General Program Description
The PTA program operates on a .5 + 2 academic model. All prerequisite courses must be completed prior to admission to the technical program. The technical portion of the PTA program is four semesters. Students are encouraged to take general education courses prior to starting the technical PTA courses. Students enter fall semester and graduate spring semester of their second year. Further program information and current admission requirements are available on the program’s website.
Clinical Experiences
Each student is required to successfully complete 15 weeks of clinical education. Clinical sites are available primarily in east Tennessee but other locations may be arranged. The current availability of clinical sites provides a variety of clinical experiences. Students are responsible for transportation to and from the clinical sites, housing, meals, and other expenses incurred during clinical experiences. Clinical experiences include a full-time one week clinical during second semester, full-time three week clinical during third semester and full-time four and seven week clinicals during fourth semester.
Faculty
There are 3 full-time faculty members and two part-time lab assistant (adjunct). The faculty-to-student ratio is approximately 1:14 in the classroom and 1:11 in lab.
Enrollment
Walters State Community College consists of four campuses with the main campus located in Morristown, Tennessee. Walters State Community College has a total enrollment of approximately 7,000 students among all four campus sites. The PTA program is conducted on the Morristown campus. The Physical Therapist Assistant Program admits a maximum of 22 students per class, one time each year (fall admission). The Physical Therapist Assistant Program is a limited enrollment program and does not accept out-of-state residents if there are Tennessee residents eligible for admission.
Admission
Students must apply, meet admission requirements, and be accepted by Walters State Community College (WSCC). Students are encouraged to indicate Pre-Physical Therapist Assistant as their desired major, follow college advising policy and complete all required learning support courses. Successfully complete BIOL 2010 and 2011, BIOL 2020 and 2021, and MATH 1530 or 1630 no later than the end of spring semester of the year the student elects to participate in the selection process for the fall semester PTA class. General education requirements are ENGL 1010, PSYC 2130, SPCH 1010 and a HUMANITIES/FINE ARTS ELECTIVE. It is highly recommended that general education requirements be completed no later than the end of spring semester of the year the students makes application to the PTA program. The college requires all degree-seeking students to demonstrate computer competency either by passing an examination or by successfully completing a computer applications course (INFS 1010). Completion of a minimum of 30 hours of observation in a physical therapy practice or employment in a physical therapy practice equivalent to three months of full-time hours is required. This observation must be under the supervision of a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant. Observation hours must be completed during the nine month period preceding the April 15 application deadline. Observation and employment evaluation forms are located on the Physical Therapist Assistant website. ACT composite score of >19 or HESI A2 score of > 80% in reading, vocabulary and math are the minimum scores for ranking purposes. All test scores must be less than 3 years old. PTA application, observation/employment documentation and results of ACT or HESI A2 must be received by the health programs department no later than April 15 of the year the student elects to participate in the selection process for the fall semester class.
Outcomes
Graduation rate: 88% of admitted students graduated from the program (3 year average, 2012-2014). First Time Licensure Pass Rate: 96.9% of graduates passed the licensure exam on the first attempt (3 year average, 2012-2014) Ultimate Licensure pass rate: 98.5% of graduates passed the licensure exam (3 year average, 2012-2014). Employment rate: 100% of graduates were employed as PTAs within six months of passing the licensure exam (3 year average, 2012-2014)
Tuition, fees and financial aid
Tuition is set each June by the Tennessee Board of Regents. Tuition and fees for the current academic year may be viewed on the Walters State Community College Cashier’s Office website – http://www.ws.edu/student-services/cashiers-office/tuition-fees/ Four types of financial aid are available; federal, state, institutional and other sources. Students need to send FAFSA information to the college for consideration for state and/or federal money (lottery scholarships, Pell grants, etc.). WSCC is an eligible institution for Hope (lottery) scholarships. For specific information please contact the Financial Aid Office – http://www.ws.edu/financial-aid/
Student life
The PTA program is conducted on the Walters State Community College main campus located in Morristown, Tennessee. The Morristown campus is located on 134 acres in the beautiful Smoky Mountain region. There are many recreational areas nearby including boating, swimming, hiking and golf. Walters State is a commuter school with a 10 county service region. The college does not have any on-campus housing; however, off-campus rentals are plentiful. Walters State is a member of the Tennessee Community College Athletic Association and National Junior College Athletic Association Region VII and is competitive in men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, softball, and golf. There are a variety of student organizations available including the PTA Club. Morristown has a population of approximately 30,000 and is located 50 miles from Knoxville, Tennessee.