General Program Description
The program is a 20-month curriculum of integrated general education requirements and PTA classes that total 78.5 credits. Three clinical experiences for a total of 18 weeks will be performed at a variety of clinical settings.
Clinical Experiences
There are three full-time clinical experiences. Each is 6 weeks in duration. Settings are located throughout the Midwest and include hospitals, rehabilitation centers, pediatrics, long term care facilities, and outpatient clinics. Students are responsible for travel and housing costs during these experiences.
Faculty
The faculty consists of 3 full time instructors, 1 Physical Therapist and 2 Physical Therapist Assistants. The faculty has a combined 64 years of experience and have been working together at Lake Area Technical Institute for 13 years.
Enrollment
Total school enrollment is over 1,800 students. The physical therapist assistant program accepts 28 students each year. The program maintains a ratio of 1:14 in all laboratory classes to allow for close one on one instruction of students.
Admission
When applying to the PTA program, students will be evaluated by the following criteria: ACT reading score or Accuplacer reading exam score and a written essay. Applicants must submit an application to Lake Area Technical Institute and official transcripts from high school and any previous colleges. Students should submit their ACT scores or call the school to schedule an Accuplacer exam time. After watching the informative videos about the physical therapy profession, students will complete the essay questions. The videos and essay questions are located on the program website. All students must complete the requirements to be accepted into the program in the fall semester. Deadline for application is in December for the following academic year. Please refer to the program website for the specific deadline.
Outcomes
The Program has a 3 year graduation rate (2011-2013) of 74%. Student passage of the licensure exam (2011-2013) is 85%. Student placement rate for licensed 2013 graduates was 93%.
Tuition, fees and financial aid
The average costs of tuition and fees are approximately $7200 per year. Financial aid in the form of scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study is available to students who meet the criteria for financial assistance.
Student life
Lake Area Technical Institute does not offer on-campus housing, but rental housing is available within walking or a short driving distance. The Watertown area provides an abundance of outdoor recreational activities including parks, lakes, hunting, and fishing. Students also receive a free membership to the Watertown Community Recreation Center that offers an Olympic-size swimming pool, whirlpool/sauna, handball/racquetball courts, basketball courts, walking track and a variety of aerobic exercise equipment, as well as free weights and a variety of exercise classes.