Physical therapy assistant

This 1.5-year program offers an intensive and practice-oriented program that will give you the skills and knowledge you need to start working as a Physical Therapy Assistant. The balanced combination of theory classes at SOMT and work in practice is ideal.

Upon completion of the program, you will not only be an independent professional, but you will be excellently prepared to support physical therapists in both the care process and practice management.

You will learn to work with various target populations, including the elderly, chronically ill and athletes. In addition, you will have an active role in daily practice management and contribute to making care processes run smoothly and efficiently.

Training in Brief

Name: physical therapy assistant
Target group: completed mbo diploma with affinity for sports or completed sport & exercise course with affinity for physical therapy
Duration: 1.5 years
Variant: full-time
Location: in practice and at SOMT (Amersfoort)

For whom.

You have a completed mbo education with an affinity for sports or you have a completed sports & exercise education and an affinity for physical therapy.
You motivate clients to exercise.
You have no objection to physical contact, such as walking support.
You enjoy working together in a team.

The physical therapy assistant always puts the client first! Each client is unique to you and can count on your care and attention. This person-centered care makes the stay in a therapeutic environment pleasant and welcoming.

What will you do after college?

After completing your studies, you can work in the professional roles listed below.

Professional role: professional (acting professionally)

Physical therapy assistants are employed to promote the health of clients, they do so independently and provide support to physical therapists and other health care providers. In doing so, the physical therapy assistant acts according to professional and ethical standards in work such as adhering to privacy guidelines, ensuring confidentiality of data and complying with laws and regulations in non-patient-oriented functions such as administration or project management.

Professional role: communicator

The physical therapy assistant works as an effective communicator who communicates clearly and professionally with other stakeholders, such as colleagues, supervisors, clients, vendors and external partners. The physical therapy assistant communicates clearly and consistently, both orally and in writing, when preparing reports, giving presentations and coordinating projects or activities related to physical therapy practice.

Professional role: collaborative partner

As a collaborative partner, physical therapy assistants work effectively with other healthcare professionals to provide safe, high-quality, client-centered care, to ensure smooth implementation of programs or projects proper alignment within teams. Collaboration requires relationships based on trust, respect and shared decision-making between diverse individuals with complementary skills. Collaboration skills are broadly applicable to activities outside of direct care delivery, such as administration, education, advocacy and knowledge transfer.

Professional role: knowledge and science (innovative professional)

As an innovative professional, the physical therapy assistant continues to continuously develop professionally and contributes to knowledge transfer and innovation within the practice. This by continuously learning, sharing knowledge with others, critically evaluating information sources and contributing to knowledge development.

Professional role: health promoter (social action)

As a health advocate, the physical therapy assistant contributes with his/her expertise and influence to work with communities or specific populations to maintain or improve the physical condition and functional health of clients. The physical therapy assistant works with the people he/she supports to identify and understand their needs, speaks on their behalf when needed, and helps organize resources to achieve change.

Professional role: organizer

The physical therapy assistant takes responsibility for organizing, coordinating and improving work processes within the physical therapy practice or organization. The physical therapy assistant manages logistical, administrative and organizational tasks, such as scheduling appointments, managing supplies and organizing training or other projects. This role may also include tasks such as managing (medical) equipment.

Professional role: reflective professional (professional action)

Physical therapy assistants promote health and wellness by supporting initiatives that contribute to prevention, health promotion and healthier lifestyles in a broad social context. They contribute to projects or programs aimed at promoting healthy lifestyles, for example by assisting in educational sessions or coordinating disease prevention and health promotion campaigns. In doing so, they constantly strive for personal and professional development. All this contributes to the quality of care and well-being of the community in which they work.

Training duration and structure

The program takes 1.5 years and consists of 90 ECTS, divided into 5 modules and a graduation track. You follow an intensive learning program in which theory and practice go hand in hand, so that upon completion you are fully prepared to start working as a physical therapy assistant.

With this program, you will be able to take an active role in collaborating with and supporting physical therapists in their work in healthcare, sports rehabilitation, practice management and more.

Each week includes one day of on-site instruction and requires 12 hours of self-study which you can schedule yourself. Daarnaast spend your 20 hours per week of internships and on-the-job learning, including completing assignments. This is referred to as ‘learning on the job’ or a Occupational Guided Learning (BBL). Je bent in employed by an employer and followt thereby lessons on SOMT. You do hands-on experience on the job on the job where you the theoretical knowledge from the lessons APPLICABLEt.

Your is supervised by both an on-the-job supervisor and teachers at SOMT with expertise in the field. This combination of working and learning sets your able to gain practical experience immediately, while your at the same time your diploma or qualification behaalt. Your are so during the training, partly also because of your prior education, are immediately employable in practice, which is also attractive to employers.

Weekly schedule

On Wednesdays you come to the training where you will work with your fellow students on theory sessions, coaching on the professional tasks and practice. You perform the professional tasks at your learning workplace. The self-study hours also include (online) coaching meetings and from the training.

Details

Study load: 32h (per week)
Contact hours: 8h (per week)
Credits year 1: 60 ETCS
Credits year 2 (half year): 30 ECTS
Language Dutch
Start of study: February 2025
Price List 2025-2026

Admission Requirements

You are eligible for admission to the program if:

You have a mbo-level 4 diploma such as Sports & Movement or C.I.O.S. But also if you are educated from adjacent sectors you can possibly participate. A personal interview with a teacher will follow in which we will get a picture of your previously acquired competences, ambitions and suitability for study.
You are employed at a relevant apprenticeship site for a minimum of 20 hours per week so that you can perform the professional tasks at the apprenticeship site. You can coach, guide and advise individuals and groups there, and you can perform the support tasks for a physical therapist. You may be supervised at your apprenticeship by a college-trained physical therapist.
You can participate in various organizational issues within the organization of the apprenticeship.

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