General Program Description
The PTA Program includes 34 semester credits of general education and support courses, and 39 credits of Physical Therapist Assistant courses. The program is an integrated 2-year format, so that students do not have to complete prerequisites for entry, other than the Biology and Algebra needed for admission. The program runs for 5 consecutive semesters in a carefully planned sequence. Support and general education courses are designed to be taken in a sequence with the PTA courses to provide the necessary knowledge base to be successful in the program. PTA courses emphasize basic skills initially, which build in complexity, emphasizing critical thinking and problem solving. Students begin clinical practice in the third semester, once they have achieved the knowledge and practical skills necessary for success through lectures, simulations and directed laboratory practice. Students continue to perform clinical practice in a wide variety of clinical sites during the final two semesters of the program, while also attending classes designed to provide ever more complex skills and knowledge of specialty areas. The program culminates with a final full-time clinical experience. Graduates are then eligible to apply for the licensure exam and licensure/recognition in the state where they plan to practice.
Clinical Experiences
Students complete a clinical practice experience in the third, fourth and fifth semesters of the program. The first experience is 4 days per week for 5 weeks (160 hours), the second is 2 days per week for 10 weeks (160 hours), and the third semester is a full-time clinical experience 10 weeks (which can be split into 2 separate 5 week sessions) (400 hours). These experiences are integrated with lectures and labs to provide additional theoretical knowledge. The final semester of the program includes a 5-week intensive lecture and laboratory series, followed by a full-time clinical practice experience for 10 weeks. Northern Ohio has an extremely rich medical and therapeutic practice community, allowing students to gain experience with many different types of patients, practices, specialties and in many different types of settings. Students are required to attend one acute care and one geriatric or long-term care practice experience. The third (and fourth, if split) experience(s) is/are negotiated with the students depending on perceived needs by the faculty and interests of the student.
Faculty
There are two full-time and two part-time faculty members. All of the faculty members are actively engaged in clinical practice. The full-time faculty to student ratio is 1:20.
Enrollment
The college has a total enrollment of 13,000 students each semester in credit courses, 7,000 full-time and 6,000 part time, with another 4,000 students in non-credit offerings. The Physical Therapist Assisting Program admits 20 students each Fall.
Admission
Written information and applications are available upon request. Admission to the college requires submission of high school and college transcripts, and some students must complete the Compass Placement Assessment process depending on previous college or university work completed, or ACT/SAT scores. Students applying to the PTA program must have completed a high school or college level Biology course and Algebra course with a grade of “C” or better. Admission to the PTA program is competitive, and requires at least a 2.5 GPA from high school or college (if more than 15 college credits have been completed). The process assigns points for GPA, a group interview process, professional behaviors, completion of general education coursework, completion of a written self-narrative essay, and requires 40 volunteer/observation hours in a Physical Therapy department. Students begin the admission process by applying for admission to the college, and signing a Program Application by November of the year before they wish to enter the PTA courses.
Outcomes
86.7% of admitted students graduate from the program (2011-2013 3-year average); 94% of the graduates passed the licensure exam on first attempt and 98% ultimately passed the licensure exam (2010-2012 3-year average); and 100% of those program graduates able to be tracked were employed within 6 months of graduation (2010-2012 3-year average).
Tuition, fees and financial aid
Tuition and fees for the 2011-2012 academic year is $114.50 per semester credit hour for in-county residents, and a blanket rate of $1,488.50 for students taking between 13 and 18 credits. Out-of-county resident tuition and fees are $136.85 per semester credit hour, with a blanket rate of $1,779.05 for 13 to 18 credits. Out-of-state student tuition and fees are $271.50 per semester credit hour, with a blanket rate of $3,529.50 for 13 to 18 credits. A comprehensive package of information on financial aid options is readily available to students, and assistance is provided to help in obtaining aid for students who would be unable to attend without such aid. Detailed information about eligibility, student rights and responsibilities, eligible programs, Satisfactory Academic Progress regulations and financial aid transcript requirements are available in the Admissions Center.
Student life
The PTA program is housed in the Health Sciences building. The lab is designed to function as a Physical Therapy department, and contains significant modern equipment to allow for skill practice. State-of-the art teaching facilities are used throughout the building for both lecture and laboratory sessions. Computer labs, a large library and media center, new Student Center, new fitness center, new science lab building and other resources within a two-minute walk. The campus and all facilities are modern, attractive, and well maintained on a large wooded suburban setting. Shopping, restaurants, entertainment and housing are conveniently located nearby. Many cultural, recreational, athletic, club and social activities are available on campus. The college offers over 40 Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees on campus through its innovative University Partnership program with ten other colleges and universities. A well-renowned conference and performing arts center are also located on campus. The campus has a technology park on campus, which includes edison and SMART technology incubators, partering employers and businesses from the community, the local teachers’ association, and the chanber of commerce. Located a few minutes’ drive from Lake Erie, the campus is near downtown Elyria, minutes away from the city of Lorain, and a 20 minute drive from downtown Cleveland. Multiple parks are very close to campus, showcasing the rolling hills, river valleys, woods, and the beauty of nearby Lake Erie. The college is situated so that within a short drive there is the availability of big-city urban life, innovative world-renown health care facilities, the comforts of suburban settings, the charm of small rural towns and farming communities, and wide expanses of parks and open land.