a l l e g a n y c o l l e g e o f m a r y l a n d Physical assistant P r o g r a m academic year

Transcription

1 a l l e g a n y c o l l e g e o f m a r y l a n d Physical TheraPisT assistant P r o g r a m academic year

2 about The Profession Physical Therapy is a profession with a long history, an exciting present, and an unlimited future. Physical Therapists are concerned with the restoration of patient function, movement, wellness, and quality of life. This involves working with a variety of conditions including strokes, birth defects, burns, wounds, muscle strains and sprains, broken bones, and many other pathologies. The patient population ranges from the very young to the elderly literally the entire population. Employment is found in home health care, hospitals, schools, nursing homes, private out-patient clinics, sports medicine facilities, emergency care centers the list is a long one. Some of these employment opportunities may be managed or even owned by a Physical Therapist. Physical Therapist Assistants provide patient care and treatment under the supervision of a Physical Therapist. Treatment programs devised by the Physical Therapist are administered by the Physical Therapist Assistant. These include the application of various modalities for the control of pain; instruction in the use of a wide variety of adaptive equipment; patient and family education in the safe performance of activities of daily living; the administration of many different therapeutic exercises; and the utilization of skills to assist debilitated patients to move, walk, or transfer safely. Such abilities, knowledge, and skills require many hours of theory and practice to acquire proficiency. The Physical Therapist Assistant is a highly-trained and important part of the health care team. Program information Program Allegany College of Maryland s (ACM) Physical Therapist Assistant Program is composed of two related but distinct phases. The first phase consists of twenty-eight (28) college credit courses (which can be completed in one to five years) followed by a second phase of technical training which is completed over the course of 15 consecutive months. Admittance into the first phase of the program requires only that a student be admitted to the College as a Pre-PTA student, at which point an advisor is assigned to assist the student with course selection. Acceptance into the second, or clinical phase of the program is, however, competitive and based in part upon proven academic success in the first phase of the program, volunteer experience, an essay, and a professional interview. The concept of the 1+1 program design is simply to offer students the opportunity to complete, at their own pace, the General Education curriculum (Phase I), and then progress to the highly specialized, clinical portion (Phase II) of the Physical Therapist Assistant Program. It allows the high school student time to acquire familiarity with college level demands, and the non-traditional student the a l l e g a n y c o l l e g e o f m a r y l a n d 1

3 P h y s i c a l T h e r a P i s T possibility of accommodating outside commitments. It also affords regional students the opportunity to complete Pre-PTA requirements at other accredited colleges or universities without the need to relocate. There is, however, a recommended five (5) year time limit for the Pre-PTA portion of the program, which is mandatory for Biology requirements, unless otherwise waived by the Program Director. Upon successful completion of Phase I, students are eligible to apply for Phase II, the clinical phase of the program. Phase II of the program is composed entirely of physical therapy coursework and must be taken at the Cumberland campus of ACM. This is an intense course of study over a period of close to fifteen consecutive months, including two semesters and two summer sessions. Travel is required to the clinical sites and two full-time clinical placements. Phase i - Pre-PTA If you plan to take Pre-PTA coursework at ACM, you must apply for and be accepted by the College. You will be assigned an advisor and this person will help coordinate your progression through this portion of the program. Progression may be as a full- or part-time student and all academic activities are planned with your advisor. All Phase I coursework must be completed by the end of the spring semester prior to the beginning of Phase II in order to be considered for acceptance into Phase II of the PTA program. Completion of Phase I coursework does not guarantee acceptance into Phase II of the PTA program. It is absolutely essential that the admissions guidelines published below are strictly followed without exception. Failure to meet prerequisite requirements, application dates, etc., could disqualify a student from consideration. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure all steps are followed correctly. A. Students who attend ACM for Pre-PTA courses must complete the following requirements: submit ACM College application form; complete ACM placement test; and complete an advising appointment with PTA Program Director during fall semester prior to application to program. B. Students who complete pre-pta courses at another institution must complete the following requirements: submit ACM College application form; request official college transcripts to be sent to ACM; request Transfer Evaluation to be completed by ACM; and complete an advising appointment with PTA Program Director during fall semester prior to application to the program. Check with the College Admissions Office for details, needed forms, and information. All students must submit an application and meet all requirements before they can register for courses. 2 a l l e g a n y c o l l e g e o f m a r y l a n d

