General Program Description
The Physical Therapist Assistant Program is an 18-month program of study leading to an AAS degree and eligibility to sit for the national licensure exam. The program meets on campus on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the fall and spring semesters and four days a week during the summer. There is one affiliation that takes place at the beginning of the summer semester and the final semester is spent in two 6-week, full-time affiliations. The program admits one class every fall and these students graduate the following December. The PTA program consists of 29 semester hours of general education requirements and 41 semester hours of PTA course work. There are three prerequisites for the program: anatomy and physiology I and II, English 101, and statistics. In meeting these prerequisites student’s alternative course and work experience may substitute for specific courses. The Program Director evaluates each applicant’s qualifications individually.
Clinical Experiences
There are three clinical experiences. The first is a three week full time experience at the beginning of the summer semester. The final fall semester is spent in two full-time, 6-week clinical experiences. Each clinical experience is spent in a different practice setting giving the student a wide variety of hands-on experiences.
Faculty
There are three full-time faculty members. All three of the faculty are engaged in continued clinical practice. Each faculty member’s experience is in a different area of expertise providing an expansive current perspective of clinical practice.
Enrollment
The PTA program admits 24 students each fall. Carroll Community College has 3,913 credit students, and an extensive continuing education and training program.
Admission
The Physical Therapist Assistant Program is a selective admission program. Students submit an application to the program prior to May 1st of the year of admission. Students must complete English 101, anatomy and physiology I and II, and statistics prior to the start of the fall semester. Each student’s application is reviewed individually by the PTA faculty.
Outcomes
97% of admitted students graduate from the program (3-year average). Our first time pass rate for the December 2012 graduating class was 95%
Tuition, fees and financial aid
All students in the physical therapist assistant program receive in-county tuition. The average cost of PTA full-time tuition and fees for the 2013-2014 is $5000/year. Because every citizen should have access to quality higher education, Carroll maintains a low tuition rate. Scholarships, grants,loans and campus employment are available. Please contact the Office of Financial Aid at 410/386-8430.
Student life
Carroll Community College is located among the rolling hills of Carroll County in Westminster, Maryland, and is within 1 hour of Baltimore and 1.5 hours of Washington, DC. Westminster offers a wide variety of social and cultural attractions as well as having many opportunities for outdoor activities nearby. Carroll is a co-educational, comprehensive institution of higher education. Rental housing and apartments are available within walking and driving distance of the campus. The college provides a variety of social, academic, and professional organizations within the campus including a student physical therapy organization. Student activities provide opportunities to grow personally, to develop leadership skills, and to gain campus-wide recognition. PTA students are strongly encouraged to become involved in the student and professional association.