Roane State Community College

The Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) Program prepares students to assist the supervising physical therapist in providing physical therapy care.  The 1+1 curriculum design includes the equivalent of one year of general education coursework and a second year of physical therapy technical courses. All first-year program prerequisites must be completed prior to being considered for admission into the second year.   The program is competitive and draws many applicants.  A maximum of twenty students are selected based on academic performance, recommendation scores (based on clinical observation assignment as a part of PTAT 2210 -Introduction to Physical Therapy) and interview scores.  Those not accepted can apply for the following year or seek advisement on other possible career options.

Once accepted into the PTA program, the student begins the second year (technical phase) which includes academic and laboratory components taught at the Oak Ridge campus, and clinical components located in regional healthcare facilities.  The second year requires full-time participation and lasts one calendar year from August to August.  Second year students will be required to attend an orientation session and be certified (and maintain certification) in Basic First Aid and Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers (CPR) through the American Heart Association prior to the start of classes.  Classes taken during the second year must be taken in sequence and require a full-time course load. During the second year, students may be required to travel within the East Tennessee region to clinical facilities.

Admission Policies for Allied Health Sciences A.A.S. Degrees

In addition to general entrance requirements for the Allied Health Sciences programs, the applicants for the PTA program must:

1. Complete all first-year general education courses (prerequisites) by the program application deadline.  Required science courses older than 5 years at time of program admission will not be considered. 
2. Submit all admission materials, including applications, final transcripts and spring semester grades by May 15th of the year applying. Those applicants who fail to have documents in by the deadline will not be considered in the applicant pool.
3. Obtain a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or better in the required general education courses for the program.
4. Obtain a "C" or better in each of the required first year general education courses.
5. Complete 12 hours of clinical observation under the supervision of a licensed PT or PTA (completed in PTAT 2210 -Intro to Physical Therapy) 
6. If selected, participate in an interview with PTA program representatives.  Students will receive notification of the interview through their RaiderNet email.

1st Fall			Hours
ENGL	1010	Composition I	3
BIOL	2010	Human Anatomy and Physiology I	4
MATH	1530	Introductory Statistics	3
ALHS	1211	Terminology for Medical Communications	2
		TERM TOTAL	12
Action Items
	Oct	Meet with Success Coach or Advisor Attend Group Advising Session Complete FAFSA for upcoming fall term
	Nov	Register for next term
1st Spring			Hours
PHIL	1040	Introduction to Ethics (Recommended) OR Humanities Elective	3
BIOL	2020	Anatomy and Physiology II	4
PSYC	2130	Lifespan Development Psychology (Recommended) OR PSYC 1030  Introduction to Psychology	3
PTAT	2200	Introduction to Physical Therapy	2
		TERM TOTAL	12
Action Items
	Jan	Apply to PTA Program through Raidernet
	Mar	Meet with Success Coach or Advisor
	April	Register for next term
	Post	Interview for PTA Program Candidates Accepted Informational meeting for accepted students
2nd Fall			Hours
PTAT	2410	Kinesiology for the PTA	4
PTAT	2440	Biophysical Agents for the PTA	4
PTAT	2460	Patient Care Skills for the PTA	4
PTAT	2370	Professional Development for the PTA	3
PTAT	2190	Integrated Clinical Education I	1
		TERM TOTAL	16
Action Items
	Aug	Mandatory orientation for new candidates
	Sept	Complete criminal background check and CPR Complete Application for Graduation
	Nov	Register for next term
2nd Spring			Hours
PTAT	2530	Medical and Surgical Conditions for the PTA	5
PTAT	2510	Musculoskeletal Conditions and Treatment for the PTA	5
PTAT	2520	Neuromuscular Conditions and Treatment for the PTA	5
PTAT	2170	Professional Development for the PTA	1
PTAT	2191	Integrated Clinical Education II	1
		TERM TOTAL	17
Action Items
	Feb	Take Exit Exam (ETS Proficiency Profile)
	Mar	Apply for Tennessee License Register for Summer term
	May	Register to take NPTE
2nd Summer			Hours
PTAT	2280	Seminar for the PTA	2
PTAT	2493	Terminal Clinical Education I	4
PTAT	2494	Terminal Clinical Education II	4
		TERM TOTAL	10
Action Items
	July	Take NPTE Begin job search using RaiderRecruit
		TOTAL HOURS	67

Program Application Deadline: May 15

 

Students pursuing this program will be advised by the Allied Health Sciences Division.

This program is designed for students who plan to enter the workforce upon graduation. Students intending to transfer to a baccalaureate program are advised that they should check with their academic advisor and the four-year institution regarding specific transfer of courses.

The Physical Therapist Assistant Program at Roane State Community College is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Avenue, Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; telephone: (703) 706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org; website: http://www.capteonline.org

http://www.roanestate.edu/?5956-Physical-Therapist-Assistant