General Program Description
The program is arranged in a 1+1 curriculum format. The academic portion of the program is the responsibility of two full-time faculty. During their second year, students are in class Monday-Thursday, from 8 am-230 pm, and until 12 pm on most Fridays. The program runs from August to August.Generally 20 students are accepted.
Clinical Experiences
The second-year students enrolled in the technical phase spend a total of 14 weeks in clinical experiences. Students spend four Wednesdays in clinic during each Fall and Spring semester. Clinics I and II are each 6-week clinical experiences each and take place in the summer after the academic phase is complete. A variety of experiences are offered, and students are required to complete an inpatient and an outpatient clinical experience during the summer. Most clinical sites are located in the general vicinity.
Faculty
There are two full-time faculty. The faculty to student ratio varies from 1:10 to 1:20 depending on the content of the material and the class format being used. Adjuncts and guest speakers are also used in their areas of specialty.
Enrollment
Roane State Community College has nine campuses located in East Tennessee with a total enrollment of about 6200 students. The physical therapist assistant program admits 20 students per class.
Admission
First-year students enroll in the required prerequisite courses that include hours of general studies. Materials that need to be submitted for the second year include applications to the college and health science programs including applications and transcripts are due by May 15th for admission into class for the following Fall. Minimum requirements for admission are posted on the PTA website and in the catalog. Approximately forty candidates will be selected for interviews from an applicant pool of approximately 80. Twenty students are accepted into the PTA program. Average GPA of students accepted to the program is 3.7.
Outcomes
87% of admitted students graduate from the program (3-year average). 95% of the graduates pass their board exam on the first attempt and become licensed (3-year average). Placement for those graduates seeking employment is nearly 100% (3-year average).
Tuition, fees and financial aid
Instate tuition and fees are $190.00 per semester hour or approximately $2000.00 per semester for a PTA student. Institutional fees average $150.00 per semester. Additional expenses associated with the program are approximately $760.00 per semester. Roane State offers a comprehensive program of financial aid in the form of scholarships, part-time employment, grants, and loans. Most students qualify for some form of financial aid. Financial aid awards are based on financial need, academic achievement, and character.
Student life
Off-campus rentals are plentiful. Roane State competes in men’s and women’s basketball and men’s baseball as a member of the Eastern Division of the Tennessee Junior College Athletic Association. The campus is located in the beautiful Smoky Mountain region. Roane State Community College has its main campus in Harriman, with a branch campus in Oak Ridge. The physical therapist assistant program is located at the Oak Ridge site. East Tennessee is serviced by the McGhee Tyson Airport in Knoxville. Many outdoor activities and cultural events are available to all residents. The University of Tennessee and several major medical centers are within an hour’s drive of both campuses.