I may not have been able to otherwise. I grew to love each and every instructor. They are clearly experts in the field and their passion for the work is infectious. Their kindness and drive to help us succeed was paramount.
“Attaining a PTA agree in addition to AT gives me so many more opportunities to work in the field. It also instantly increased my earning potential. I could have stayed with the company I was working with and instantly begin earning $15K more annually, creating more comfortability for my family,” she continued. “…What I learned in the program gave me and my family just a bit more confidence so, with that alone, I would say the program was worth it and I would do it again over and over.”
Erin Faustick
She was six months pregnant with her first child, working full-time as an athletic trainer and, yet Erin Faustick had the foresight to know that enrolling in the ATC to PTA degree program was worth adding to her already full plate.
“I knew the fruits of my labor would be advantageous tenfold down the road if I endured it at the time,” she said. “I have never felt more cared for and invested in by my college professors than I did as a working (mother-to-be) in this program. The instructors treated us respectfully as working parents who were investing in a higher education opportunity to benefit their families and expand their careers. They accommodated our travel schedules with students coming in from all over the United States, as this was the only transition option for athletic trainers in the country.”
Faustick graduated from the AT-PTA program in 2014 and now works for University Hospitals Parma Medica Center as a senior PTA and AT. She noted that this program provided an avenue that allowed her to apply her AT skills, knowledge and professional experience in different rehabilitation settings and opened doors for enhancing her career.
“My husband was laid off three years ago, and because of the doors opened to me with this degree, I was able to pick up time offered to me in inpatient rehabilitation which financially helped our family stay afloat, in addition to my outpatient role,” she shared. “The versatility I gained as a clinician earned me the status of senior physical therapist assistant, which I credit to my time at Kent State Ashtabula and my thirst to obtain experience in every avenue of physical therapy/rehabilitation.
“This program came into my life at an opportune time, and I would not have the flexibility I have now as a clinician and a parent, if I did not have this opportunity with transitioning from an athletic trainer to a physical therapist assistant,” Faustick continued.
“Unlike a traditional program, Kent State Ashtabula’s program took our previous experience and education into consideration to maximize our time and resources. I am forever grateful to the staff at Kent State Ashtabula. They listened to our concerns and did their best to accommodate our growing educational goals with our personal and professional lives.”
Adrianne Cole
While working as a graduate assistant athletic trainer at Kent State, Adrianne Cole earned a master’s degree in sports management and recreational development in 2002. From there, her professional AT career allowed her to work in Division I college programs, professional athletics and high school sports.
It was the PTA transitional program at Kent State Ashtabula from which she graduated in 2013, however, that helped secure her place in the clinical/health care setting.
“I work for Summa Home Health as a physical therapist assistant. …The transition program actually saved my clinical job in outpatient therapy since, in Ohio, athletic trainers cannot treat Medicare patients,” Cole explained. “The program is very flexible with your work environment; the faculty are always available to address questions or concerns; and the lab environment is very educational and professional.
“Since then, I have worked in numerous clinical settings and have gained a great amount of experience in the physical therapy community. It has allowed me flexibility in my work life and now I work as a full-time PTA for a home health organization.”
To apply, or to learn more about the program, visit www.kent.edu/ashtabula/atc-pta.