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PTA Program
FAQ's
SSU PTA Program Frequently
Asked Questions: 2008
For High School Juniors and Seniors
How do I enter the program as a freshman, just graduating from High
School?
-
A
freshman entering from high school may apply
post-secondary coursework or dual enrollment credit toward the 12
preparatory courses that all students are required to take prior
to entrance into the core PTA courses.
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Students will have one year of college work
completed before entering the core program.
Where do I start in the application
process?
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Apply to SSU at the on-line link provided on
SSU home
page or you may apply in the Office of Admissions in person.
Send all relevant high school transcripts to the Office
of Admissions.
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Print the online application packet and follow the instructions,
completing the job shadowing and autobiography/application
forms.
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Contact health science representative,
Cindy Haney at 740/351-3209 or email
chaney@shawnee.edu if
any questions or contact program secretary, Penny
Merritt at 740/351-3225 or email
pmerritt@shawnee.edu
to set up an appointment for a tour.
How do I complete job
shadowing hours?
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Download and print the current PTA application packet from the
online link.
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Locate a facility at which you will shadow.
40 hours in at least
2 different settings are required.
The yellow pages are a source of referral
for sites, or you may call the Program Faculty for others.
Document the hours on the form found in the online packet. A
licensed PT or PTA must be on site and shadowed. They will
provide some basic evaluation of your appearance, attitude, and
professionalism.
What does professionalism have to
do with my training?
- Students are expected to act and speak in a
professional manner, similar to the practicing PTA. The Mays Professional
Abilities and the APTA Core Values are resources and assessments
that are used in the program to promote these ideals.
- Students not meeting acceptable levels of
professionalism consistently will be advised and placed in a
remediation/behavioral change plan.
For Continuing college students or non-traditional
students:
How do I transition to PT school from here?
PTA to DPT-Doctor of Physical Therapy-transition
- There are a few options-one route is to plan
for and pursue the special transition program at University of
Findlay in OH, Loma Linda University in CA, or Mercy
College in NY. Each has a program that will assist the PTA in
making the change to PT. Each requires a bachelor's degree in a
related field such as biology, exercise science, sports mgmt.,
or psychology. These are competitive in entry, with a minimum of
3.0 GPA in most cases.
- Another option is to apply directly to any PT
program, after checking the education tab at our parent
association web site: www.apta.org.
Keep in mind that the PT entry-level degree is rapidly moving to
DPT within the next 5-10 years, per the APTA-Vision 2020
statement.
- The difference in the two career paths lies
in the PT's higher level of training and practice in the areas
of administrative, supervisory, and evaluative functions. The PTA is trained in
patient assessment, many interventions, therapeutic exercise,
patient communication, and documentation. The
starting salary is at least 30-33% higher for the PT and it tops out
higher than the PTA salary range over time.
What is the alternate list?
- SSU utilizes a yearly alternate list. Any
student whose overall score does not place them into the
top 24 seats is "on standby" status for that year's class.
- Students may re-apply each year until their
portfolio qualifies them for acceptance.
How do I qualify if I do not
have a current ACT or high enough ACT (or SAT ) on file?
- Students coming from a non-traditional
background or who have low high school scores may use the
Replacement option: 15 semester hours of math or science courses at a
college level with a 2.5 GPA replaces the
minimum score of 5 points for the ACT.
Am I required
to travel out of state to attend clinicals?
- No, but it is highly recommended that
students spend one five week clinical farther than 2 hours drive
from campus or home. Students need to plan for the costs of
clinical, books, and transportation.
I have a felony on my record-how
may this impact my training and licensure?
- Students with a history should
check in advance with the licensing board(s) to find out if the
particular felony would be a barrier in obtaining licensure
after graduation. Some clinical sites are now requiring
background checks in the pediatric and geriatric settings.
(see Relevant Links for web sites)
- Some clinics are also requesting drug
screenings, and positive results of either criminal or drug use
may delay or make it very difficult to find clinical experiences
that will complete the training.
- The program is now requiring a federal and
state level criminal background check, after acceptance into the
program, and subsequently the Ohio PT Licensing Board needs the
same check near the time of graduation, prior to sitting for the national PTA licensure
examination.
What does accreditation have to do
with my training?
- The accrediting body specifically approves
and checks the quality of our program on an annual basis. The program must follow this body's prescriptive
criteria in order to maintain eligibility for
graduates to sit for licensure exams after graduation.
What about licensing?
- To obtain licensure, a
three-hour multiple choice exam is offered at any Sylvan/Prometric
Center.
- The program supplies a professional company
to prepare students for the exam during the last semester of
training.
The Physical Therapist Assistant Program at
Shawnee State University is accredited by the Commission on
Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) at the American
Physical Therapy Association 1111 N. Fairfax St. Alexandria, VA
22314 Telephone 703-706-3245 email:
accreditation@apta.org
web site: www.capteonline.org
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