The first semester courses begin in January and continue through the month of April. Most classes are held on the campus of MTSA and attendance is mandatory (see Attendance Policy). Course work and time in the Simulation Lab are typically scheduled Monday-Thursday of each week. This semester includes intense training and preparation to enter the clinical rotations in the third semester.
Semester Two begins in May and continues through the end of August. Course work and time in the Simulation Lab is scheduled typically Monday-Thursday of each week. This semester continues intense training and preparation to enter the clinical rotations in the third semester. After the successful completion of classwork and Simulation check-offs, the students are honored in the White Coat Ceremony to mark their progression into the clinical setting.
Semester Three begins in September. At this time the class is divided into groups A and B. This division is utilized for clinical assignments. For semesters three through five clinical assignments are on Monday, Thursday and Friday. Classes will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday. Simulation can occur on days not assigned for clinical. Vacation breaks are scheduled at the end of each semester. Each group (A and B) will be assigned to one full week of vacation (M-F and one weekend) and then one full week of clinical. While group A is on vacation, group B will have a daily clinical assignment. The other week while group B is on vacation, group A will have daily clinical assignments.
During semesters six through nine, students attend clinical as assigned for their specific clinical site or rotation. These clinical rotations may vary in length from one month to three months at a site. MTSA follows the COA guidelines of not exceeding 64 hours per week of clinical hours and classroom hours (averaged over a four-week period). Academic work during these semesters will include Concepts in Clinical Application and Practice to prepare the students for the NCE Board exam.
Vacation weeks are scheduled through the Clinical Support Coordinator through a lottery process.