Doctor of Physical Therapy
Clinical Education
The Clinical Education Curriculum
The role of clinical education in the preparation of Physical Therapy professionals cannot be overstated. The program is committed to excellence in this most important area. Clinical sites are selected based on a history of high quality patient care, a clear statement of dedication to the learning process and practice patterns that are consistent with the program’s goals and practice expectations. The program has developed clinical education agreements with some of the best medical facilities in the country, allowing its students to learn in an environment that demands and fosters excellence.
It is the belief of the faculty that, through clinical application of knowledge gained in the classroom, a student integrates and expands his/her understanding of the processes of patient care. The program’s faculty encourages close relationships with those who assist in the preparation of its students through provision of supervised real-life clinical practice. There exists a partnership whose goal is the development of competent clinicians with strong ethical standards. Interaction with physical therapist role models whose practice is consistent with the program’s philosophy is embedded throughout the curriculum. Clinical education forms a central theme in the curriculum, incorporated not only as full-time clinical practicum courses, but also as experiences embedded in all clinical science courses.
The clinical education program includes clinical experiences that encompass management of patients representative of those commonly seen in practice across the lifespan, across the continuum of care and in settings representative of those in which physical therapy is commonly practiced.
Each student must successfully complete a minimum of 32 weeks of full time (approx. 40hrs/wk), supervised clinical practicum experience in approved clinical education settings. These 32 weeks occur in 4 eight-week courses. The full-time practicum courses are arranged in a specific sequence so that the academic coursework can be directed toward development of mastery in specific areas of practice in a sequential order. The sequence for every student is: acute care, outpatient orthopedics, and adult neurological rehabilitation. For the final practicum, the student is allowed to choose the area of practice.
The curriculum also includes clinical practice integrated with academic courses. These part-time integrated clinical experiences offer students the ability to synthesize and apply concepts and techniques at the same time they are taught in the classroom. Observation and/or patient care experiences are provided in settings such as hospitals, rehabilitation centers, home-based early intervention, schools and community wellness centers.
Clinical faculty at the on-campus Nayden Rehabilitation Clinic provide mentored hands-on patient management experiences during 3 part-time practicum courses. Initial communication with students regarding their first placement is done by the Director of Clinical Education (DCE) in the fall of their first full year in the program. Placement policies and procedures are described and an overview of all clinical education courses is presented. This helps the student with planning for the cost of travel and housing for their clinical experiences.
A lottery system ensures that placements are fair and that each student is given an opportunity for selecting a site which meets their needs.