General Program Description

The program provides a foundation for graduates to become highly skilled in providing patient services utilizing physical therapist assistant skills under the direction and supervision of a physical therapist in clinics, hospitals, and other healthcare settings. The PTA courses are sequential, and students must achieve a grade of C or better in each. Seventy credit hours, both PTA and general education, are required for graduation. Students graduate with an AAS degree and are eligible to take the national licensing examination for Physical Therapist Assistants. A characteristic of the program is that general education courses are offered to part-time students, as well as to full-time students; however, all Physical Therapist Assistant courses must be completed in sequence. Additionally, two full time clinical affiliations (internships) are necessary throughout the curriculum.

Clinical Experiences
Two full time (40 hour per week) clinical experiences are scheduled in the final year of the curriculum. The first experience occurs in the fall for six weeks and and capstone final experience occurs in the eight weeks prior to graduation. Clinical facilities are located within one hour travel distance from the Silver Spring, MD campus. In general, students must successfully complete all classroom and skills laboratory requirements as well as health physical requirements to be placed into a clinical rotation. Health physical requirements are subject to change but generally include medical clearance for physical abilities, current immunization record, annual flu and PPD, and current CPR certification. Clinical facilities will also require criminal background checks and drug/alcohol testing. Clinical facilities reserve the right to accept or decline student participation for any reason – for example, reasons which impact the health, safety, or security of all persons who access the facility. For specific information regarding the variety of clinical experiences and on site training hours and locations, contact the program coordinator.

Faculty
There are two full-time faculty members;one of whom is a physical therapist, the other is a physical therapist accistant. Both have master’s degree credentials. Both of the full-time faculty members are experienced clinicians. The faculty-to-student ratio is 1:12 in the lab and 1:24(max) in lecture.

Enrollment
The physical therapist assistant program accepts up to 24 students annually.

Admission
Admission requirements include specific selection criteria that have been established by the Board of Trustees for Montgomery College. Students are admitted into the program once a year in the fall. Applications must be submitted by March 1 each year. Successful applications are notified by May. Application procedures include: A college admission application and fee; Health Sciences Program admission application; a high school transcript (if no college enrollment); official transcripts from each and every college attended; English and math placement test results or the equivalent; eligibility to take ENGL101 and MA TH110, BIOL 150 or BIOL 212 and must meet minimum grade point average requirement of 2.5 (4.0 scale) for consideration. Due to the fact that the program gets more applications than there are available seats, selection criteria have been instituted. These are minimal test scores on TEAS V (Test of Essential Academic Skills version 5, see ati.com), gpa on most recently completed 24 college credits, and completion of core and priority courses. Applicants and prospective students are encouraged to attend a monthly open house or access the program web page (www.montgomerycollege.edu/pta) for the latest information and resources. Applicants are advised to see the Health Sciences Application for more detailed information and to attend an information session held monthly. Information session calendar is updated annually on the PTA Program web page.

Outcomes
Students who successfully complete the program and pass the national licensing examination are practicing physical therapist assistants in Maryland, Washington, DC & Virginia region and other areas of the country. Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy report the first time pass rate and eventual pass rate of Montgomery College students. These rates are consistently 90% on the first attempt and 90-93% for all attempts. The PTA Program tracks and reports graduation rates, national board exam pass rates, and employment rates. Please see the PTA Program web page (www.montgomerycollege.edu/pta) for the most current information.

Tuition, fees and financial aid
For the 2013-14 academic year, tuition is $ 112 per semester hour for Montgomery County. Maryland residents $229 per semester hour, and $314 per semester hour for out-of-state students. Out-of-county students in the Health Sciences curricula may request in-county tuition as part of a Maryland-state funded manpower shortage grant. The manpower shortage grant is not always funded, so applicants, current and prospective students are encouraged to contact the program and attend an information session for the latest information. Additional fees are listed in the college catalog or on the college web site. Fees total roughly $ 70 per semester hour. Contact the Financial Aid Office for further information. Books and miscellaneous expenses are a part of all health sciences programs. PTA students should budget roughly $ 500 for books each semester and consider the costs of clinical internships in the second year of the program. These costs will vary, but will generally include a doctor’s physical examination, lab tests, immunizations, and flu shots; training costs for CPR certification; uniforms and shoes; commuting and parking expenses; and criminal background check and drug/alcohol testing.

Student life
All Montgomery College students are invited to take advantage of the variety of programs provided by the Office of Student Life; these programs are an integral part of the educational experience at Montgomery College. Programs include a wide variety of educational, social, cultural, leadership, and recreational activities. Activities include lectures, films, media productions, musical attractions, theatre and dance productions, art exhibitions, workshops, student government, and special events. As members of special interest clubs or organizations, students plan and implement these programs for the campus and community. Student Life organizations and clubs are run by students for students, and are funded by a portion of the consolidated fee.