4 a s s i s T a n T P r o g r a m Pre-PTa course requirements Coursework required for Pre-PTA is listed below. Students must take these courses or agreed upon equivalents as coordinated by their advisor. Courses Total Credits English Speech Mathematics Elective 3 *Biological Science **Biological Science Psychology Elective 3 Psychology Social Science Elective 3 Physical Education Elective(s) 2 Total 28 *This course is non transferable and offered only at ACM. **Biological Science 201 is a combined 207/208 Anatomy & Physiology course. For students transferring from another institution or ACM students seeking transferable credit, Biological Science 207 and 208 may be substituted for Biological Science 121 and 201. Phase ii - Clinical Admission to the PTA Program is competitive, and not all qualified applicants can be accepted. Completion of all prerequisite classes with a C or better does not guarantee acceptance into the clinical program. A point system for evaluation criteria is in place which includes points from the English, Mathematics, and Science classes, points from the remaining general education requirements and points from the volunteer hours, essay response and the professional panel interview. Requirements include: 1. Completion of the ACM College Application Form 2. Successful completion of all General Education courses (Phase I) with a grade of C or better. 3. Achievement of a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 for all Phase I courses. 4. Completion of 40 documented volunteer hours with a licensed Physical Therapist/ Physical Therapist Assistant at two different facilities (20 hours in each facility and performed within the year of application). One facility must be a hospital or long term care setting. The observation forms must be submitted directly to the College PTA Department by the supervising PT at the clinical facility before the May 1st application deadline. 5. Completion of written response to an essay question, which is included in the application form. a l l e g a n y c o l l e g e o f m a r y l a n d 3

5 P h y s i c a l T h e r a P i s T Phase ii - Clinical (cont.) 6. Meeting with the PTA Program Director or Clinical Coordinator within 6 months prior to the May 1st deadline. 7. Submission of ALL application materials to the program director by MAY 1 to be considered for entry during the summer session. Please contact the PTA Program Office for complete application requirements. 8. Successfully complete (70% or higher) the professional interview process. The student is expected to present him or herself professionally and have a basic knowledge of the PTA profession and how it relates to other professions in the health care field. It is the student s responsibility to assure application, essay response, volunteer forms, transcripts, and approval of transfer credits are submitted to the PTA Program by May 1. If enrolled in classes during the spring semester, the student should submit an official copy of their current class schedule. In addition, an official transcript should be sent to the PTA Program immediately upon completion of the spring semester. Note: It is recommended that General Education requirements be completed within five (5) years prior to application to the Clinical Phase II, and it is mandatory for the Biology requirements unless waived by the program director. Students who are transferring from another college must complete all of the requirements listed above in addition to the following no later than the May 1st deadline: a. Submit all official transcripts (must represent all coursework to date) b. Request documented approval of transfer credits by ACM Admissions Office scoring The PTa application - Evaluative Criteria All PTA applications will be evaluated on the numerical scale below. Grade Point Average - Core Classes Total Points English 101, Mathematics Elective, Biological Sciences 121 & 201 (or Biological Sciences 207 & 208) = 5 pts = 10 pts = 15 pts = 20 pts = 25 pts = 30 pts 4 a l l e g a n y c o l l e g e o f m a r y l a n d

