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K-State Today Student Edition

April 2, 2012

Interested in a career as a physical therapist or physical therapy assistant?

Submitted by Jennifer Lanzer

Wanda Peresic, physical therapy assistant program director at Concorde Career College, will give a presentation on physical therapy at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in Room 207 of the K-State Student Union.

Peresic will discuss the differences between physical therapists, physical therapy assistants and physical therapy aides; areas where physical therapy assistants can be employed; physical therapy assistant position expecations; and program expectations at Concorde Career College.

Peresic has been in physical therapy since 1986. She began her career as a physical therapist assistant after graduating from Colby Community College, which  was the only college offering the program at the time. She began working on her bachelor’s degree from K-State in 1993 while working full time as a physical therapy assistant at a local Manhattan hospital. In 1996 she graduated with her life science degree and a minor in physical science. In 1999 she graduated with her master's of science in physical therapy and went to Kansas City to instruct in the physical therapy assistant program, as well as work in a local hospital in outpatient and home health. In 2001 she opened her own private practice, as well as being promoted to coordinator of the physical therapy assistant program at Kansas City Kansas Community College. Her areas of interests are chronic pain, women’s health, wound care, back and pelvic pain, and orthopedics. Due to health issues she closed her business in 2005, but continued her role at Kansas City Kansas Community College. In 2010 she accepted the position as program director at Concorde Career College in Kansas City, Mo.