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REQUIREMENTS FOR APPLICATION INTO THEPHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT PROGRAMWe do our best to admit students who meet certain requirements so we know they’ll besuccessful throughout the program. After all, PTAs are responsible for people who are ill orhave been injured. To help guide us, standards for the profession are set by the AmericanPhysical Therapy Association and there are laws that must be followed to practice and hold alicense in the State of Ohio. This Program is not easy, and there’s lots of information presentedat a very fast pace. Students are admitted on a competitive, selective admissions basis. Thereis no wait list. You are either accepted to the program, encouraged to apply in the nextapplication cycle or given other options for choosing an alternate career path outside of thePTA program.Now! What you’ve been waiting for! Here are the requirements for the PTA Program. It is bestto give yourself at least one month to meet these criteria. Two to three months is even better.These criteria and any documentation required as evidence of meeting them must besubmitted prior to admission. *Note that the Program Director reserves the right to requestadditional materials to clarify or substantiate requirements.1.Effective January 1, 2020, a student PTA must be at least 18 years-old to begin a PTAProgram. This is a State of Ohio law and not a Zane State College policy.2.You need to show that you’ve earned a cumulative minimum grade point average of 2.5.That can be either from high school, ZSC or another college. Transcripts from pastcollege work must be submitted both to the Registrar and within the application folder.High school transcripts are highly encouraged. If you didn’t graduate from high schoolbut did get your GED, that’s awesome, too! Have one copy of college transcripts andyour high school transcript sent to you for inclusion in your folder. Unofficial copies forthe application folder are fine if you have them.3.You have to show that you’re ready to take college level math and English. There are acouple of ways to do that.A. You may take ZSC's Assessment and Placement Test (Accuplacer). You can sign up forthat through the Testing Center, 740-588-1323. Your scores need to place you intoENGL 1500 and MATH 1050 or 1650.B. If you took the ACT, I can look at your sub-scores. You will need at least an 18 inEnglish and a 21-22 in math. If you place into pre-college level work, you must be ableto complete the pre-college work prior to the deadline for application to the PTAProgram. Being currently enrolled in developmental coursework is not enough. It mustbe completed.Time for some good news! If you’ve earned transfer credit for the Math and English/Composition I courses required in the PTHA curriculum, you don’t need to take theAccuplacer exam.4.From application to degree completion, standardized testing is a significant part of thePTA program process. After graduation, there are a couple of big important exams thatPTA Program & Application Info/June 2021Page 6 of 24

must be successfully passed in order to be allowed to practice as a PTA. Therefore,showing you are good at taking standardized tests is important. Applicants to theprogram have options on how they want to test:A. Option 1: If you took the ACT and scored at least a 20, you’re okay. A word of caution.You earn points on the application based on your score. If an applicant has lower than a25 on the ACT, it is highly recommended that they take the Health OccupationsAptitude Examination or HOAE.B. Option 2: You can take the Health Occupations Aptitude Examination (HOAE) up totwo times. You have to earn a minimum average percentile score of 50. You need toregister to take the test through The Testing Center, 740-588-1323. It’s offered late infall semester so keep an eye on our web site for testing dates. You should take the testand have your scores by the application deadline. This is important because applicantsmay only take the HOAE two times total. Be wise and be as prepared as possible!*Study guides are available for purchase at the ZSC Campus Bookstore and otheroutlets.*If you have both an ACT and a HOAE score, turn them both in and get credit for the onethat earns you the most points.*If you took the SAT, that score will be reviewed and changed to an equal score on theACT.5.Applicants are required to complete a minimum of 16 observation hours. Those shouldbe completed in at least 2 different practice settings. Examples of practice settings arehospitals, skilled nursing facilities, outpatient/sports clinics, schools, and home health. Becertain that you are observing a Licensed PTA or Licensed PT! This is very important. Hoursspent observing other individuals will not count toward your total requirement. Eight hourseach in a minimum of 2 setting types is highly encouraged. Know that it can’t hurt to exceedminimums. Please use the Observation Validation Forms found near the end of this documentto record your hours and obtain needed signatures. Be sure to read the Guidelines forObservation Experience Requirement found later in the document to arrange and be preparedfor your time in the clinic. Note: If you have contacted 5 or more sites for observation andcannot find someone willing to host you, contact Dr. Wahl for further instructions.6.If you’ve never attended college before, that’s fine! If you have, please include alltranscripts from all colleges you’ve attended, including ZSC in your application folder.Unofficial versions are fine for the application folder. Official transcripts from allprevious college work need to be sent to Zane State College’s Registrar so they cancomplete your Transfer Credit Report.Questions about which courses transferred, mustbe directed to the Registrar’s Office at registrar@zanestate.edu.7.If you have earned a degree or certificate, please include it in your folder! Hands-onhealth related fields will be recognized in the scoring process.PTA Program & Application Info/June 2021Page 7 of 24

