INTRODUCTION

Physical Therapy is a health care profession that primarily focuses on the preservation, development, and restoration of optimal function. Physical therapists provide evaluative, rehabilitative, and preventive health care services designed to alleviate pain; prevent the onset and progression of impairment, functional limitation, disability resulting from injury, disease, or other causes; and restore, maintain and promote overall fitness, health and optimal quality of life. Physical therapists work with individuals of all ages who demonstrate movement dysfunction, or the potential for such dysfunction, of the neurological, musculoskeletal, integumentary, and cardiopulmonary systems.

Physical therapists practice in a hospital setting, or provide services in out-of-hospital settings through home health agencies, in nursing homes, in industrial settings, through public health agencies, in private physical therapy clinics, in public schools and in a variety of other nontraditional settings.

VISION

Gannon University's Doctor of Physical Therapy Program strives to be a leader in educating autonomous physical therapists who participate in integrative and collaborative practice to facilitate high quality health and educational outcomes. We will be practitioners of choice in the community, recognized as experts in movement, function and health. As leaders we will embrace our social responsibility, promote humanistic care, and contribute to the profession's body of knowledge.

The Gannon University Physical Therapy Program at Ruskin embraces the current APTA vision statement, "Physical therapists will transform society by optimizing movement to improve the human experience."

MISSION

The Gannon University Physical Therapy Program at Ruskin, Florida professes to:

Provide physical therapy graduate education of the highest quality to develop generalist practitioners, while emphasizing faith, leadership, inclusiveness and social responsibility.
Prepare global citizens engaged in the community, who are service oriented and meeting the needs of society.
Engage in scholarship to better understand and advance the science of health, the practice of Physical Therapy, and the education of future healthcare professionals.

PHILOSOPHY

Physical therapists are integral members of the health care team who are recognized and respected for their education, experience, and expertise in movement, function and health. The Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at Gannon University is guided by the following tenets: The essence of physical therapy practice is patient/client-centered management for body functions, activity and participation related to movement, function and health.
Professional physical therapist education should prepare individuals to be autonomous practitioners capable of providing direct access.
Active, integrative and experiential learning methods promote student self-reliance, increase self-assessment skills and develop a pattern of independent learning that will promote lifelong learning and continuing professional development.
Evidence-based practice (EBP) is the framework for physical therapy practitioners’ clinical decision making. EBP skills are cultivated through development of self-directed learning, utilizing a variety of resources that are enhanced by technology.
The health care environment is continually evolving. Physical therapist practice encompasses roles in primary, secondary, and tertiary care, as well as prevention, health promotion and wellness.
Practitioners are educators who use their knowledge, creativity, communication and interpersonal skills to promote the health of individuals and communities.
Professionalism is an integral part of physical therapy education and practice.

PROGRAM GOALS

The program and faculty will provide a rich educational environment to develop high quality generalist practitioners.
The program and faculty will align with university standards, policies, and procedures in support of student and faculty scholarship.
The program and faculty will engage in community service to help meet the needs of society.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Prospective students will apply using the PTCAS – Physical Therapy Centralized Application System. PTCAS provides a full-service web-based application and admissions process for prospective physical therapy program applicants. Internal Gannon University students apply through the Office of Graduate Admissions.
Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university.
Cumulative prerequisite course quality point average (QPA) of 3.0 or better (4.0 scale). Grades below a C are not acceptable.
Overall undergraduate QPA of 3.0 or better (4.0 scale).
100 observation hours, multiple PT settings recommended.
Applicant demonstrates the ethical, personal and professional qualities to fulfill the role of the physical therapist as determined by review of the applicant’s references and the interview process.
TOEFL – Minimum score of 550 for all applicants from non-English speaking countries.
Meet essential functions: physical, emotional, intellectual, and communication standards.

Prerequisite Course Requirements for entry into the Graduate Physical Therapy Program include the following:

Biology* with Lab 2 semesters
Chemistry with Lab 2 semesters
Physics with Lab 2 semesters
Psychology** 1 semester
Statistics 1 semester
Human Anatomy with Lab*** 1 semester
Human Physiology with Lab 1 semester

* 200 or 300 level Human Anatomy and Physiology courses do not meet this prerequisite

** 200 level behavioral/social science course

*** Anatomy/Physiology (AP) 1 and 2 with Labs, from a Baccalaureate degree granting school, may be accepted in lieu of one semester of Human Anatomy with Lab and one semester of Human Physiology with Lab, with Program Director approval. Gross Human Anatomy recommended; course should be at 200 or 300 level at four year degree granting institution

Important Note Regarding Prerequisites

Prerequisites must be completed within ten years preceding entrance into the graduate program.

Recommended Courses

Social Sciences– at least two additional semesters in social sciences (i.e., Sociology, Social Psychology)
Kinesiology with lab
Exercise Physiology with Lab.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF THE STUDENT PHYSICAL THERAPIST

Essential functions are the activities that a student physical therapist must be able to perform in partial fulfillment of the requirements for successful completion of the professional curriculum. Every student must be able to perform these essential functions, with or without reasonable accommodations, while practicing safely, ethically, and in a legal manner. Reasonable accommodations are based on individual need, program essential requirements, public safety, and no undue hardship on the University or clinical sites.

If a student is unable to perform these essential functions, it is the student’s responsibility to:

Reveal a need for reasonable accommodations prior to entering the professional curriculum.
Obtain diagnostic data to substantiate a claim of need for reasonable accommodations.
Provide the diagnostic data to the institution prior to entering the professional curriculum.

