General Program Description

The PTA program at GCC provides its students with a high quality, supportive learning environment which empowers them to grow personally and professionally. Students are recognized as being unique individuals and are encouraged to explore areas for further actualization of their aptitudes. Our PTA program strives to give its students positive learning experiences that help them develop self-esteem and enable them to competently function as professional Physical Therapist Assistants in all aspects of a diverse and changing health care environment. Please visit our website at www.genesee.edu/academics/programs/Health/PTA/.

Clinical Experiences
Three full-time clinical experiences, ranging from 4-6 weeks in duration, allow students to integrate their academic knowledge and skills. Clinical experiences are located primarily in the Buffalo and Rochester regions. Students are required to complete an inpatient, an outpatient, and a neurologic/specialty experience during their three clinical internships.

Faculty
There are two full-time faculty members. Peggy Kerr, the program director, has been awarded the State University of New York Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in teaching. She has a strong neurological clinical background and has been teaching for over 20 years. Christopher Caputi, the academic coordinator of clinical education, has a strong orthopedic clinical background and has been teaching for seven years. As teachers, we feel that it is a privilege to facilitate our students’ learning and guide them through their professional metamorphosis. We fully support them in this endeavor; however, we cannot do it for them. A program motto is that the faculty will go the extra mile with the student but not for the student. The overall faculty to student ratio is approximately 1:28.

Enrollment
The physical therapist assistant program (PTA) accepts thirty students for the new cohort of students starting the PTA curriculum at the beginning of the fall term every year. Currently, there are 28 freshman and 28 seniors enrolled in the program.

Admission
Genesee Community College accepts applicants whom it determines can benefit from an educational program. However, admission into the Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) program is competitive and therefore selective. Applicants who have submitted a complete application and have a competitive academic background in math, biology, and chemistry and/or physics, will be offered acceptance into the PTA program according to their academic prerequisite score until the class and wait lists are full. Evaluations of applications will begin on January 15 of each year. A second review of applications will occur on June 1st if space remains in the class or wait list after the January 15th review of applications. For the past two years, both the class and wait list have been filled after the January 15 application deadline. The Program Acceptance Rate average for 2014, 2013 and 2012 is 65% of all applicants who met the minimum academic prerequisite score (in math, biology and chemistry) and submitted a complete application by the January 15th deadline were offered acceptance into the program. A new class of 30 students starts the technical course sequence every fall semester. Applicants are adivsed to complete the three academic prerequisite courses (math, biology and chemistry) by the end of the fall semester, so they will have a complete application by January 15th of the same year they desire to start the technical course sequence.

Outcomes
71% of the students starting the program every fall semester complete the program within a 2-3 year interval (average for 2013,2012& 2011); 95% of our graduates passed the licensure exam (3-year average for 2013,2012 & 2011); and 96.5% of our program graduates who were seeking employment were able to secure employment as a PTA within six months of passing the licensure exam. (3-year average for graduating classes of 2013, 2012 & 2011).

Tuition, fees and financial aid
For the 2014-2015 academic year, the annual full-time tuition for New York State residents is $3,850.00 and for out of state residents is $4,450.00. Annual fees and books for PTA courses are $1,500.00. Of all students enrolled in health care fields at GCC, 65% receive financial aid. For information, contact the student financial aid office at 585/345-6900.

Student life
The Center for academic progress offers tutoring, computers with appropriate software in an Assisted Learning Lab, workshops on study skills, and specialized equipment for students with disabilities. Genesee Community College also operates a childcare center on campus, and parking is free. GCC offers an ideal year-round campus because all the buildings are connected to form a mall-like, all-indoor college. Fifty-seven classrooms, laboratories and computer labs; TV, film, photography and art studios; 66,500-volume library; learning center; student lounges; conference rooms; administration offices; cafeteria; childcare center; fitness center; health center; gymnasium and an Olympic-size pool are all housed under one massive roof. College housing for international or non-local students is available. A Student Union opened in January 2006. This 10,500 square-foot complex provides space for students’ co-curricular and social events. The union enhances the College’s growing student leadership programs, its rooms used by clubs and organizations to conduct meetings and work on activities. Featuring large windows revealing the scenic view of the rural countryside, the union is ideal for large gatherings, such as lectures or exhibits. The College’s game room, Student Government Center, and cafe also are housed in the union.