General Program Description

The PTA program is designed on a modified 1+1 model. There are 34 credit hours of general studies coursework and 36 credit hours of physical therapist assistant courses. Upon enrollment in the program in June, students attend 3 consecutive semesters of full-time didactic and clinical education directly associated with the scope of Physical Therapy practice and the role of the physical therapist assistant. Courses include functional anatomy/kinesiology, clinical sciences, human development, pathophysiology, clinical education and seminars. Upon graduation, graduates are eligible to apply for licensure as physical therapist assistants, according to the guidelines established in the state in which they will be employed.

Clinical Experiences
Each student is assigned to 32 hours of clinical experiences in the first semester of the program. There are three full-time clinical experiences of 5 weeks duration in the remaining 2 semesters. Students are assigned to a variety of practice experiences that may include experiences in acute care, long-term care, outpatient, home health and inpatient rehabilitation agencies.

Faculty
There are three full-time faculty members and one part-time lab assistant. The faculty to student ratio is 1:13 in all of the labs.

Enrollment
The college has a total enrollment of approximately 1800 students. The physical therapist assistant program admits a maximum of 26 students per year.

Admission
Application and admission information packets are available upon request from the college Admissions Office, or from the college web page at www.ololcollege.edu. Qualified applicants are evaluated by a selection committee and are admitted on a competitive basis. Recommended minimum qualifications to the college include: graduation from high school with a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or better or completion of a high school equivalency diploma with an average score of 50 or better; achievement of a minimum ACT composite score of 20 (applicants who have been out of high school less than 5 years); and achievement of an over-all cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better on all previous college work attempted. Additional recommended minimum qualifications to the program include a minimum GPA of 2.75 in all prerequisite coursework for the program and 100 hours of work or volunteer hours in a physical therapy department, preferably with hours in both an in patient and an out patient setting. Applications are due January 1st in order to be considered for acceptance in the June class of that year, and students must be enrolled in, or have completed PTAP 2310, PTAP 2310L and PTAP 1110 at the time of application.

Outcomes
For the three most recent cohorts (2010-2012) 95.8% of admitted students graduated from the program (3-year average), 97% of the graduates passed the licensure examination, and 100% (3 year average) of the licensed graduates are employed.

Tuition, fees and financial aid
Tuition for the 2013-14 year is $421.79 per credit hour. All students are invited to complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid Form (FAFSA). Student loans and Pell Grants are available to qualified individuals. State scholarships may apply toward tuition costs. Information and counseling are available through the Financial Aid Office. Additional information can be found on our website at www.ololcollege.edu.

Student life
The PTA program is housed in the School of Health Sciences Annex Building of the College. Our Lady of the Lake (OLOL) College is a private Catholic college patterned after the values of the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady and is associated with Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center. Many cultural, educational, and social opportunities are offered through Support Services. There is an active Student Government Association and Program organization (Phi Theta Alpha). The College offers health care related degrees on the Associate, Baccalaureate and Masters level. Although there are no residential facilities associated with the college, Baton Rouge is a large university and industrial city with multiple social, residential, and cultural opportunities. The college is within 1 1/2-hour drive from New Orleans and from plantation homes.