Tracy Bowling to retire from HCTC after 26 years

Tracy Bowling started her career at Hazard Community and Technical College (HCTC) on July 1, 1997. She worked as the Program Coordinator of the HCTC/Southeast Community and Technical College Physical Therapist Assistant Regional Program.

Before she transitioned to education, she was the Director of Physical Therapy at Mary Breckinridge Hospital.

Bowling taught nearly every course within the PTA program during her more than two decades at HCTC. Recently, she taught students in Physical Therapy Principles and Procedures, Seminar in Physical Therapy and the PTA Clinical Practicums.

“I personally liked the mock interview with the instructor because it helped me to learn what points in my interview I need to do better on,” one student wrote.

The region did not have a PTA program when the program began. Bowling said the PTA Regional Program fulfilled a great need for physical therapist assistants in Eastern Kentucky.

“Graduates of the PTA Regional Program have been able to obtain great jobs within our region and provide top-notch care for their patients in physical therapy,” Bowling said.

She taught her students to be confident, professional, caring and to always provide the quality of care they would want someone to provide for them and their family.

“It was so rewarding to know that I could impact so many lives through just one student,” she noted. “Graduates utilize their skills to help so many patients. To see my students succeed in class and in the field of Physical Therapy and become colleagues was such a wonderful feeling and honor,” she added.

Bowling will spend retirement with her family. She plans on camping, fishing and being at the lake. Her last day is June 30, 2023.