That should do it! Please turn in ALL MATERIALS AT ONE TIME IN A FLAT, THREE-PRONGED FOLDER – NOTHREE RING BINDERS, please. Use both the COMMON HEALTH PROGRAMS APPLICATION CHECKLIST and the PTAPROGRAM APPLICATION CHECKLIST. Include materials in your folder in the order they are listed.***No item should be sent in individually including transcripts andletters of recommendation.***ALL ITEMS SHOULD BE IN NUMBERED PAGE PROTECTORS AS INDICATED ON THEPROVIDED CHECKLISTS. Don’t stress over how you number the pages. You maywrite directly on the page protectors with a permanent market or use a sticker towrite each number on. *The Program Director reserves the right to request additional information or items to validatereadiness for admission.You don’t have to include the following things but it can’t hurt!8.Everyone is asked to provide proof of meeting all of the above minimum criteria to beconsidered for admission into the PTA Program. There are also otheractivities/experiences that you may want to consider. They could make you stand outabove another applicant if the is a tie in objective scoring. An example would bevolunteer or job experience working directly with people in some helping capacity.Maybe you’ve had physical therapy treatment yourself or helped a family member whowas getting physical therapy.Applicants who have these kinds of experiences may be considered more qualifiedapplicants than those who do not have these experiences. Please include writtendocumentation of volunteer work or job experience from your supervisor. Lifeexperiences related to PT may be written up in a short essay and submitted in yourfolder.9.Letters of recommendation are accepted but won’t be looked at or considered unlessthere is a tie in scoring. You will not automatically receive points for submitting one ormore of these letters.PTA Program & Application Info/June 2021Page 8 of 24

Eligibility and Selection ProceduresAn eligible applicant for the PTA Program is that individual who has:1.Submitted all required materials/documentation.2.Met admission requirements.Only those students who meet eligibility as defined will be given first consideration for admission.All applicant folders will be reviewed and scored. Applicants will be rank ordered on an objective pointsystem from the most qualified to the least qualified. The students with the highest number of pointswill be accepted into the program. The number of students accepted may vary from year to year as maythe scoring rubric based on input from the PTA Program Advisory Committee. It is the responsibility ofthe applicant to stay abreast of these changes.Identification of most qualified applicants versus least qualified is guided by the following statement:The PTA Program Application Requirements reflect minimum standards. Therefore, eligible applicantswho exceed these requirements will be scored higher and considered more qualified than those eligibleapplicants who only meet the minimum requirements.FOR EXAMPLE:An applicant with a high school grade point average of 3.0 exceeds the minimumrequirement of 2.5 and, therefore, will receive more qualifying points than an applicantwith a GPA of 2.5. Additionally, high school students who have successfully completedan advanced biology and/or pre-calculus will earn more points than students completingonly standard biology and algebra.An applicant who has successfully* completed college level work closely related to skills neededby a PTA will receive points. Those courses are: English, math, biology, anatomy andphysiology, and medical terminology. A student who has successfully* completed work inpsychology, sociology, or basic skills courses will not receive points for that coursework.Additionally, overall college GPA is not considered.An applicant who submits validation of more than 3 Career Exploration scenarios will receivemore qualifying points than an applicant that submits the minimum number. Note that I do notpublish the maximum number of scenarios for which points are awarded.*Successful completion of a course is defined as a grade of A, B, or C except English – only A & B receivepoints; higher grades receive more points.Please not that an applicant will receive points for either their high school transcript or their collegetranscript. Both will be scored and credit given for the one earning the applicant the most points.Please DO NOT contact Dr. Wahl regarding your admission status. She will send letters to all applicants.PTA Program & Application Info/June 2021Page 9 of 24

CURRENT SCORING CRITERIA AND WEIGHTIt is the responsibility of the applicant to stay abreast of any changes tothese criteria via the PTA Program Faculty/PTA Program Web Page/Advisors.1. Up to 14 points for:a. High school GPA and gradesORb. College grades*per noted guidelines2. Up to five (5) points for standardized testing scores (ACT or HOAE).3. Up to two (2) points for readiness to begin/completion of the General Education portionof the PTA Program curriculum (BIOL, ENGL, MATH courses).4. Up to two (2) points for PTA Career Exploration.5. One-half (1/2) points for re-applicants who met minimum requirements in a priorapplication cycle. Re-applicants must show evidence of additional relevant coursework,testing or observation hours.6. One (1) point for having previously completed a degree or certificate in a hands-onhealth-related field (as determined by the PTA Program Director).*The PTA Program Advisory Committee has recommended a minimum score of 12 out of apossible 24.5 for an applicant to be considered for admission. The Program Director is given theprerogative to accept an applicant with a score below 12 if there is evidence for potentialsuccess. The PTA Program Advisory Committee has also allowed the Program Director to acceptan applicant who does not meet one or more of the admission requirements. This option willonly be used if all available seats in the program cannot be filled by applicants who meetminimum requirements. These applicants must show potential for success through multiplemeasures.PTA Program & Application Info/June 2021Page 10 of 24

