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Physical Therapist Assistant

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Physical Therapist Assistant

Associate in Applied Science (AAS)

Offered through Health Professions

@ Forest Park

This physical therapist assistant program prepares you to assist physical therapists in providing therapy services to a variety of patients. This often includes helping patients perform exercises in order to increase strength and mobility and enabling patients to perform everyday activities like walking, climbing stairs and dressing. This page will help you understand the physical therapist assistant degree cost as well as the classes we offer at STLCC.

Required Courses

The semester-by-semester plan blends general education requirements with options for areas of concentration to ensure students get the most out of their certificate or degree.

Completion of the program requires two full academic years and the intervening summer semester, beginning in the fall. In the first year, students take general education and related science courses. During the second year, students concentrate solely on core PTA courses, some of which involve full-time clinical work that provides valuable, real-world experience to prepare for a professional career. Students must take the PTA courses in the sequence and semester in which they appear in the course of study.

Note: Beginning with the entering class of Fall 2024, BIO 207, Anatomy & Physiology I, is now an admission requirement for the PTA program.

Program Contact

Christie Cohoon, PT, DPT, OCS

Email

ccohoon1@stlcc.edu

Phone

314-644-9158

Overview

The Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) is an associate in applied science degree and is a 68-credit-hour program that prepares students for a career in physical therapy. The Physical Therapist Assistant program can help students achieve a rewarding career that makes a difference in people’s lives. Along with other health care practitioners, PTAs help people regain their lives after illness or trauma. To achieve the goals established by the physical therapist, the PTA helps patients:

  • Improve strength and mobility
  • Relieve pain
  • Regain the use of an affected limb
  • Learn to use artificial limbs, braces, crutches and wheelchairs
  • Improve overall fitness

Completion of the program requires two full academic years and the intervening summer semester, beginning in the fall. In the first year, students take general education and related science courses. During the second year, students concentrate solely on core PTA courses, some of which involve full-time clinical work that provides valuable, real-world experience to prepare for a professional career.

Accreditation

The PTA program at St. Louis Community College is accredited by the

Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE)
3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100
Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085
Telephone: 703-706-3245
Email: accreditation@apta.org
Website: capteonline.org

If needing to contact the PTA program directly, please call Christie Cohoon at 314-644-9158 or email ccohoon1@stlcc.edu.

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Program Financial Fact Sheet

Clinical Experience

The program includes 15 weeks of full-time clinical experience under the supervision of a licensed physical therapist or physical therapist assistant:

  • STLCC has clinical contracts with many facilities in the St. Louis area, as well as throughout Missouri, Illinois and other surrounding states.
  • Our contracts include hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, outpatient facilities and schools.
  • There are three different clinical courses in the last year of the program for a total of 15 weeks. All clinical assignments are full-time, 40 hours per week.
  • The PTA program develops these clinical sites and is responsible for assigning each student. The student is not responsible for establishing his/her own clinical placements.

Hospitals and facilities may mandate that a criminal background check and/or drug screening check (at the student’s expense) be conducted prior to placement in a clinical or field setting. Students not passing these checks may be prohibited from participating in the clinical or field experience thus rendering the student ineligible to satisfactorily meet the course and program requirements.

Licensure

Upon completion of this program students earn an Associate in Applied Science degree and are eligible to sit for the national licensure examination for the physical therapist assistant administered by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT). Licensure is required in Missouri and most other states.

To File a Complaint: https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?StLouisCC&layout_id=2

 

 

St. Louis Community College's PTA program was established in 1984 and is the oldest PTA program in the St. Louis metropolitan area. It is a well-established, affordable program with an excellent pass rate. The program has a very low attrition rate and a high licensure exam pass rates.

Many of the professional courses in the second year of the program require additional hours in the afternoon for completion of practical evaluation. See the program director for specific questions regarding scheduling of courses.

Once admitted to the program, science and professional courses must be taken, as outlined, in the proper sequence and within the prescribed time frame. See the semester-by-semester plan.

Students from the STLCC PTA program have received the Outstanding Missouri Student Physical Therapist Assistant award for seven years since 2013. This affirms the quality of program and the students it produces.

Because of the heavy academic and clinical load, students should not anticipate holding full-time jobs while enrolled in the program.

Each year, 32 students are accepted on a first come – first serve basis. Of that 32, five positions are available for potential priority admission for individuals who already have earned a bachelor’s degree.

In order to facilitate the entry of students in the available spaces, a waiting list is used. A student is placed on the waiting list once program application prerequisites have been met and a program application has been submitted. Placement on the waiting list is based solely on the date of application. Students will be sent a letter each fall while on the list asking for their intentions to pursue admission to the program. Failure to respond to this letter by the deadline will result in removal from the list. Letters will be sent in the spring to those being offered admission to the program in the fall semester. All those receiving letters must attend a mandatory program orientation scheduled in late April/early May.

The PTA program is a selective admission, college-level program. Students must have successfully completed specific requirements prior to application, including:

  • high school or college cumulative grade point average of 2.5
  • minimum placement test scores or successful completion of specific courses
  • successful completion of “Anatomy & Physiology I” or Biology 207 within the last five years

The Associate in Applied Science degree for Physical Therapist Assistant is not equivalent to the first two years of a doctoral degree in Physical Therapy.

