Animal and Health Science Programs’ Accomplishments

Johnson College is proud share accomplishments achieved in the past academic year by its Health and Animal Science programs.

The Physical Therapist Assistant program was granted accreditation affirmation for ten years from the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE).

The Veterinary Technology program’s 2020 graduates received a 100% pass rate on the Veterinary Technology National Exam (VTNE).  This score places the program’s three-year pass rate at 94%.

The Radiologic Technology program’s 2020 graduates received a pass rate of 95% on the American Registry of Radiologic Technologist Radiography Exam. Johnson College graduates surpassed the 2019 national pass rate average by 6%.  

“This past year our faculty and students faced many challenges, but they persevered by sharpening their skills to advance to new levels,” said Barb Byrne M.Ed., RT (R)(MR), Johnson College Associate Vice President of Faculty. “As these pass rate scores demonstrate, our graduates’ are well prepared as they enter the workforce of many of our region’s essential industries.”

Johnson College provides real-world, hands-on learning in a caring environment and prepares graduates to enter into or advance in their careers. Johnson College degrees become essential careers. Johnson College was founded in 1912, and is the region’s premier technical college, offering associate degrees in 15 programs and 3 academic certificates. An emphasis on hands-on instruction is supported by a low student-to-teacher ratio. Located in Scranton on a 44-acre campus, the College is an accredited, private, non-profit, co-educational institution with a strong tradition of working with regional business and industry to ensure a skilled and qualified workforce. For additional information on Johnson College, please call 1-800-2-WE-WORK, email enroll@johnson.edu, or visit Johnson.edu.

Johnson College Unveils New Physical Therapist Assistant Program

Johnson College is pleased to announce that recruitment has begun for its newest program. The Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) Technology Program will begin classes in fall 2013. The PTA Program is a full-time, 5-semester, day program that consists of general education courses, technical PTA specific courses, and three clinical education experiences.

The mission of the College’s PTA Program is to provide students with an enriching educational experience so they are prepared to be competent and caring physical therapist assistants who work under the direction or supervision of a physical therapist in a variety of settings, including acute care hospitals, impatient and outpatient rehabilitation facilities, outpatient clinics, skilled nursing facilities, and schools. PTAs help people of all ages who have medical or health related conditions that affect their mobility or ability to perform functional activities on a daily basis. The PTA’s duties can include assisting in instructing patients in exercises and activities of daily living, using special equipment (including physical modalities), collecting data on the patient’s progress, and documenting and reporting on the patient’s response.

Students/graduates will be committed to continuing education and lifelong learning and will adhere to the behavioral expectations outlined in the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Guide for Conduct and Standards of Ethical conduct for the PTA.

The Program is seeking accreditation from The Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), which is an accrediting agency that is nationally recognized by the US Department of Education (USDE) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). The program has submitted an Application for Candidacy which is the formal application required in the pre-accreditation stage. Submission of these documents does not assure that the program will be granted Candidate for Accreditation Status. Achievement of Candidate for Accreditation status id required prior to implementation of the professional/technical phase of the program; therefore, no students may be enrolled in professional/technical courses until Candidate for Accreditation status has been achieved. Further, though achievement of Candidate for Accreditation status signifies satisfactory progress toward accreditation, it does not assure that that the program will be granted accreditation.

PTA is the first program to be housed in the College’s new Health Science Technology Center. Through an academic and master planning process, the College determined that a new building dedicated to health science was needed in order to offer technology-based academic programs in emerging health science fields. With the aging of Northeastern Pennsylvania’s population and related healthcare needs, plus the impact of the new medical college in Scranton, employers will be seeking a larger pool of highly skilled personnel in health science fields.

Program Director Melissa Cencetti, DPT, PT, MS, states, “We are very excited about the introduction of the Physical Therapist Assistant Program at Johnson College. I think that with the changes in healthcare and the economy, we are going to see an increase in need for clinicians like PTA’s who are trained at particular skills that provide a service to the community. With only five semesters of post-secondary education, students can expect to find a decent paying job in most regions across the country.”

To find out more about Johnson College and its Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) Technology Program or to enroll in the Program, visit www.johnson.edu or call 1-800-2WE-WORK.


Johnson College’s Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) Technology Program will begin classes in fall 2013.
Left to Right: Dominick Carachilo ’82, Vice President of Academic Affairs; Melissa Ide, Vice President of Enrollment Services; Melissa Cencetti, DPT, PT, MS, Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) Technology Program Director

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the Health Science Technology Center

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the Health Science Technology Center
Tuesday, March 26, 2013 (rain or shine)
4:00pm

RSVP HERE!

The College will host a Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce Business Card Exchange
in the new building following the Ribbon Cutting at 5:00pm!

Please join us for our Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the Health Science Technology Center on Tuesday, March 26, 2013(rain or shine). Ceremony will begin at 4:00pm and will conclude at approximately 4:30pm. The College will host a Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce Business Card Exchange in the new building following the Ribbon Cutting at 5:00pm.

Johnson College broke ground on the Health Science Technology Center project on September 20, 2011. Through an academic and master planning process, the College determined that a new building dedicated to health science was needed in order to offer technology-based academic programs in emerging health science fields. With the aging of Northeastern Pennsylvania’s population and related healthcare needs, plus the impact of the new medical college in Scranton, employers will be seeking a larger pool of highly skilled personnel in health science fields.

The first program to be housed in the new building is a Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) Program. PTAs assist a Physical Therapist in delivering therapies to the patient and help patients with exercises and other therapeutic treatments. The first class is planned to start in Fall 2013, pending all approvals from associated accrediting agencies.

To finance this new building as well as potential new degree programs, Johnson College is raising money through its first-ever Capital Campaign – the Next Century Campaign. The total goal is $4.5 million. To date, approximately 80% of the goal has been raised, which includes a $1.5 million Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program matching grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Thus far, the Health Science Technology Center is the largest project in the College’s history. Come celebrate this noteworthy achievement with us!

To learn more, contact Katie Pittelli, Vice President of Institutional Advancement, at 570-702-8925.