General Program Description
Two faculty members instruct in the PTA program. Teaching methods vary from traditional lecture format to active learning approaches. Efforts are made to attend to all learning styles in small supportive classes. The student averages 26 hours in the classroom/lab with moderate off-hours study requirements. Job placement percentages and pass rate percentages on the National Licensure Exam are average and above average respectfully.
Clinical Experiences
All students complete at least three clinical experiences, one of which must be in a general hospital. The first occurs during the summer term after the second semester and is a 4-week full-time rotation. The second clinical experience occurs during the fourth semester and is a full-time 5-week rotation. The final clinical experience is a full-time, 6-week, rotation during the fifth semester. Clinical experience sites are located both locally and at a distance.
Faculty
There are two full-time and two part-time faculty members. The faculty-to-student ratio is 1:24.
Enrollment
Total institutional enrollment is 7,000. Twenty-four students are accepted each fall into the first professional course. No distinction is made in reference to residence except for a difference in tuition and fees.
Admission
Admission into the PTA program is based on a competitive admissions process. Prerequisites include high school algebra and trigonometry, plane geometry, biology and chemistry, or their equivalents, each with a minimum grade of 74. Health Science applicants who do not have the necessary academic preparation for admission consideration or who are not admitted through the competitive admissions process, may take preparatory courses at Broome Community College to strengthen their academic background and reapply for a future semester. Advisement is available to assist students in selecting appropriate preparatory coursework. In addition, 50 hours of volunteer/service learning in a physical therapy department in a hospital are required. Students may be admitted with advanced standing, and transfer credit is considered for liberal arts courses. The professional portion of the curriculum can begin only in the fall semester, and students must achieve a minimum grade of C in all PTA courses to progress. In addition to four regular semesters, students attend a 4-week summer term after the second semester. It is possible to take the program on a part-time basis until the student enrolls in the clinical laboratory courses, at which time it is necessary to pursue the program full-time.
Outcomes
74% of admitted students graduate from the program (2-year average, 2011,2012). The pass rate on the licensure exam is 91.67% (3-year average, 2009-2011).
Tuition, fees and financial aid
The approximate annual tuition for the 2012-13 academic year is $8,403 for residents, and $16,806 for out-of-state students. There are additional lab fees and living expenses. Financial aid is available for part-time and full-time students. The college maintains a financial aid office to assist them.
Student life
Broome Community College is located in southern New York in a small metropolitan area. It is easily accessible by car and by several small airlines and one national carrier. No student housing is provided. Off-campus rentals are available. The proximity to Binghamton University allows BCC students to use that institution’s facilities, such as the library, and cross-register for courses. Student life on the BCC campus is varied. There are many student clubs, including a PTA Club, which is extremely active on and off campus. There are also active programs in theater, music, and sports that allow participation by all students.