General Program Description

The Physical Therapist Assistant program prepares students to be entry-level physical therapist assistants who function effectively in an ever-changing healthcare environment. This two-year Associate in Applied Science program consists of five consecutive semesters of classroom and clinical education with a strong emphasis on professional standards. As a cohort, students progress from classroom to clinical experiences in a variety of physical therapy settings. Graduates are eligible to take the national licensing examination. This degree typically is not designed for transfer.

Clinical Experiences
The PTA program integrates three (3) clinical education experiences into the curriculum: PHTA2053 – Clinical Practicum I – 200 hours, 5 weeks full-time during the third semester of the curriculum (summer) PHTA2224 – Clinical Practicum II – 240 hours, 6 weeks full-time during the fifth (final) semester of the curriculum (spring) PHTA2234 – Clinical Practicum III – 240 hours, 6 weeks full-time during the fifth (final) semester of the curriculum (spring)

Faculty
Program Director: Jessica Corbus, PT, MOL Academic Coordinator of Clinical Education (ACCE): Jennifer Blanchette, PT, DPT, CMT

Enrollment
20 students each fall

Admission
Competitive Entry Enrollment To enroll in a competitive entry program, follow these steps: 1. Complete all steps for admission to KCC. Visit the KCC admissions page for information. 2. Meet minimum records and academic eligibility requirements for the health program you are applying to. Enrollment checksheets for specific programs on the Health Careers home page detail these requirements.. 3. Meet with a health careers advisor(815-802-8500) to complete an application to the health careers program on or before the application deadline. 4. Take the A2 Entrance Exam for health careers students. The curriculum of record for students applying to, but not yet accepted into, competitive entry health careers programs is the Associate in General Studies.

Tuition, fees and financial aid
KCC’s tuition for the 2012-13 academic year is $100 a credit hour, plus $13 in fees per credit hour, for a total of $113 per credit hour. Tuition and fees: The final cost for classes is based on how many credit hours you take each semester. Total tuition and fees for the PTA program, including all general education courses, is approximately $ 8,023.00 Course fees: Total course fees for the PTA program, including all general education courses, is approximately $670.00 Textbooks: On average, expect to pay about $2,900.00 for all textbooks for all courses required for the curriculum. Additional costs for occupational and health career programs Review the program cost book to see specific costs, including books, clothing and equipment, for occupational and health career programs.

Student life
Students in the PTA program at KCC are encouraged to participate actively in student life at KCC. One way to do so specifically related to the physical therapy program is to participate in the Student Physical Therapist Assistant Club (SPTAC), which exists to serve students, the College, and the community through: 1. Education: to enrich and broaden the knowledge and learning experiences of current PTA students and to bring awareness of the physical therapy profession and the role of the PTA to future PTA students and the public. 2. Social Responsibility: to promote social responsibility, citizenship, and advocacy, including participation in community and service organizations and activities. 3. Excellence: to create enthusiasm for career development and the attainment of the expected behavior and conduct necessary for current and future roles in the physical therapy profession.