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Man in a blue shirt and vest seated in a leather office chair.

Ben Lesser

Holocaust survivor Ben Lesser recently spoke with students at Penn State Hazleton about his experiences in several concentration camps, liberation and life in the United States.

Instructor applying medical equipment to arm of a student.

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The physical therapy assistant program has been offered for more than 30 years and has been accredited since 1983 by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE).

Student being photographed from above while sitting in front of desk with books and medical equipment.

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Once they complete the physical therapy assistant program, students have several options available. They can go on and get a four-year degree at Penn State Hazleton, at any other Penn State location, or at another university or college.

Physical therapy assistant students sitting at desks inside classroom with instructor teaching from front.

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Physical therapy assistant program faculty includes three full-time teaching professors, two part-time lab assistants, and a full-time lab supervisor. In the classrooms and labs, students learn and perform physical activities utilizing proper body mechanics and techniques, learn the safe and appropriate use of equipment, and are taught how to communicate effectively, using professional terminology both verbally and in writing.

Physical therapy assistant students testing medical equipment in classroom.

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When students complete the physical therapy assistant program, they are qualified to treat and interact with patients of all ages and in all kinds of situations — from infants, to high school and college athletes, to the elderly — whether they have just come out of surgery, or are recovering from a debilitating illness, or have sustained an injury at work or on the athletic fields

Physical therapy assistant instructor gesturing toward student seated at table with medical gear.

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Rose Petrilla, coordinator of the physical therapy assistant program and one of its three full-time instructors, emphasized the program’s longevity, the effectiveness it’s gained by going through many accreditation processes, and the resources and support that come from being part of a Big Ten university.