General Program Description
The PTA program at Marion Technical College (MTC) admits new students fall semester of each year. The program is sequenced and requires five consecutive semesters to complete. Students may elect to take some courses that apply toward the degree prior to being admitted to the PTA Program, but this will not shorten the five semester timeframe. The PTA program consists of 30 credit hours of general education course work and 43 credit hours of PTA technical courses. Once accepted to the PTA program, students enroll in courses directly associated with the practice and procedures of the physical therapy profession. PTA technical courses include a lecture and a laboratory component and are scheduled during daytime hours with all didactic courses meeting face-to-face on the MTC campus. Students should expect to be on campus during the first fall semester of the program Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday; during the first spring semester Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday; and during the second fall semester Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.
Clinical Experiences
Clinical coursework is held at off-campus sites during daytime hours, utilizing an extensive network of health care professionals throughout the Ohio area. Through these clinical affiliations, PTA students gain invaluable insight and interactions with PT’s, as well as their co-workers and patients. The PTA clinical curriculum consists of three clinical affiliations to be completed at three different clinical sites. The first clinical experience involves five 8-hour days per week for 5 weeks. The second and third clinical experiences involve five 8-hour days per week for 6.5 weeks each. The last two clinical rotations are completed during the final spring semester and are separated by a one week “spring break.”
Faculty
There are two full-time faculty members for the PTA program. The program also utilizes 2-3 additional adjunct or “community” faculty to provide additional expertise for approximately 25% of the PTA technical courses within the curriculum. The faculty-to-student ratio is no greater than 1:13 in the hands-on laboratory components of the curriculum.
Enrollment
The college has a total enrollment of approximately 2,500 students. The PTA program admits 24 students each year utilizing an application deadline process. There is no waitlist for PTA program admission. The application deadline for the PTA Program is March 1 each year.
Admission
An information packet is available on the program website: http://www.mtc.edu/health/pta/pta.html or upon request. Applicants are evaluated by a selection committee and are admitted on a competitive basis. Minimum requirements for consideration include: completion of the MTC general application for admission; submission of the $20 general college application fee; official high school transcript and/or GED score results; official transcript(s) from other colleges attended (if applicable); completion of high school or college coursework reflecting a 2.5 grade point average(on a 4.0 scale); grade of “C” or higher in high school algebra or equivalent; a grade of “C” or higher in high school chemistry or equivalent; a grade of “C” or higher in high school biology or equivalent, and completion of 50 or more clinical observation hours. In the event that there are more qualified student applicants than the number of available seats in the program, the PTA selection committee utilizes the student’s ACT scores, college and/or high school transcripts and Observation Verification and Recommendation forms to score each applicant. Students are awarded “extra” points if they achieve hours beyond 50 (up to 100) contact hours. Also, a specific ACT score is not a requirement for entrance into the program. The PTA Program scoring sheet also shows prospective students how they may improve their score on the PTA Program scoring sheet, and improve their chances of being accepted into the program, by taking any or all of the following courses at Marion Technical College or transfer equivalents and scoring a grade of “C” or higher: Anatomy and Physiology I, Anatomy and Physiology II, and Beginning Algebra. Students submitting applications which score in the top 24 are accepted into the PTA program and the next 20 highest scores are placed on an alternate list which the PTA selection committee will draw from, in rank order, in the event that any of the original 24 applicants accepted do not enter the program.
Outcomes
37% of qualified applicants are admitted to the program (3-year average, 2009-2011). 92% of admitted students graduate from the program (3-year average, 2009-2011). 94% of program graduates passed the national licensure exam (3-year average, 2009-2011). 100% of program graduates, responding to surveys and eligible for employment as PTAs, are employed as PTAs (3-year average, 2009-2011).
Tuition, fees and financial aid
Tuition for the 2013-2014 academic year is $166 per credit hour for in-state students and $246 per credit hour for out-of-state student. Financial assistance is available to students who without such aid would be unable to attend college. The following is an abbreviated list of the types of financial aid available to students: scholarships, grants including the PELL and student loans. Further, the College offers an emergency loan, which is intended to provide a means of financial assistance to students for a short period of time. Information is also available through the Financial Aid Office regarding Stafford Student Loans and student employment.
Student life
The PTA laboratory (1,632 square feet) is housed in the Technical Education Center. Classrooms are available in the Technical Education Center, the Health Technologies Center, the Center for Workforce Development, the Library Classroom Building, Morrill Hall, the Student Services Building and the Alber Student Center. Counseling and Tutoring services, disabled students services, career services, and adult student services are available to students. Intramural sports offer flag football, soccer, softball, coed volleyball, basketball, and indoor soccer. A Program of Outdoor Pursuits is also available. The College organizes a variety of activities for students of all ages including dances, family movies, concerts, lectures, trips, intramural athletics, art shows, and midday coffeehouse performances through the Student Activities Office. MTC is located on a 180-acre campus just east of the City of Marion. Seven buildings are located on the campus which MTC shares with the Ohio State University at Marion. Columbus, Ohio, is within an hour’s drive and various recreational activities on the shores of Lake Erie are available within a two-hour drive.