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Physical Therapy Assistant Program
Expands
Northeast Alabama Community College, in cooperation with Wallace
State Community College (WSCC) in Hanceville, is pleased to
announce the admission of the second group of off-campus
Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) Program students who will
begin classes at NACC spring semester 2009. This unique
partnership, one of the first of its kind in the nation, affords
local students the opportunity to access a fully accredited PTA
program at their home campus at Northeast.
The PTA Program at WSCC has been fully accredited since 1990,
serving students throughout northern Alabama. The program
requires one year of basic prerequisite classes including
English, math, speech, humanities, psychology and sciences.
Students then apply to WSCC for the final three (3) semesters of
the program. Traditionally, the program year of classes was only
available on-campus in Hanceville. Now students admitted to the
off-campus sites can access the final year of the program at
NACC, through a combination of traditional, online and
laboratory classes.
The Physical Therapy Assistant program has opened doors of
opportunity to students who might otherwise have settled on
another career field. For example, some students will make their
decision on career training choices based upon the availability
of childcare, available hours in their day, and of course the
economics of being on the road long hours each day, perhaps even
the need to rent an apartment near their training program site.
“I believe the Linkage partnership with Wallace State Community
College has enhanced the opportunities for people in our area to
pursue careers that might not otherwise be available to them
from a practical or logistical standpoint,” said Roger Wootten,
contact person for the program on the NACC campus.
Local students who are accepted into the PTA program benefit by
not having to commute for up to three hours each day, which can
free up time for study and family responsibilities. Students are
also better able to meet their limited budgets by saving on fuel
and automobile maintenance expenses.
The program has been well-received by local students. Josh
Rogers, a NACC student from Henagar is currently completing his
second semester of the PTA Program. “The NACC program has helped
me tremendously,” reports Rogers. “The money I save in gas and
travel related expenses each week allows me to not have to work
a full-time job while I am in school. Plus, the smaller class
allows for more one on one time with the instructor.”
Beth Jackson from Flat Rock has also taken advantage of the
NACC/WSCC partnership. “Having the PTA program closer to home
means a great deal to me. Less time on the road means more study
time and less gas money. I also have enjoyed having a small
close-knit class. These people have become family to me during
our quest to become PTAs. I am very thankful that this
opportunity was available for me,” said Jackson.
The PTA Program is under the leadership of DeKalb County native
Alina Smith Adams. Ms. Adams is a graduate of Crossville High
School and completed her degree in physical therapy from the
University of South Alabama in 1991. Ms. Adams has been director
of the PTA Program since 1993. “We have served students in the
DeKalb and Jackson county area for a number of years,” says
Adams. “Finally we can bring that same quality education to them
much closer to home.” Students enrolled in the Rainsville campus
expansion can expect to travel to Hanceville only one day per
week. Housed in a classroom in Northeast’s new Health Education
Building, students are taking lab classes under the instruction
of seasoned WSCC PTA instructors utilizing the same equipment
and resources traditionally available only in Hanceville. “We
are thrilled with our Rainsville location,” says Adams,
“Everyone at NACC has gone out of their way to make us feel
welcomed.”
“We are very pleased to provide this program in conjunction with
Wallace State Community College,” stated Dr. David Campbell,
NACC President. “When we opened our new Health Education Center,
we wanted to expand the programs that we can offer in the health
care field, because this is a great area of need in our area and
the nation as well. By working with Wallace State, we are able
to make this program available to students in our immediate
area. This program is an excellent example of how colleges can
form partnerships with other colleges or agencies to provide
services and at the same time controlling operational costs. We
are very appreciative of Wallace State and WSCC President Vicki
Hawsey in working with us to establish this program.”
Students interested in the PTA Program expansion are encouraged
to visit the WSCC website for more information. The PTA Program
Web site can be accessed at
www.wallacestate.edu
hen click on “Programs” and choose PTA from the list. The job
outlook for PTA graduates is extremely good, which makes program
admission very competitive. Currently the program is receiving
twice as many applications as they have space available. In
addition, program accreditation standards limit the off-campus
expansion sites to only ten (10) students per location.
Prospective students should begin preparing early by keeping
their grades high in prerequisite classes.
For more information, contact Adams at WSCC at 1-866-350-WSCC or
256-352-8332 or by e-mail at
alina.adams@wallacestate.edu.
Wootten can be contacted at Northeast at phone ext. 355 or by
e-mail at woottenr@nacc.edu.
Physical Therapy Assistant students are
pictured in one of the classroom/laboratory settings at NACC.
Front, left to right: Beth Jackson, Sheree Tate, Krissy Gossett,
Tina Davis, Kade Harris. In the background, left to right, are
Josh Rogers, Tyler Hamilton, Jason Gibson, and Tamaron Bridge.
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