General Program Description
The program begins in the fall semester and runs fall to spring for 2 academic years. Although the curriculum is integrated with general education courses and science support courses, most of the students have already completed the general education and science courses prior to admission into the PTA program. During the first semester, students typically spend 20 hours per week in class or lab if they are taking only PTA courses. There are two full-time faculty and three other primary part-time instructors in the program. Graduation is in the spring of the second year. The program is excited about the future move for the PTA program into the new Health Sciences Building being constructed on the main campus. This new location will provide updated laboratory equipment and space that is three times the previous lab size.
Clinical Experiences
Students are in clinic 1 day a week in the spring of the first year and 2 days a week in the fall of the second year for two rotations. Their final clinics are in the spring semester of the second year when they are in clinic for two rotations, 4 full days a week. Students experience a total of five different clinical facilities, which usually include a hospital, extended care, outpatient, private practice, rehabilitation, or pediatric setting. All clinical sites are within an approximate 60-mile radius of Chattanooga State. Clinical contact time provides for a total of 696 hours in the clinical setting.
Faculty
There are two full-time and three part-time faculty members. One full-time and all three part-time faculty members are engaged in clinical practice. The program director was published in JOSPT, June 2001 issue. The faculty to student ratio maximum is 1:24 in class and 1:12 in lab. Current faculty provide a significant amount of clinical practice experience and stability for the program.
Enrollment
Chattanooga State has a total enrollment of approximately 10,000 students. The physical therapist assistant program accepts traditionally 20-24 students per year. For the 2010 Fall admissions there were 75 completed applications, with the majority of students being local Tennessee residents. The average age of the class that enrolled Fall 2010 is 27 years old.
Admission
Application deadline is the first Monday in March for the following fall. A special selection and interview process is completed, with notice of admission by May 15. Students may be accepted for their freshman year, however, the norm is for the students to have completed at least 1 year of college work prior to admission. Although there are no required prerequisite courses, preference is given to students who have successfully completed anatomy, physiology, and concepts of physics. Preference is also given to Tennessee residents, although out-of-state students have been accepted–especially those from bordering counties in Georgia or Alabama. Transfer students may be accepted to the college, but a case-by-case evaluation has to be completed to transfer into the PTA program. A typical class is primarily female, with an age range of 19-50 years. Approximately 30% of the students are male and 10% are minority students. Approximately 29% of qualified applicants are admitted to the program (3-year average –2008, 2009, 2010).
Outcomes
80% of admitted students graduated from the program (3-year average – 2007,2008,2009). 100% of graduates taking the licensing exam have passed (3-year average –2007, 2008, 2009 May Graduates) and 100% of those seeking employment found it within 6 months of graduation. The May 2007 graduates had a 100% first time pass rate. The official results from the May 2010 students have not been received from the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy, but as of November ’10, 18/20 are known to have passed, are licensed, and employed as PTAs.
Tuition, fees and financial aid
The estimated total program cost based on prices during the 2010-2011year for tuition, books, fees, liability insurance, uniforms, books, etc, was approximately $93,93.00 for in-state and $28,000.00 for out of state. Financial aid information is available through the Financial Aid Office. There is a Jill B. Kopetz endowed scholarship ($1,000 per year) available exclusively for PTA students—usually awarded to a second year student. Students must currently be in the PTA program to apply for the Kopetz Scholarship.Beginning in the Fall of 2008, a large local outpatient clinic, Benchmark Physical Therapy, has sponsored one second year PTA student scholarship yearly.
Student life
There are no dormitories available on campus. Most of the PTA students commute from home. Chattanooga State is located near downtown Chattanooga and overlooks the Tennessee River—thus the nickname: “College on the River.” Chattanooga is a mid-size city and has an area population of approximately 280,000. Collegiate basketball, softball and baseball teams are available on the campus. There are many recreational areas nearby including boating, swimming, hiking, and golfing. Snow skiing is within a 2 to 3-hour drive. The Tennessee Aquarium is downtown and visited by thousands every year.