6 a s s i s T a n T P r o g r a m Grade Point Average - General Speech, Psychology 203, Psychology Elective, Social Science Elective, Physical Education Elective(s) = 10 pts = 12 pts = 14 pts = 16 pts = 18 pts = 20 pts Volunteer Hours Listening Skills = 5 pts. 25 Verbalization = 5 pts. Interest = 5 pts. Behavior = 5 pts. Professionalism= 5 pts. Essay Response Spelling/Grammar/ Punctuation = 5 pts. 10 Content = 5 pts. Interview Points with Admission Committee Must complete successfully with a 70% points acceptance Admission to the Clinical Phase (Phase II) of the program is limited to 16 students per year, and completion of the above requirement does not guarantee admission. Students will be selected on the basis of the previously stated Evaluative Criteria. In the event of identical scores, the student with the earliest date on the application and observation forms will be ranked higher. NOTE: If a student s overall GPA drops below the required 2.5 in a required Pre-PTA course, the student will lose his/her ranking based on the above criteria/dates and be removed from the qualified list until the student s overall GPA returns to 2.5 or better and he/she makes up the unacceptable grade. Notification for acceptance for Phase II will be mailed no later than June 15. Qualified applicants not selected will be notified as alternates and are encouraged to re-apply for admission the following year. Applications do not carry over from year to year. Students must submit an application for each year they wish to be considered. This includes performing 40 more volunteer hours and resubmitting the essay. a l l e g a n y c o l l e g e o f m a r y l a n d 5

7 P h y s i c a l T h e r a P i s T Phase ii clinical Phase requirements Phase II of the PTA program includes the professional coursework and can only be taken at the Cumberland Campus of ACM. Students should plan for full time school for 15 months (two semesters and one summer session). It is the student s responsibility to be prepared for approximately 40 hours per week of class, lab, clinic, and travel time. This includes travel to a variety of clinics all over the region and may require temporary relocation. Transportation and the cost involved is solely the responsibility of the student. This portion of the curriculum is very intense and does require a substantial commitment of time and effort. A one-day mandatory orientation will be scheduled before the fall start. Prior to starting the fall semester, students must have proof of the following on record with the PTA Program: 1. a physical examination by a licensed, practicing physician indicating good mental and physical health 2. a satisfactory health record, including immunizations 3. CPR Certification for Healthcare Provider 4. First Aid Certification 5. health/medical insurance 6. PTA uniform purchase (includes shirt, ID name badge, etc.) 7. liability insurance 8. criminal background record check (If participating in clinical rotations in Pennsylvania, students must also obtain a Child Abuse History Clearance.) Students will not be permitted to participate in PTA 213 in the fall semester until the following items have been submitted to the Clinical Coordinator. These are all the financial responsibility of the student and are not included in tuition. Additional program costs beyond tuition, lab fees, registration fees, and books are approximately $200. Note: If a student has a criminal background history, he/she can still be admitted to the program. However, he/she may be unable to find clinical site placement or take the licensure examination. It is the responsibility of the student to report criminal background information to the licensure review board prior to sitting for the exam. During enrollment any official change or the initiation of any governmental proceeding affecting the information revealed by the required criminal or child abuse background check must be reported immediately by the student to the director of the PTA program. 6 a l l e g a n y c o l l e g e o f m a r y l a n d

8 a s s i s T a n T P r o g r a m Fall SemeSter - 15 weeks Course Title Credit PTA 201 Introduction to PTA 2 PTA 203 Pathology I 2 PTA 205 Modalities I 3 PTA 207 Procedures 3 PTA 209 Clinical Kinesiology 4 PTA 213 Clinical I (8 hrs 12 weeks) 2 Spring SemeSter - 15 weeks Course Title Credit PTA 204 Pathology II 2 PTA 206 Modalities II 3 PTA 208 Princ. of Rehab. 4 PTA 210 Therapeutic Exs. 4 PTA 214 Clinical II (40 hrs 3 weeks) 2 Second Summer SeSSion - 15 weeks Course Title Credit PTA 216 Trends 1 PTA 218 Practicum I (40 hrs 6 weeks) 5 PTA 219 Practicum II (40 hrs 6 weeks) 5 Phase II coursework must be completed with a C or better with the student having maintained an overall 2.5 GPA, or the student will not be able to proceed in the program. PTa Program costs Tuition is based on students residency. There are three tuition rates: in-county, out-ofcounty, and out-of-state. Students should check with the ACM Business Office, the current ACM catalog, or the PTA Department Office for current rates. In addition to tuition, students will be responsible for a registration fee, student fee (cost is based on a per-credit-hour rate), and technology fee. Some courses have lab fees. Check the current catalog for further information. PTA students will also have expenses unique to this program. They include: liability insurance, APTA membership, health insurance, PTA uniform (including name tag, patch, and ID picture), criminal background check fee, a Learning Harbor cost, and travel expenses. Students should check with the Business Office for the current fee schedule. The cost of textbooks is approximately $825 in the fall semester and $175 in the spring semester a l l e g a n y c o l l e g e o f m a r y l a n d 7

