Department Philosophy

The following description of the Department of Physical Therapy's Philosophy relates to its tri-fold mission of excellence in teaching and learning, to discover and apply knowledge in research and creative activity, and to demonstrate compassionate service in civic engagement.

The faculty believes that the nature of physical therapy practice and contemporary educational theories requires an interdisciplinary approach. Existing demands of health care and service delivery also call for efficient educational programs of sufficient breadth and depth at a level that fosters autonomous practice. To this end, the faculty believe that a strong academic background following a liberal arts tradition, a robust scientific curriculum, personal resources that foster learning, adaptation and skilled performance, and a physical, social and cultural environment that fosters students' professional development, both explicitly and implicitly, are critical. We believe that commitment and collaboration of students and faculty in a process that integrates contemporary educational methods and didactic and experiential learning, self-reflection, and clinical reasoning using the best evidence available prepares students for autonomous practice.

2007 PT Month Activities