General Program Description
The PTA program is a 2-year integrated design. It includes a minimum of 65 semester credit hours (62 hours required by the PTA Program plus a 1 hour first year experience course and one 2-3 hour computer literacy course required by the college) made of 34 technical and a minimum of 31 basic/general credits. There are no prerequisite courses. However, many students who are successful in applying to the program have some college experience with emphasis on math and sciences. The first year involves 2 procedures courses that teach to competence in body mechanics, transfers, general ROM, goniometry, manual muscle testing, superficial modalities and advanced modalities. Neuroanatomical, pathophysiology and documentation studies are covered in lecture courses. The second year includes laboratory coursework in rehabilitation programs for the musculoskeletal and neurologic client. The remaining course in year 2 is lecture based and focuses on role transition and professionalism. After completion of the program, students are required to take the national computer based licensure exam (NPTAE) and computer based jurisprudence exam in order to practice in the state of Ohio.
Clinical Experiences
All clinical education takes place in year 2. In the fall semester, students spend 240 hours/3 days per week in their first practicum. During the spring semester there are 2 separate full time clinical experiences @ 224 hours each. Students spend 4 days per week in the clinic for these 2 practicums. There is a total of 688 hours completed in the clinic setting and each practicum is associated with an on campus seminar. Note that each student will gain clinical experience at three different sites.
Faculty
There are two full-time faculty members. Both faculty members have earned doctoral degrees in physical therapy and one remains engaged in clinical practice. The faculty-to-student ratio is approximately 1:20 in the lecture setting and 1:10 in the laboratory setting.
Enrollment
There are approximately 2,900 full and part-time students at the college with a median age of 25 years. The physical therapist assistant program accepts 20 students to begin each summer semester.
Admission
An application packet (Prospective Student Materials) from the program is available in June via the Zane State College web site (http://www.zanestate.edu/programs/physical-therapist-assistant). All required materials and information must be compiled correctly in an application folder and returned to the PTA office by the specified deadline in January of the following year. This information includes an ACT score of at least 20 or a Health Occupations Aptitude Exam averaged score of at least 50, a high school transcript/GED and transcripts of all college work, and a minimum of 20 hours of physical therapy observation that includes at least two different facility types. Special emphasis is placed on evidence, either through coursework or placement tests, of the ability to do college level math, science and English. Applicants meeting all minimum requirements may be asked to submit a writing sample and/or participate in an interview. Approximately 30% of applicants who meet minimum qualifications are admitted to the program.
Outcomes
Please refer to the most updated outcome data for the program located at http://www.zanestate.edu/files/assets/pta_student_outcomes.pdf.
Tuition, fees and financial aid
At this time, Ohio residents pay tuition of $152 per credit, nonresidents pay $304 per credit hour. Books cost approximately $450 per semester. Financial assistance is available through a variety of grants, scholarships and work-study programs. Information is available through the Zane State College Financial Aid Office.
Student life
Zane State College shares a campus with Ohio University-Zanesville branch campus. Students of both institutions use the library, cafeteria, gymnasium, and play on the same athletic teams. There is a fitness center on campus. The college has an active Student Senate, offers tutoring services and has ready access to computer labs. Housing via apartments is available to students adjacent to the campus. Zane State College has two campus locations. The main campus in Zanesville and our Cambridge campus. PTHA prefix courses are only offered in Zanesville but many of the basic and general education courses are offered on the Cambridge campus.