General Program Description

The Madisonville Community College Physical Therapist Assistant program prepares students to become a physical therapist assistant (PTA) and perform selected components of interventions and data collection under the direction and supervision of a physical therapist. The curriculum combines general education and physical therapy courses. The technical program consists of didactic, laboratory, and clinical experiences that reflect current physical therapy practice. The curriculum consists of 35 hours of technical education courses and 26-29 hours of general education courses. The Associate in Applied Science Degree is awarded upon successful completion of the program. Upon graduation, graduates will be eligible to sit for the national licensing examination for the physical therapist assistant. Enrollment in this program is limited; therefore, a selective admissions process is followed.

Clinical Experiences
The PTA program at Madisonville Community College is affiliated with over 50 healthcare facilities located in Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennessee. While participating in clinical education experiences, you will have the opportunity to care for patients in hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, and out-patient clinics and in specialty areas such as pediatrics, geriatrics, and sports medicine. During a clinical education experience, students are assigned to work with a physical therapist or a physical therapist assistant who will serve as a clinical instructor. PTA students will participate in 4 separate clinical rotations for a combined total of 620 clock hours. During the first semester, students will participate in an integrated clinical practicum (60 contact hours) and an intermediate full-time 4 week clinical practicum (160 contact hours) during the second semester of the program. During the third semester, the students will participate in two 5 week full-time clinical practicums (400 contact hours) performed at 2 seperate clinical locations. PTA students can expect to spend at least one clinical practicum in a rural setting (outside the Madisonville/Hopkins County area). In addition, students are expected to incur all costs related to clinical practicums, including transportation, housing, meals, and appropriate uniform attire to be worn during clinical practicums.

Faculty
There are 2 full-time core faculty

Enrollment
Madisonville Community College (MCC) is one of 16 community colleges in the Kentucky Community and Technical College System. Total enrollment at the college is approximately 2,500 students of which approximately 1,375 are full-time students. The physical therapist assistant program admits approximately 16 students each spring.

Admission
The program employs a selective admission process. Students are admitted only in the spring semester. The application deadline is October 1 each year. Attendance at a pre-admission conference is mandatory for potential applicants; dates are listed on the program web site or can be obtained by contacting the program office. Minimum course requirements for application to the program include College Algebra, General Psychology, English composition, two semesters of Anatomy and Physiology, and an Introduction to Allied Health Occupations course. A grade of C or higher is required in each course. Other requirements for application include submission of valid ACT(no more than 5 years old), submission of a personal letter of application, submission of 3 letters of recommendation (in the form of PTA Program recommendation survey), and a face-to-face meeting with a PTA Faculty advisor. Preference is given to applicants with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher in the Anatomy and Physiology I, College Algebra, and Introduction to Allied Health Occupations courses. Preference is also given to Kentucky residents, applicants with an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher, applicants with an ACT composite score of 19 or greater (must be no more than 5 years old), 12 or more credit hours completed in higher education, 16 or more clock hours of volunteer/work experience, and completion of volunteer and/or work experience in more than one clinical setting. Applicants are required to provide official transcripts for all previous college course work and submit documentation verfiying the completion of physical therapy observation and/or experience.

Outcomes
94% of admitted students graduated from the program (3-year average, 2009-2011); 91% of the graduates passed the licensure exam (3-year average, 2008-2010); and 100% of those program graduates who passed the licensure exam are employed (3-year average).

Tuition, fees and financial aid
The estimated tuition cost for the academic year is $135.00 per credit hour for Kentucky residents and $465.00 per credit hour for non-residents (tuition cost for 2011-2012 academic year). Books for the full program cost approximately $700. Other fees include professional liability insurance, the Hepatitis B vaccine series, CPR certification, APTA membership, an ID badge, and an HIV/AIDS education course. Low tuition rates and a full range of financial aid programs make quality education an exceptional value. Questions concerning financial aid should be directed to the Financial Aid Officer at (270) 821-2250.

Student life
Madisonville Community College (MCC) is one of the fastest growing community colleges in the nation with 4 campuses and offers career programs designed to prepare students for immediate employment upon graduation. It also provides the first 2 years of a baccalaureate program and general education opportunities for citizens in the area served by the college. The college offers comprehensive workforce development training and a full spectrum of fine arts programming and education to its service district in western Kentucky. The MCC PTA