General Program Description

The Physical Therapist Assistant Program at Pima Medical Institute – Tucson Campus is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 1111 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314; telephone : 703-706-3245; email: [email protected]; website: http://www.capteonline.org. The PTA program at PMI – Tucson Campus aims to prepare students to become integral members of the physical therapy healthcare team under the supervision of Licensed Physical Therapist. The philosophy and practice of the institution and program is to educate our graduates and foster a desire for life long learning and dedication to the physical therapy profession. The PTA program is presented over a period of 75 weeks, divided into five (5) 15-week semesters consisting of 944 clock hours spent in the classroom and laboratory settings. Clinical Practicum experiences consist of 640 clock hours spent in clinical facilities at 40 hours per week. Upon successful completion of the fully accredited PMI PTA program, the graduate will receive an Occupational Associate Degree. Graduates of a CAPTE accredited program are eligible to apply to individual states for licensure/certification and sit for the National Physical Therapy Examination for PTAs.

Clinical Experiences
Clinical education experiences are crucial to the preparation of competent Physical Therapist Assistants. PMI PTA students participate in three (3) clinical practicums for a total of sixteen (16) weeks of hands-on learning experiences. The clinical practicums are sequenced throughout the curriculum and are designed to build on academic course content. Clinical experiences provide opportunities for students to practice skills and to synthesize and apply knowledge and theories gained in the classroom to real patient care situations. Students are expected to apply concepts learned throughout the program to perform the clinical problem solving that is required of physical therapist assistant students in their clinical practicum experiences. These clinical practicums occur in semester three (2 weeks), semester four (7 weeks), and semester five (7 weeks).

Faculty
Program Director: Benjamin M Radack, PT, DPT Clinical Director of Education: Cristina Bracamonte, PT, DPT Program Faculty: Rhonda Figueroa, PTA, BA; Jennifer Barclay, PT, BS; Deanna Kelly, MS; Filomena Blankenship, PTA

Enrollment
Pima Medical Institute – Tucson Campus currently accepts up to 30 students into each PTA cohort, with an average cohort size of 24 – 25 students. There are typically 1-2 class starts per year. Prospective students are encouraged to contact PMI – Tucson Campus to schedule a meeting with an Admissions Representative to receive additional information about the PTA program and the admissions process. (520) 326 – 1600

Admission
Each candidate receives points toward the admissions process based on the following categories: Wonderlic Test, Math Test, Admissions Essay to Program Director, Academic Background, and Formal Interview. A baseline score of 41 out of 58 points must be earned to be considered for acceptance into the program. Prospective students are accepted (conditional) into the program in rank order based on the points accumulated by the applicant during the entirety of the admissions process. If offered a seat in the PTA program, the prospective student must provide proof of an AZ Level 1 Fingerprint Clearance Card in order to be fully accepted into the program.

Outcomes
Retention Percentage: 2011-2012: 88/97 = 90.72% 2012-2013: 77/87 = 88.51% 2013-2014: 89/95 = 93.68% Employment Rates: 2011-2012: 100% 2012-2013: 100% 2013-2014: 86% Pass Rate on the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE) for the Physical Therapist Assistant: Three year (2011 – 2014) 2011-2012: 88% 2012-2013: 100% 2013-2014: 97%

Tuition, fees and financial aid
Finances are often high on a list of student concerns. Listed below are some of the anticipated expenses in the Physical Therapist Assistant program at Pima Medical Institute. All prices are estimated based on January 2015 data and are subject to change without notice. Tuition: $29,245; Reg. Fee: $150; Textbooks: $2,078; Uniform: $165; Total: $31,638

Student life
The PTA program at PMI – Tucson Campus participates in multiple volunteer, community service and outreach activities, including Special Olympics Screening and the Annual Hopefest Tucson.