“This was a very strong group of students that will be assets to the profession,” said program clinical coordinator Dr. Steve Hammons. “We are proud to be a part of their success.”
This is the eighth year in the past nine that the program’s graduates have achieved the milestone. In 2014, only 68 of the 313 programs nationwide achieved a 100% first-attempt pass rate. This pass rate should place the program in a tie for a first place ranking by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy when the rankings are released next spring, said Meade.
Several of the 2015 graduates have been recognized statewide and nationally. Courtney Watts of Kings Mountain was named Kentucky’s New Century Scholar, presented annually to the top community college student in the Commonwealth, in 2014. Watts was also named the recipient of the Mary McMillan Scholarship Award and the APTA Student Assembly’s Outstanding PTA Student for 2015.
Brittany McKee of Bronston was named the Academy of Geriatric Physical Therapy’s Student of the Year for 2015; Kristy Hyden of Prestonsburg was named the National PTA Student of the Year by the Orthopaedic Section and Tyler King of Albany was elected to serve on the APTA Student Assembly Board of Directors.
The class also participated in the winning effort in the 2014 and 2015 Marquette Challenge, a national fundraiser for physical therapy research, with the program being named “Outstanding PTA Program” by the Foundation for Physical Therapy for both years and was named the winner of the APTA’s Student Assembly Challenge in 2013.
2015 PTA Program graduates include: Jason Campbell, Somerset; Derek Davis, Richmond; William “BJ” Hart, Mount Sterling; Kristy Hyden, Prestonsburg; Tyler King, Albany; Brittany McKee, Bronston; Cortnee Morrow, Monticello; Hailey Neal, Albany; Tyler W. Storie, Byrdstown (TN); Candice Tye, London; Jami Vaughn, London; and Courtney Watts, Kings Mountain.
Individuals wishing to learn more about SCC’s PTA Program may contact the program’s director at ron.meade@kctcs.edu.