General Program Description

The physical therapist assistant (PTA) is a skilled technical health care worker who, under the supervision of a physical therapist, carries out patient treatment programs. Duties of the assistant may include training patients in exercises and activities of daily living; conducting treatments using special equipment; assisting in performing tests, examinations, and complex interventions; and assessing and reporting the patient’s response to treatment. Assistants may work in a variety of health care settings, including hospitals, specialized clinics, extended care facilities and school systems. The Physical Therapist Assistant Program at the University of Evansville is an accredited two-year Associate of Science degree program. It is designed for those individuals who want to be involved in providing direct patient care in the physical therapy profession. The curriculum includes general studies, professional courses with laboratory component, and clinical education experiences in health care facilities. Clinical education sites for the PTA Program are available in more than 200 locations throughout the United States. Students assume the costs of traveling and lodging while on these clinical assignments. Students may complete the PTA Program in conjunction with an undergraduate degree. Undergraduate degree programs, which complement the PTA Program include athletic training, exercise science, and health services administration. Students can complete the program on a part-time basis. Up to 16 qualified applicants are accepted each year.

Clinical Experiences
Students participate in integrated clinical activities throughout the curriculum. This includes one 6-week, full-time clinical internship during the summer after the first year and two 6-week clinic internships during the last semester of the final year.

Faculty
In the Department of Physical Therapy, there are 10 full time faculty, as well as adjunct faculty. Seven faculty members hold post-professional doctoral degrees, one is in the process of completing a doctoral degree, and five are certified as clinical specialists. Physical therpay faculty members are engaged in clinical practice Of the total faculty, six of the core members teach in the PTA program. The faculty to student ratio during lab experiences is 1:8.

Enrollment
There are approximately 2,700 full-time undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at the university. Applications for admission to the incoming class of 2014 will be accepted beginning August 1 2013. Applicants will be selected on the basis of a written application, providing all admission criteria are met. When all qualifying factors are equal, selection will be made on the basis of date and time of application. Application materials must be received by June 1, 2014. Once the class is full, other qualified applicants will be placed on a wait list, which will be maintained until August 20, 2014. Alternate applicants not notified of acceptance by August 20, must apply again if they wish to be considered for admission the following year.

Admission
Applicants must submit an application for admission to the University, identifying the Physical Therapist Assistant Program as their intended major. Applicants must complete a PTA supplemental application and respond to the essay question, which is located on the supplemental application. Incoming freshman applicants must meet University of Evansville requirements for admission, which include a college preparatory high school curriculum, which preferably includes physics, with a minimum of three semesters of math, preferably algebra and geometry, and at least 2 years of high school science. Students with no college background or 11 hours or less of college credit must have achieved a high school GPA of at least 2.75 or its equivalent. If the recommended math sequence was not followed in high school, a remedial college level math course or higher is required for consideration for admission. These students must submit transcripts demonstrating completion of at least one high school level math and one science course with a grade of C or higher. Currently enrolled UE students and transfer students must have achieved at least a 2.75 cumulative GPA which includes one college-level science course and a college-level math course with grades of C or higher. Applicants with 12 or more hours of college credit will be considered by their college GPA; students with 11 or fewer hours of college credit will be considered by their high school GPA; students with high school degrees only will be considered by their high school GPA. Applicants are required to disclose entire academic backgrounds. Anatomy and physiology credits earned more than 5 years prior to admission into the program will not be considered to meet program requirements. A minimum of 20 volunteer hours of physical therapy observation with a licenses physical therapist in at least two different types of clinical setting is required to be considered for admission.

Outcomes
The pass rate on the PTA licensure exam for our 2010, 2011 and 2012: 84,15% (3 year average) Employment Rate: 100% of our graduates who seeked employement as PTAs are employed Graduatiion Rate: 2010: 76.5%, 2011: 80%, 2012: 87.5%, 2013: 71%

Tuition, fees and financial aid
Full-time day tuition and fees (12-18 hours) for the 2013-2014 academic year are $30,596. Room and board (mid-level) is $10,460. Average book costs are $500 per semester. Additional expenses for PTA students include professional dress, programatic fees, travel expenses, and housing at clinical sites. Extensive programs are available in the form of grants, scholarships, loans, and tuition payment plans. For further information, contact the Office of Financial Aid at 800/488-8633, x2364.

Student life
Evansville is a pleasant city in southern Indiana, advantageously located within easy reach of Indianapolis, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Louisville, Nashville, and Chicago by air or major highway. The campus consists of more than 20 buildings. A well-staffed Student Life Center assists students with their academic and career planning and personal, extracurricular, and placement needs. Housing is available for students in the form of dormitories, student apartments, off-campus rentals, and fraternity houses. Intercollegiate athletic programs are also available.