Area student completes PTA program at Norfolk

NORFOLK, Neb. - Some 11 physical therapist assistant (PTA) students at Northeast Community College in Norfolk were honored recently at a special ceremony for completing their course of study.

Dr. Jill McNally, PT, Northeast PTA program director/instructor, welcomed the graduates and guests. Northeast President Dr. Michael Chipps offered comments of congratulations for completing the rigorous PTA program.

Justin McMahan, a double leg amputee and pre-professional nursing student at Northeast, was the featured speaker. "The only disability is a bad attitude" was the theme of his speech. McMahan assisted the PTA students in the prosthetics lab last year as they practiced prosthetics management interventions. He spoke at the request of the graduating students.

Honored graduates included:

Culbertson: Angela Walters. The daughter of John Walters of Culbertson and Aardel Walters, North Platte, she is a graduate of Hitchcock County High School in Trenton. She now lives in Omaha. According to the American Physical Therapy Association, a physical therapist assistant (PTA) is a professional health worker who works under the direction and supervision of a licensed physical therapist. Successful completion of the national PTA examination is required by law in all but a handful of states before beginning employment as a physical therapist assistant.