9 P h y s i c a l T h e r a P i s T SemeSter tuition, FeeS and other charges All tuition, fees, and other applicable charges are payable in full to ACM by the first day of the semester in order to avoid finance charges. For courses starting after the beginning of the semester, payment is due on the first day of classes. Payment can be made by cash, check, money order or credit card. Credit card payments can be made any time by phone by dialing and following the instructions. The College accepts VISA and Master Card payments. Credit card payments can be made online through our website ( by clicking on Student Web Services and following the instructions. The student can choose to defer payments throughout the semester. Statements will be sent monthly and a finance charge will be applied to the unpaid balance. Payments deferred in anticipation of an approved scholarship or other approved third party funding, such as financial aid, will not be subject to finance charges. Final payments will be due at the end of the semester. Based upon the availability of carriers, the College will offer accident insurance to all students at prevailing rates. Students may elect to participate in this group insurance opportunity. Interested students should contact the Business Office. health manpower Shortage program Maryland Residents (other than Allegany County) are eligible for In-County Tuition. The Physical Therapist Assistant Program at ACM has been designated as a Health Manpower Shortage Program by the Maryland Higher Education Commission. This means that Maryland residents from counties other than Allegany who are registered as PTA or Pre-PTA students will pay in-county tuition. Check with the Admissions Office for complete information. Some restrictions apply. financial assistance A variety of financial aid services are available through the college. Students should apply for financial aid by March 15. Contact for additional information. In addition to tuition subsidies and other special rates, students may qualify for Federal Financial Aid and for Foundation Scholarships. please contact: The Financial Aid Office or 5400 The ACM Foundation - Scholarship Information The Bedford County Regional Foundation The Somerset County Campus Foundation a l l e g a n y c o l l e g e o f m a r y l a n d

10 a s s i s T a n T P r o g r a m housing information The ACM Admission and Registration Office can provide a list of housing resources in the Cumberland area. In addition, Willowbrook Woods residential facility is in close proximity (within walking distance) to the Allied Health Building and campus in general. For more information, call or check the web site at: accreditation Allegany College of Maryland is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and by the Maryland Higher Education Commission. Upon successful completion, students are eligible to apply for Associate of Applied Science degree in Physical Therapist Assistant and take the state licensing exam. Not until successful completion of this examination can one work as a Physical Therapist Assistant. The Physical Therapist Assistant Program of Allegany College of Maryland has been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education of the American Physical Therapy Association, 1111 N. Fairfax St., Alexandria, VA 22314, Phone: , website: Allegany College of Maryland does not discriminate against students or prospective students for reasons of race, sex, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, age, veterans status, conditions of disability, or sexual orientation in admission, educational programs and activities, scholarship and loan programs, or any terms and conditions of enrollment. The College complies with applicable state and federal laws and regulations prohibiting discrimination. a l l e g a n y c o l l e g e o f m a r y l a n d 9

11 for additional Program information, Please contact: Karin e. Savage, pt, dpt program director Jeremy oldham, BS, pta academic coordinator of clinical education Jamie andres Faculty/administrative Secretary Willowbrook road, se cumberland, md w w w. a l l e g a n y. e d u 8/10