*Note: Please read carefully before beginning your observation experience.PHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT PROGRAMGUIDELINES FOR OBSERVATION EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTObservation or volunteer experience in physical therapy program is an essential requirement forapplication to the Physical Therapist Assistant Program. This is your opportunity to judge yourinterest in the field and learn more about physical therapy. Therapists or assistants providing thisexperience will be requested to verify your participation in writing. Forms are included in thispacket. Sixteen hours, divided between at least two different types of facilities, are recommendedto meet minimum application criteria. It is your responsibility to arrange this experience. Youmay observe more than two facility types and/or complete more than 16 hours.1. Call ahead to arrange an appointment for observation. Explain your interest in a career inthe field. In general, physical therapy clinicians are glad to share information and recruitpotential PTA's. Most facilities have specified times scheduled to spend time withstudents. Note: You may complete observation hours at any facility that is willing tohost you.2. Expect that it may be one to two weeks before the observation time can be scheduled.There is more demand for PT services than there are PT's and PTA’s to provide services.Most facilities are quite busy with patient/client treatment and need to plan ahead forobservation experiences. Do not wait until the last minute to schedule observation hours.3. Some programs have a specific therapist, assistant, or volunteer coordinator designated tocoordinate observation experiences; if so, ask to speak to this person.4. Notify the PT department if you will be late or absent. Be sure to speak directly with thefacility personnel or leave a message with the office staff. Reschedule as soon aspossible. Avoid canceling at the last minute.5. Dress professionally. Even though you are not a part of the program at this time, you arestill viewed as a representative of Zane State College. Please be neat and clean and wearwhat is considered “professional and/or business wear” by the general public. Thisincludes neat hair and nails and no jewelry in piercings other than in your ears.Specifically, no jeans (of any color), no shirts with advertising or writing on it, nooveralls, no warm-up suits/clothing, no sandals, no hats, and nothing sleeveless. It iscommon to wear dress pants or khakis, polo type shirts, blouses, sweaters, and cleanshoes—tennis shoes are acceptable. All clothing should be modest and fit appropriately.6. It is absolutely unacceptable to use your cell phone during observation. Plan to leave it inyour car or turn it off (not on vibrate).7. Be interested. Know as much as possible about the field of physical therapy. Do yourhomework and don't be afraid to ask questions to learn. We suggest: (a) contacting TheAmerican Physical Therapy Association for free information, (b) utilizing the Internet,PTA Program & Application Info/June 2021Page 11 of 24

and/or (c) contacting Zane State College Career Center in the Student Success Center.8. Be ready to ask questions. However, if the therapist or assistant is involved in treatment,you may be advised to hold questions until treatment is completed.9. Conform to any direction from the facility personnel immediately without question in theclinical setting. You may be asked to leave a treatment area if necessary. Wait in a nontreatmentarea and ask questions at a later time. Remember that the patient/client is theclinician’s first responsibility.10. Understand that discussing:(1) a confidence, (2) a disease, (3) a diagnosis or prognosis, (4) family/medical history, (5) a treatment of apatient with other students, friends, or family is a violation of confidentiality.Uphold the patients' right to privacy. You may be asked to sign a written confidentiality form; take thisseriously. It is a legal matter.11. You may be requested to sign some forms to help with record keeping ofobservers/hospital visitors. Remember to ask the therapist or assistant to verify yourobservation in writing and include forms in your application folder.12. When observing PT, be sure to keep interactions related to the scope of physical therapyand the purpose of your visit. Remain professional at all times. If you become involvedin a situation which is uncomfortable for you, seek assistance immediately.PTA Program & Application Info/June 2021Page 12 of 24

Zane State College Physical Therapy Assistant ProgramObservation Validation FormDear Clinician,Thank you for allowing a potential Zane State College PTA student to observe in your facility. Your time is very muchappreciated. Please complete the following items at the student’s last observation time and return the form to thestudent for inclusion in their application folder. Additional comments via e-mail contact are welcome. Thank you,Lori Wahl, PT, DPT, Program Directorlwahl@zanestate.eduStudent Evaluation (please assess the student’s performance at your site)Yes No BehaviorPunctual and adhered to scheduled hoursActively participated in learning experienceDemonstrated appropriate verbal and nonverbal communication skillsClothing/ appearance was professional and appropriateRefrained from using cell phone/wireless deviceAdditional comments (feel free to use the reverse of this page if necessary):has observed physical therapy in the Physical Therapy(Student’s Name)Department at on the following dates and tim

Program Director: Director of Clinical Education Lori L. Wahl, PT, DPT Office: HSH 325B Phone: 740.588.1312 lwahl@zanestate.edu Helen F. Rollins, PTA, MSHE Office: HSH 325B Phone: 740.588.4112 hrollins@zanestate.edu PTA Program & Application Info/June 2021 Page 2 of 24 GENERAL INFORMATION