General Program Description
The PTA program is a 2-year integrated curricular design. There are three full-time faculty members. PTA courses begin in the fall semester in late August, and graduation occurs at the end of the spring semester 21 months later in May. PTA classes meet 3 or 4 days a week for the first two long semesters, and students are usually out of class by 3:00 or 3:30 pm. In the third or fourth semester, classes meet daily, and hours vary from day to day. Didactic instruction is completed within the first 4 weeks of the final semester with the second and third clinical experience occurring in the last 12 weeks. NOTE: Students needing to take general education courses must do so during the first year and a half of the program.
Clinical Experiences
Clinical education begins in the summer following the first year of study. Each student completes three internships, all are 6-week, full-time clinical experiences. The first occurs during the summer between the first and second year; the second and third occur just prior to graduation. The majority of sites are located in the Odessa/Midland area, but some travel within a 150-mile radius may be required of some students. Students are placed in an acute care, an orthopedic, and a neurological facility. A limited number of pediatric facilities are also available.
Faculty
There are three full-time faculty members. The faculty to student ratio is approximately 1:9.
Enrollment
Approximately 5000 students are enrolled in university-parallel and occupational/technical credit courses. Between 12-16 students are accepted into the PTA program each fall. There are currently 27 students in the program; greater than 50% of these are transfer students.
Admission
Applicants must be high school graduates or have a General Equivalency Diploma. Applicants must take an admissions examination by March 15 and submit personal references. Applicants must also complete 40 hours of observation, volunteer, or paid work in a physical therapy setting. Students must complete Anatomy and Physiology I and II before beginning the PTA classes but not necessarily before making application. The latest application is accepted March 31; notification is in the fourth week of May. Students range in age from 19-49; and currently 41% of the class is male, 59% female. Didactic instruction includes 26 credit hours of general education courses, 33 credit hours of technical education courses, and 12 credit hours of clinical education courses.
Outcomes
From 2007-2009, approximately 81% of admitted students graduated from the program; 100% of the graduates passed the licensure exam; and 100% are employed.
Tuition, fees and financial aid
Tuition and fees for Texas residents for the 2009 – 2010 academic year were $63/semester hour, (not including books, which average about $1,200.00 for the PTA Program books). Other expenses include uniform, CPR certification, health insurance, immunizations, clinical travel expenses and licensure fees. At least 50% of the students receive some type of financial aid. For more information, contact the Student Financial Services Office at 432/335-6429 and Institutional Advancement Office at 432/335-6665.
Student life
Odessa College is located in Odessa, a west Texas city of approximately 100,000 people midway between Fort Worth and El Paso and 10 miles from the nearest airport. The campus spreads over 80 acres and includes 25 buildings that house more than 150 classrooms, laboratories, and other facilities. Odessa College boasts a $7 million sports center for athletics, physical education, and community recreation activities; KOCV-FM public radio; and the Globe Theatre, an authentic replica of the original Globe of Elizabethan England. Dormitory housing is available and there is adequate, affordable apartment housing.