General Program Description

The PTA program at Herkimer County Community College begins in the fall semester. This curriculum is designed as an integrated two-year plan. This means that learners in this program take professional courses in all semesters. It is essential that skills are mastered prior to progression within the program. The course work design is sequential and allows the learner to use previously attained skills in their more advanced procedure classes. Basic skills and competencies are introduced during the first year; pathology and applicable interventions are introduced during the second year; three full-time clinical affiliations during the program enable practical application of the classroom skills. The teaching faculty uses a variety of teaching methodologies to assist all learners to understand and master the subject matter. The typical full-time student is in class and lab approximately 20-23 hours per week. Graduation is in late May.

Clinical Experiences
The college maintains contracts with facilities primarily in New York State. The Academic Coordinator of Clinical Education also works actively with PTA program students to develop additional contacts. Students have been able to complete clinical assignments in other states via this process. PTA students have 16 weeks of full-time clinical experience. These “hands-on” experiences allow students to consolidate and utilize academic knowledge and basic practical skills learned in lab. The first 5-week clinical experience is completed in the late spring after the end of their second semester on campus. Students return in their final semester to a slightly longer semester than the average student on campus. This allows the students to complete their second 5-week clinical experience prior to beginning their fourth semester lecture classes. The final clinical experience is embedded in the final six weeks of their fourth semester after completing the lecture component. All learners are required to have at least one acute hospital, rehab or sub-acute rehab experience and are then able to select from other options including geriatric, pediatric, outpatient, or orthopedic interest areas for their other clinical experiences.

Faculty
There are two full-time faculty members and two adjunct faculty members. All full-time faculty members are physical therapists and have completed their DPT degree. They continue to do per diem in the field. Our adjunct faculty is comprised of a physical therapist and a physical therapist assistant. All faculty members have a variety of clinical experience. The faculty-to-learner ratio is approximately 1:10 or 1:12 in lab classes.

Enrollment
Total college enrollment exceeds 3,100 students (campus and internet enrollment). The PTA program accepts 30 full-time students.

Admission
Program admission requirements include: High school graduates must have an average of “80” or higher and a grade of “80” or better in Regents Biology and “75” or better in their math sequence and “75” or better in chemistry or physics. Transfer students have two admission tracks. Admission Track 1: The applicant must have a GPA of 3.0 with a “B” or better in college biology or a “C” or better in Anatomy & Physiology I and a “C” or better in college math and a “C” or better in chemistry or hysics. Admission Track 2: The applicant must have a GPA of 3.0 with a “B” or higher in Anatomy & Physiology I (all other science requirements are waived) and a “C” or better in college math. All students entering the Physical Therapist Assistant program are required to have completed a 15-hour clinical observation. Students who require developmental coursework or who do not meet admission requirements may complete the missing prerequisite courses prior to being admitted into the PTA program. Once all requirements are met, applicants are selected on a rolling basis until the program is full. Thirty-seven students enrolled in the fall of 2010. Demographics of this incoming class indicate a male to female ratio of 14:23 with a mean age of 26.3 years.

Outcomes
The three-year retention/graduation rate average from 2012 – 2014 is 54.2 %. (This includes students graduating in 2 years with entering class or in 3 years with next class). The three-year average pass rate on the licensure exam is 96.7%. The three-year average employment rate is 100% for those program graduates responding to surveys.

Tuition, fees and financial aid
The 2014 – 2015 annual tuition is $3,840 for a New York State resident and $6300 for an out-of-state resident or non-US citizen. College fees are approximately $620 annually. Program specific fees include: licensing exam review fee $150 in the senior year only, scorebuilders practice exam fee $35 in the final semester, malpractice fee $20 annually and license fee (which goes towards certification and board exam expenses) $250 annually. Books are estimated at approximately $1340 for the program. Health insurance is mandatory while on clinical fieldwork and is a student expense. Seventy three percent (73%) of all students receive financial aid in the form of federal and state loans and grants. For further information contact the financial aid office.

Student life
Many community college students live within commuting distance of their campus. However, Herkimer draws students from throughout the state and several foreign countries. Consequently, there are a variety of quality student housing options from the college operated town houses and duplex apartments right across the street from the campus, to privately owned duplex, dorm-style, and private apartments and rooms throughout the Village of Herkimer and the surrounding communities. Division III intercollegiate sports, intramural athletics, and recreational facilities are abundant. Extracurricular activities include many social and cultural events, fine arts, concerts, dances, and programs sponsored by the many clubs and organizations in response to the expressed interests and needs of the student body. The campus, located on a 500-acre site in the Village of Herkimer, overlooks the historic Mohawk River with easy access via the New York State Thruway and Route 5.