Program Progression Guidelines (PTA)

The PTA Program will follow general College policies regarding probation, suspension, or dismissal from the College as indicated in the Wallace Community College Catalog. However, there are specific circumstances that can lead to the interruption of Program progression. Since all students in the Program have successfully competed for admission, steps will be taken to offer remediation before these actions are taken.

As the curriculum of the PTA Program is cumulative and the performance of the skills learned are dependent upon those learned in earlier courses, it is vital that standards be set to make certain that the students have made satisfactory progress in all areas before they are placed in the clinical setting as a student or as a physical therapist assistant.

1. Types of PTA Courses

   The program faculty will provide students with reasonable opportunities to successfully complete the Program, while maintaining standards that will allow students to demonstrate competencies necessary to complete each clinical affiliation, successfully complete the licensure examination and be competitive in the job market. Faculty will provide remediation activities for students to increase their demonstration of competency of knowledge and/or skills when students do not meet course progression guidelines. However, students must realize and acknowledge that he or she is an adult learner and accept responsibility for his or her own learning outside of learning opportunities afforded by Program faculty.

   1. Lecture Courses
      1. If a student’s grade point average is less than that required for progression in the Program after the second examination, the instructor will schedule a counseling session and a Student Conference Summary Report will be completed.
      2. The Student Conference Summary Report Form will provide suggested activities individualized for the student to facilitate successful completion of the course.
      3. It is the student’s responsibility to follow through on suggested activities.
      4. Failure to achieve a minimum 75% average in the course will result in an interruption of program progression.
   2. Skills Courses
      1. If student fails to pass any single skills assessment during a lab practical with 75% or higher, the student will require remediation on that skill.
      2. If a student fails to complete any identified critical element in a skill, the student will require remediation in that skill.
      3. If a student requires remediation in 25% of skills in any one course during the semester, they will be counseled by the course instructor.
      4. The next failure, in excess of 25%, or failure of the same skill a second time, in a semester will result in suspension from the program.
      5. Remediation activities, determined by the instmctor, and re-test for each skill will be scheduled at the convenience of the instructor. The score from the student’s first attempt on the skill will be recorded.
   3. Clinical Courses
      1. If a student fails the minimum required score on the clinical evaluation tool, the Clinical Education Coordinator will meet with the student’s Cl and discuss suggestions for remediation.
      2. It will be the decision of the Clinical Education Coordinator to determine if remediation is needed and how the remediation will be accomplished.
      3. The student will receive an “I” in that course until the remediation is successfully completed.
      4. Remediation must be completed before the student can progress to the next level of training.
      5. If remediation is required for the final affiliation, the student will not be allowed to graduate until the remediation is completed.
      6. Students can only be remediated in one clinical course during the course of the Program.
      7. The second failure will result in an interruption of program progression.
2. Interruption of Program Progression
   1. A student’s progression in the program may be interrupted if 1) the student fails to meet program progression guidelines or 2) if Program progression is interrupted for any other reason (pregnancy, extended illness, personal reasons, etc.).
   2. Faculty member(s) and the student will meet to discuss the reason(s) for interruption in program progression.
   3. A written letter explaining the terms and processes to be followed will be given to the student.
   4. When an interruption in program progression occurs, the student is ineligible to enroll in any additional courses in the PTA Program until readmission to the program occurs.
   5. If the student wishes to appeal the suspension, he or she must follow the grievance procedure as listed in the Student Handbook/College Catalog.
   6. If, for any reason, program progression is interrupted during a student’s first semester of study, the student must reapply for admission to the program during the next application period. The student is not guaranteed acceptance into the program a second time.
   7. If program progression is interrupted during any semester other than the first, the student can request readmission the following year for the point in the program in which the interruption occurred. Written notification of the intent to return to the program must be received by the Program Director between the first day and midterm of the semester prior to that which the student wishes to reenter, (i.e. If the student was suspended during Spring Semester 2019 and wants to re-enter the Program in Spring Semester 2019, the notice must be received between the first day and midterm of Fall Semester 2019). Admission will be determined by the PTA Faculty based on availability of space in the next class (not to exceed 30 students) and priority.
      Priority will be determined based on the order in which notification of the intent to return to the Program is received by the Program Director. Some remediation may be required. Remediation activities will be determined by Program faculty based upon the point in the Program which the students plans to reenter.
   8. If program progression is interrupted for more than 1 year or if a student fails to meet Program progression guidelines a second time, the student will be required to reapply for admission to the program during the next application period if an attempt at Program completion is desired. The student is not guaranteed acceptance into the program a second time.