Program Overview
The University of Utah, Department of PTAT, Doctor of Physical Therapy Clinical Education Program provides an environment for integrating the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to provide quality patient care. The Program focuses on the common process of physical therapy practice involving professional behavior, communication, patient examination, and interventions, graduating entry-level, generalist practitioners.
Clinical Experiences
Full-time clinical experiences are coordinated with the DCEs while taking student desire, student need for a particular experience, and availability of clinical sites into account. Since the student is being prepared as a "general practitioner of physical therapy," the student fulfills requirements within the following practice settings:
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Inpatient acute care hospital (or mixed settings with at least a 50% inpatient acute care component)
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Outpatient general orthopedic/musculoskeletal practice
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Neurological rehabilitation (pediatric or adult / inpatient or outpatient)
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Geriatrics or optional* based on student learning needs and preference.
*An optional setting can only be chosen if the student can account for significant geriatric experiences within past or planned full-time clinical experiences.
The Clinical Education component is the key integrative aspect for physical therapy practice within the Doctor of Physical Therapy program and the site clinical coordinators/instructors are central to the student’s attainment of entry-level skills. Thank you for the extensive time and energy you contribute to our students’ development!
Clinical instructor faculty are regarded as an integral part of the collegial environment in which our students are educated. The Program is committed to a plan for clinical instructor development which is designed to incorporate a variety of elements leading to professional growth. The University of Utah offers at a minimum an annual opportunity for clinical instructors to become APTA Level 1 and Level 2 Credentialed Clinical Instructors. As a clinical faculty privilege, the APTA course fee for each course is co-sponsored by the Department for SCCEs and CIs. Site Coordinators and CIs are also eligible for additional privileges (LINK to:
“SCCE-CI Privileges Program”).
Clinical sites placements are planned 12-18 months in advance and finalized on an ongoing basis. Selected placement requests are sent to the site SCCE via Exxat or email. Requests for the next calendar year’s placements are distributed on March 1 of each year according to the national voluntary mailing date and responses are requested back on or before April 30th.
Overall Clinical Education Experience
Requests & Placement Schedule:
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January-February March 1 March-April On or before April 30 May-January |
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Clinical Experience Schedule
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Year |
Integrated Clinical Experiences (ICE) |
Time Frame (45 hours) |
|
Year |
Full-Time Clinical Experiences |
Time Frame |
|
Year I |
PHTH 6800 (1 CR) |
4 hrs/week for 11-14 wks |
|
|
|
|
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Year 2 |
PHTH 6820 (1 CR) Integrated Clinical Experience II Optional |
4 hrs/week for 11-14wks or equivalent |
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Year 2 |
PHTH 7810 (7 CR) |
11 weeks full- time 440 clinical hr equivalent |
|
Year 2 |
PHTH 6830(1 CR) Integrated Clinical Experience III Optional |
4 hrs/week for 11-14 wks or equivalent |
|
Year 3 |
PHTH 7840(7 CR) Terminal Full-Time Clinical: Experience II Required |
11 weeks full- time 440 clinical hr equivalent |
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Year 3 |
PHTH 6850(1 CR) Integrated Clinical Experience IV
|
4 hrs/week for 11-14 wks or equivalent |
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Year 3 |
PHTH 7860(7 CR) Terminal Full-Time Clinical: Experience III Required |
11 weeks full- time 440 clinical hr equivalent |
|
Year 3 |
PHTH 7960 (1-5 CR)
|
4 hrs/week for 11-14 wks or equivalent |
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Year 3 |
PHTH 7880 (7 CR) Terminal Full-Time Clinical: Experience IV Required |
12 weeksfull- time 480 clinical hr equivalent |
