General Program Description

The PTA Program at College of Central Florida (CF) requires 30 credits of general education courses. These general education requirements may be taken at any CF campus or at another college or university and then transferred to CF. The technical phase of the program clusters all PTA course work and must be taken on the CF/Hampton Center campus. Technical phase classes begin in the fall each year. There is an emphasis throughout the program on the application of skills learned and the problem-solving process. Technical phase students spend approximately six hours per week in lecture and 8-12 hours per week in lab, in addition to extensive time outside of class practicing skills.

Clinical Experiences
Students are provided early opportunities to interact with patients/clients during the first two semesters of the technical phase classes through the on-site physical therapy clinic. This clinic is designed to meet the physical therapy needs of the uninsured/under-insured as well as to provide early learning experiences for the PTA students. During the last term of the program, students are assigned to two 7-week clinical rotations, 8 hours per day, 5 days per week for 7 weeks each. One or both of these rotations may be outside the immediate Ocala area. Students are responsible for making their own transportation and living arrangements for assigned clinical rotations. Terminal clinical experiences are provided in a variety of settings including hospitals, outpatient offices, private practices, pediatric and geriatric rehabilitation centers.

Faculty
There are two full-time faculty members, one adjunct faculty member and numerous guest lecturers. The faculty-to-student ratio during labs is 1:12.

Enrollment
The college has a total enrollment of approximately 13,000 students annually. The physical therapist assistant program admits 24 students in Fall Semester each year.

Admission
In order to be eligible to apply to the PTA program students must apply to College of Central Florida (CF) and follow all college-wide application procedures. Prospective applicants must also attend an on-site PTA program application information session, complete 30 credit hours of general education requirements with a grade of C or higher and a minimum grade point average of 2.75, pass a reading comprehension test, complete observations in two different physical therapy settings and write a reflective journal about these observations. More specific information about application requirements are described at the mandatory PTA program application information session and are available on the college web site (see below). Applicants must submit a request for application form by January 15 and complete and submit the separate CF PTA program application by March 1. Transfer students are accepted on a space-available basis. Qualified applicants who are not admitted in the year they apply must reapply for future admission. Students graduate in December each year. Graduates who wish to be employed in Florida must pass a state licensing examination which is prescribed by the state’s Department of Health. More specific application information can be obtained at the CF PTA Program web site at the following link: http://www.cf.edu/departments/instruction/health/pta/

Outcomes
The PTA Program at College of Central Florida graduated its first class in May of 1995. Since then the PTA program has had a 100% pass rate on the PTA licensure exam for all graduating classes (except for 2009 when the pass rate was 95%). The program has experienced a 100% employment rate for every class graduated since May of 1995. Data for the most recent graduating students can be obtained at the following link: http://www.cf.edu/departments/instruction/health/pta/grad_stats.htm

Tuition, fees and financial aid
Tuition and fees for the 2014-2015 academic year are currently $107 per credit hour for Florida residents (total program tuition and fees $7,925) and $422 per credit hour for non-residents (total program tuition and fees $31,219). Additional program expenses are estimated at $3459. Financial aid is available to qualified applicants. Funds are available through scholarships, grants, work-study, VA, Social Security, and other special projects.

Student life
CF operates at four campuses: the main campus in Ocala, which is over 120 acres, and additional campuses in Levy and Citrus counties as well as the Hampton Center which houses the PTA program. On-site child care, counseling, and housing adjacent to the Ocala campus are available. On-campus health services are not available. A well-rounded athletic program, numerous dramatic and musical productions, guest lecturers and entertainers, and student clubs, including a Student Physical Therapist Assistant Club, and other organizations help to round out an academic atmosphere designed to meet the needs of people who want to grow academically, professionally, and personally at CF.