The ability to perform essential functions is expected of students in the classroom, labs, simulated clinical settings, and while on clinical education assignments. The Doctor of Physical Therapy Program’s essential functions are described below by: 1) category and 2) examples. The examples are for clarity and do not represent an exhaustive list of all possible activities.

CATEGORY and EXAMPLE

Behavior – ability to act in a professional manner

Practice safely, ethically, legally
Demonstrate responsibility for lifelong professional growth and development

Critical thinking – ability to make clinical judgments

Identify cause/effect relationships
Develop patient outcomes/goals/interventions
Respond to emergencies
Apply standard precautions
Apply teaching and learning theories in clinical practice
Participate in scientific inquiry

Communication – ability to verbalize and write

Explain treatment interventions
Initiate health teaching
Document and interpret physical therapist actions and patient responses

Coping – ability to perform in stressful environments or under deadlines

Maintain professional demeanor in all situations
Accept constructive feedback
Prioritize multiple commitments
Recognize problems and apply stress management techniques

Hearing – auditory ability sufficient to monitor and assess health needs

Monitor alarms and emergency signals
Respond to a timer

Interpersonal – ability to interact with groups from a variety of backgrounds

Establish rapport with patients, clients, and colleagues
Recognize psychosocial impact of dysfunction/disability
Demonstrate respect for the needs of the patient and family
Demonstrate respect for diversity

Motor Skill – gross and fine motor abilities sufficient to provide safe and effective physical therapy

Calibrate and operate equipment
Maneuver in patients’ rooms and treatment spaces
Guard patients and perform facilitation techniques during gait training
Perform physical therapy assessment and treatment activities such as ROM, MMT, debridement, or use of physical agents

Tactile – ability to use touch to monitor and assess health needs

Palpate
Apply resistance during examinations or interventions

Visual – visual ability sufficient to monitor and assess health needs

Observe patients’ responses
Monitor vital signs
Read medical records
Observe integumentary integrity

DOCTOR OF PHYSICAL THERAPY CURRICULUM

Gannon offers an entry level Doctor of Physical Therapy degree after the completion of 111 credits of study. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) is a classification system focusing on human functioning that is used as a conceptual framework to link all elements of the curriculum. The study of normal structure and function is followed by specific case-based patient/client problems and pathologies organized around body systems. Elements of the patient/client management model including examination, evaluation, physical therapy differential diagnosis, prognosis, intervention, and outcomes are integrated into each of the clinical science courses. Evidence-based practice is explicitly taught and integrated in all clinical decision making during classroom activities and during clinical experiences.

Threaded throughout the three years are formalized service-learning experiences where students discover the perils of community service and social responsibility. Concepts between and within each course are cumulative, and continued enrollment depends upon mastery and use of previous concepts. Practical clinical experiences are integrated into the academic program at the completion of major areas of study. The Director of Clinical Education assigns students to clinical sites, based on student needs and learning goals. In addition to sites in the Florida areas, the program offers clinical experiences at sites throughout the United States and Canada.

CURRICULUM REQUIREMENTS

The DPT degree program requires one hundred and eleven (111) credit hours beyond the baccalaureate degree and must be completed as a full time program. The curriculum detailed here includes the major didactic courses, although lab material may be a large component of the content as indicated in the course descriptions.

3+3 DPT PROGRAM

For those students enrolled in the accelerated 3 + 3 DPT program at the Erie campus, they must successfully complete the first year graduate courses for completion of the intended undergraduate degree. Failure to successfully complete the graduate coursework may result in additional undergraduate coursework to fulfill the undergraduate degree requirements.

4+3 DPT PROGRAM

For those students enrolled in the 4+3 program at the Erie campus, an interview for admission to the Ruskin DPT program will automatically be granted at the student’s request. Admission to the Ruskin DPT program will be contingent upon the interview process.

LICENSURE

To achieve licensure as a physical therapist, program graduates must successfully complete and pass a comprehensive licensure examination administered by each state.

To practice as a physical therapist in the United States, many states require a clean criminal record, with no misdemeanors or felonies. Individuals with criminal records should contact the physical therapy licensing board of the state where they would like to practice prior to applying for admission to a DPT program so that they may fully inform themselves of any restrictions that may apply to them.

ACCREDITATION

Graduation from a physical therapist education program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, VA 22305-3085; phone: 703-706-3245; accreditation@apta.org is necessary for eligibility to sit for the licensure examination, which is required in all states.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at Gannon University, Ruskin, Florida, is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; telephone: 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org; website: http://capteonline.org. If needing to contact the program/institution directly please call 813- 658-4900 or email venglar001@gannon.edu.

All members of Gannon community and all persons outside of the Gannon community who want to provide feedback and/or complaints in regards to the Gannon University DPT program in Ruskin can contact the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) website that provides a tab for complaints at http://www.capteonline.org/home.aspx.

CLINICAL EXPERIENCES

Students participate in four full-time clinical experiences [forty (40) total weeks] spaced throughout the curriculum. The clinical education component is designed to allow students the opportunity to practice and refine their assessment, evaluation and intervention skills for evidence-based clinical decision making following the presentation of the didactic material.

A student with a criminal record may be limited in clinical site and/or community service assignments, or may not be able to complete the required clinical education experiences.

Several clinical sites require drug testing prior to starting the clinical experience. A clean drug test may be required for the student to participate in the learning experience.

Several clinical sites require proof of vaccination, positive titer, or booster against several pathologies. Lack of vaccination may result in the inability of the student to complete the required clinical education experiences.

The Director of Clinical Education formally tracks the clinical site placements of each student, makes site selections, and advises each student to gain the most diverse exposure possible.

DPT-Doctor of Physical Therapy FL

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Overview

Program Requirements

Curriculum and Model Schedule