Physical Therapy/Sports Medicine

Health Care is projected to be one of the fastest-growing sectors in the U.S. economy over the next decade, and physical therapy in particular projects growth in excess of 40% in the state of Virginia alone.

The Career Center’s Physical Therapy / Sports Medicine Technology Program prepares students for multiple jobs within the robust field of health care, and puts them ahead of their peers in applying to post-secondary programs.

This course includes college-level material coupled-with hands-on experience. Just a few of the topics covered are sports injury evaluations, cardiovascular stress testing, body fat composition analysis and the design of rehabilitation therapy programs. The Career Center’s hands-on lab is fully equipped and rivals those of some colleges.

American Heart Association Healthcare Provider CPR/AED & First Aid certifications and are offered to all students, and the curriculum is enriched with outside speakers, visits to area medical facilities and internship opportunities (see our partners on the right).

Whether you want to acquire practical skills you can use throughout your life, or embark on a career in the booming field of health care, the Career Center’s Physical Therapy Program will help you achieve your goals.

Students completing this one-year, two-period program can receive/qualify for:

• SKILLS – this class uses the Virginia State Competency List for Physical & Occupational Therapy (HMS8385).
• CREDIT – successful completion of this course earns students two high schools credits (one for laboratory science and one for fine/practical arts). In addition, students can receive a third high school credit if they work at least 105 hours in a program-related internship.
• CERTIFICATION – all students in the class are given both the American Heart Association Healthcare Provider CPR/AED & First Aid certification tests as well as the Workplace Readiness Skills certification test.
• EXPERIENCE – students gain invaluable hands-on experience in the program’s fully-equipped physical therapy / sports medicine lab. Industry connections are made when outside professionals come to work with students, and when students visit area medical facilities. In addition, students have the option to work after school and on weekends in medical-related internships (see list below).

PROGRAM PARTNERS

• NVCC Medical Campus – Cadaver Lab
• INOVA Fairfax
• Marymount University Physical Therapy Department
• Marymount University Athletic Training Department
• Bodies In Motion physical therapy clinic
• Define Physical Therapy, Inc.
• Pivot Physical Therapy
• Yorktown, Washington-Liberty, and Wakefield High School Athletic Training Departments