Physical Therapist Assistant - How to Get Started

Courses must be completed with a "C" grade or higher. Use our course equivalency tool to see if your courses from other colleges apply!

The courses below are required and must be completed by the end of the winter term, March 2024:

• MTH065 Beginning Algebra II or higher
• WR121Z English composition or bachelor's degree
  • WR121 course with "Z" at the end is equivalent to WR121. 
• PSY201 General Psychology 
• MO111 Medical Terminology 

The following courses must be completed within the last 10 years (completed between winter term 2014 and winter term 2024, March 2024):

• BI231 Human Anatomy and Physiology 1
• BI232 Human Anatomy and Physiology 2
• BI233 Human Anatomy and Physiology 3
  
  • Anatomy and Physiology 3 must be completed no later than end of spring term, June 2024

Apply for general admission to MHCC if you are new to MHCC or have not attended in the last four terms. Select AGS in Health Professions as your major. Please note it could take one to two business days to receive your MHCC ID number.  

Pay the $35 non-refundable application fee once you are ready to submit your application. You will need to upload your payment receipt with your application. 

Submit official transcripts for all required courses. If you’re finishing prerequisite courses in winter term, wait until grades are posted before requesting transcripts. Otherwise, complete this step as soon as possible.   

Transcripts must be issued directly by the institution from which the course was completed. Coursework showing as transferred from one institution to another is not accepted. Official electronic transcripts via secure electronic delivery service may be submitted to [email protected]. E-transcripts cannot be sent from the student to MHCC as they are not considered official. If submitting transcripts by mail, send to:

Mt. Hood Community College – PTA Application
Admissions, Registration and Records
26000 SE Stark St.
Gresham OR 97030

• MHCC transcript: Not required, already on file.
• Regionally Accredited Institutions: Required for prerequisite courses.
• Non-Regionally Accredited Institutions: Not accepted.
• Advanced Placement (AP), CLEP, DSST or International Baccalaureate (IB) Transcripts/Scores: Cannot be used for Human Anatomy and Physiology series. Must be issued directly from College Board, DSST or International Baccalaureate in a sealed envelope sent directly to MHCC. Find out more about credit alternatives.
• Foreign/Non-US Based Educational Transcripts: Required only if using to meet admission requirements and must first be evaluated by an outside credential service. For more information, visit the transfer to MHCC page. Evaluation processing for foreign transcripts could take up to six weeks. We recommend you start this process early! A foreign bachelor's degree does not fulfill the prerequisite requirements.

Submit your application from Nov. 1, 2023, through April 12, 2024. Please be sure to have your documents ready for uploading and transcripts available for entering your prerequisite courses. You must have all your documents ready. Once started, your application cannot be saved.

Apply Now

As your application gets reviewed, the status will be updated in the MyMHCC portal.

Application Timeline

Fall Term 2024 Entry

• September 2023: Application information available online.
• November 1, 2023: You may submit your application.
• April 12, 2024: Application deadline. All materials are due to MHCC. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered for admission.
• May 10, 2024: Applicants are notified of admission status.
• June 13, 2024: Required orientation for accepted students.
• Sept. 23, 2024: Fall term classes begin.

Dates are subject to change. Any changes to the processing timeline will be updated here.

MHCC PTA program will use an unbiased third-party lottery service to admit students for fall 2024.  All applicants that meet the admissions requirements will be assigned a number in no particular order. The total range will be put in the random number generator that will assign spots for admission, followed by the waitlist.

Applicants will be informed about admission to the program by May 10, 2024.

If you are offered a seat in the program, you will be required to complete the following to keep your position:

Attend the required orientation on June 13 (a specific time will be in your acceptance letter). At orientation, you will:

• Receive registration information for the fall term.
• Learn about the required health and safety documents, criminal background check, and drug screen. These must be completed and turned in by the assigned due dates.
• Meet with your instructors and classmates!

For program costs, see the PTA program financial fact sheet.

Learn about paying for college

Mt. Hood Community College (MHCC) reserves the right to modify the criteria and the process for selection.  

Admission to the college does not guarantee admission to the PTA program. Admission of all students to the program is centralized in the admissions, registration, and records office. This office has the final authority on what constitutes equivalency for all admission criteria and the sole authority to inform students of their admission status.  

If you have questions regarding admission requirements and procedures, please email [email protected]. 

Reasons for Admission Disqualification: Withholding information or providing materially misleading or giving untruthful answers to questions on the program application or during the application process could be cause for non‐acceptance or dismissal from the program. If you were admitted and then failed a required course or were dismissed from the program or any other health-related program, you may be denied admission into the program. 

Individuals with a criminal record may not be allowed into a healthcare facility as a student. Because it is impossible to meet the program's objectives without clinical experience, anyone with a positive criminal or abuse history may not be eligible for acceptance in the physical therapist assistant program. In addition, the Physical Therapist Licensing Board requires a criminal background check upon applying for licensure. If you have a positive criminal background, it is suggested you speak with the dean of health professions before applying to the program. 

Previous Admission: If you were previously accepted into the program and then declined acceptance or withdrew, you may not be given priority consideration in subsequent applications. You will need to re‐apply to the program and will be required to meet the current program admission requirements and program standards. Materials cannot be brought forward from previous applications for a current application. Updated official transcripts are required if new courses have been taken.