The following statement defines the DPT Program's expectations for students throughout the clinical education program:
The program expects all students to achieve entry-level performance in the management of patients/clients with diseases and conditions representative of those commonly see in practice across the lifespan, continuum of care, and in a variety of practice setting that are consistent with contemporary Physical Therapy practice.
Overview of the DPT Clinical Education Program
The DPT Clinical Education Program consists of:
- 36 weeks of full-time and part-time clinical education experiences.
- At Alvernia, the cornerstone of our program is our emphasis on clinical competence and skill that is facilitated through early and frequent immersion of the student into real-world clinical experiences. At Alvernia, we believe that authentic learning transpires when students are able to connect classroom instruction with actual patient interaction.
- To accomplish our mission of developing clinical competence, students begin their clinical internship experiences within the first semester year of the program. These initial part-time clinical experiences will serve to develop professional behaviors, connect classroom instruction with actual patient scenarios, and prepare students for full-time clinical internship experiences.
- Throughout the curriculum, students will engage in 2 part-time and 4 full-time clinical education experiences. Clinical sites offering innovative care by experienced and well-trained Physical Therapist clinical experts will be used to guide students toward entry-level clinical competence. The ACCE will work closely to forge close relationships between clinical instructors and the DPT Program by establishing clear expectations and communicating anticipated outcomes.
- The final two 12-week full time experiences are considered post-didactic and resemble the traditional residency model that is often used in medical education. In this way, the program ensures that each student demonstrates entry-level proficiency prior to graduation.
Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at Alvernia University is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Avenue, Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; telephone: 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org; website: capteonline.org. If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call 610-568-1546 or email soo.sun@alvernia.edu or pamela.unger@alvernia.edu.
For more information regarding the process of accreditation, please contact the:
Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education
3030 Potomac Avenue, Suite 100
Alexandria, VA 22305-3085
Phone: 703-706-3245
Email: accreditation@apta.org