Credits that transfer: STLCC’s Physical Therapist Assistant program has established an articulation agreement with Maryville University for the benefit of students who wish to continue their education and earn a Bachelor of Arts in Practice Management, or a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Leadership.

PTA Program Admission Requirements

In compliance with St. Louis Community College policies, the PTA program is committed to nondiscrimination with respect to race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information or status as a disabled or Vietnam-era veteran.

Becoming a physical therapist assistant requires the completion of a technical education program that is both intellectually and physically challenging.

PTA program Technical Standards

The student can expect to incur some fees/expenses while enrolled in the PTA program and upon graduation. While enrolled these fees include, but are not limited to:

Maintenance fees for pre-requisite, general education, and PTA courses:

  • In District -

    $122/credit hour

  • Out of district -

    $171/credit hour

  • Out of state -

    $233/credit hour

Textbooks and course materials: Students are expected to purchase the required textbooks and course materials for PTA courses each semester. These can cost anywhere from $300-$800 per year.

Health insurance: All PTA students are required to carry personal health insurance during the second year of the program at your expense. Students are also required to have liability insurance each semester for clinicals which is covered by the college through tuition fees.

Castlebranch Compliance Tracker: Required for the student to upload PTA program paperwork requirements. The cost is $27.50.

Family Care Safety Registry: Required for placement at clinical sites. Will cost approximately $15.

Criminal background check: Required for placement at clinical sites. Will cost approximately $14 and up depending on the number of states you’ve lived in.

Drug screen: Required for placement at clinical sites. Approximately $35.

PTA program shirt/ lab coat/uniform: PTA program shirts are strongly recommended for off-site labs, field trips, skills practical checkouts, etc. they are $25. Some clinical sites require a lab coat, uniform or scrubs that you would be responsible for acquiring.

Clinical Education Expenses: Students are responsible for potential expenses related to of clinical activities (i.e. gas, transportation costs, housing if applicable, etc.)

APTA Membership: Student membership in the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) is a requirement for the final semester of the program. Joining the organization will entitle you to journals, communications, special conference, programs, etc. It will keep you informed of important legal, ethical and practical issues and guide you in your professional growth. Several of our graduates have been honored by the Missouri Physical Therapy Association. Cost for student membership is $100.

For 2022, the total cost of the program was estimated at $9,288 in-district and $12,620 out of district for two years taking all courses in the curriculum.

After graduation:

Licensure Examination: Examination and processing costs will be approximately $600.

Licensure fees: Maintaining your license will be approximately $50 every two years.

Financial Aid Information

  • St. Louis Community College provides a comprehensive financial aid program funded by federal, state and private agencies.
  • STLCC provides a Cost Calculator to help students estimate costs.
  • For information on STLCC Scholarships
  • FAFSA

All PTA students must maintain satisfactory progress toward their educational goals. Satisfactory progress will be determined based on the grading system and policies stated in the PTA Program Handbook that is distributed at orientation.

Letter grades will be used to indicate student performance for each course. Students will be provided an update on grades at midterm and end of course.

Students must complete all academic courses (general education requirements, biology courses, and PTA courses) before progressing to the Level II clinical education courses (PTA 216: Clinical Education IIA and PTA 217: Clinical Education IIB).

Retention Policy:

Students must earn a "C" (74%) or above in all PTA and biology courses and maintain an overall G.P.A. of at least 2.0 (C).

Students receiving a "D" or below 74% in PTA or biology courses must repeat these courses. Only one repeat is allowed. The student may not enroll in a course more than two times without an appeal to the Selection and Retention committee. If repeating these courses puts a student out of the program sequence, the student will be able to continue at a later date only if space is available.

No PTA course may be repeated more than once, or enrolled in more than twice without review by the retention committee.

Students may only repeat/re-enroll in PTA courses on a space available basis.

More information regarding specific classroom and clinical education grading policies is available in the student handbook which is distributed at orientation.

Graduation Rates

Graduation Year Graduation % Rates
2020 87%
2021 88%
2022 91%
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Two-year averages for 2021-2022 = 89.5%

Licensure Rates

Graduation Year Licensure Pass Rate
2020 92.3%
2021 100%
2022 95%
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Two-year averages for 2021-2022 = 97.5%
First-time pass rate average for graduation years 2021-2022 = 78%

Employment Rates

Graduation Year Employment Rate
2020 100%
2021 100%
2022 100%
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Two-year averages for 2021-2022 = 100%

Waiting List Information:
stlcc-physicaltherapist@stlcc.edu

Academic Advising:
314-539-5465 or advising@stlcc.edu

Admissions:
Forest Park
314-539-5005 or fp-admissions@stlcc.edu

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Cost of Attendance

For more information on cost of attendance visit MoSCORES.

Program Career and Salary Information

Pursuant to Missouri HB 1606 (2018), information regarding the number of credit hours, program length, employment rate, wage data, and graduates employed in careers related to their program of study at St. Louis Community College can be found at https://scorecard.mo.gov/. Search using School / Program “St. Louis Community College” and choose the degree or credential type of interest.

The following limitations to the data apply - Information provided is based on the most recent cohorts available. Typically, most recent cohorts for wage and completion data are six years prior to the current academic year. Time to complete a program of study varies depending on the number of credit hours students earn per semester.

Contact Us

Hours for all campuses: Monday-Thursday 8 a.m.-7 p.m., Friday 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

All Locations

314-539-5004
askus@stlcc.edu

 
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