General Program Description
The PTA program is a two-year program consisting of 25 credit hours in general education work and 47 hours of physical therapist assistant courses. The curriculum can be found on our web site http://www.sjcd.edu/PTA. Upon successful completion of the didactic and clinical components of the program, students are eligible to apply for the state licensure exam in the state of their choice.
Clinical Experiences
One 5 week and two 7 week full-time clinical experiences are integrated with the theoretical course work. They are followed by on-site campus activities associated with the clinical experiences. Each student will complete a variety of clinical experiences.
Faculty
There are two full-time faculty members and two adjunct faculty members. The faculty-to-student ratio for lecture is 1:24 and for lab is 1:12.
Enrollment
San Jacinto College is a three campus college which totals approximately 30,000 students. The South campus, where the PTA program is housed, has approximately 11,000 students. The PTA program admits 24 students each fall semester.
Admission
All admission information and forms are available on line at http://www.sjcd.edu/physical-therapy. Applications are accepted from January 15 through March 1st of the year the student seeks admission. Applicants are evaluated by a selection committee and are admitted on a competitive basis. Applicants must submit applications to both the college and the program, submit official high school transcript or GED, submit official college transcripts for all college course work, three forms of reference, and documentation of at least at total of 40 hours of observation in the field of physical therapy (coming from a combination of inpatient and outpatient facilities). All qualified applicants will attend an interview with the Admissions Committee and be required to write an essay at the time of the interview process.
Outcomes
Approximately 85% of admitted students graduate from the program (class of 2010 and 2011). Pass rate for the National Board Exam is 100% (class of 2010 and 2011).
Tuition, fees and financial aid
Tuition and fees can be found on our college web site http://www.sanjac.edu/future-students/paying-for-college/tuition-fees. Federal and state grants, loans and scholarships are available for eligible students. Inquiries regarding financial aid can also be found on our web site.
Student life
The PTA program, located on the South campus, is in a quiet southern suburb of Houston. We offer free on-site secure parking, testing services, free tutoring, and job placement opportunities. San Jacinto South is minutes away from NASA and Clear Lake and just 45 minutes away from Galveston beaches. We are also just 30 minutes south of the fourth largest city in the United States and the largest medical center in the world. Houston is known world wide for its cutting edge in the medical field while also offering a multitude of museums, theaters, and sporting arenas.