California Business And Professions Code Section 2655.9

(a) The board shall approve each physical therapist assistant education program that proves to the satisfaction of the board that it complies with criteria for approval of those programs set forth in this section and established by the board. These criteria may be based upon the standards and curriculum guidelines for a physical therapist assistant education program as promulgated by the American Physical Therapy Association or an essentially equivalent organization. (b) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, each applicant for approval as a physical therapist assistant shall be a graduate of an accredited postsecondary institution or institutions and shall have completed both the academic and clinical experience required by the physical therapist assistant program, and have been awarded the associate degree. (c) The curriculum shall consist of a combination of basic sciences, applied clinical sciences, and progressive application through clinical experience. The curriculum shall reflect education in the skills and judgment required of the physical therapist assistant in the contemporary performance of physical therapy through an organized sequence of integrated learning experiences. (1) The basic sciences shall include, at a minimum, human anatomy and physiology, physical or health sciences, and social or behavioral sciences. (2) The applied clinical sciences shall include neurology, normal and pathological kinesiology, normal and abnormal growth and development, gerontology, orthopedic disorders, and fundamentals of physical therapy including the economic, legal, and ethical aspects of practice. Clinical studies shall also provide laboratory experiences in simulated patient treatment including the observation, measurement, and reporting of a patient`s physiologic state and effectiveness of the treatment relative to the goals established by the physical therapist`s evaluation. (3) The clinical experience shall include physical therapy treatments of patients of varying ages, disabilities, and diseases. This experience shall occur in a variety of practice settings allowing for interaction with health care professionals. Clinical experience shall include daily written and verbal communication with the supervising physical therapist to report each patient`s treatment program relative to the treatment goals and to discuss adjustments in the treatment program and discharge plan.