Department Philosophy

Department Educational Objectives

A major mission of the Department of Physical Therapy is to prepare autonomous Doctors of Physical Therapy who by their commitment to advance the health and quality of life for all humanity are recognized as leaders among health professionals and the community.

Graduates of the educational program will enter the profession as physical therapist practitioners who are prepared to:

1. Practice as autonomous point-of-entry providers of physical habilitation and rehabilitation services in adherence to ethical, professional and legal standards within a variety of clinical and non-traditional community settings;
2. Communicate orally and in writing with patients and their families, colleagues, other health care professionals, legislators, third-party payors and other constituents;
3. Demonstrate sensitivity to individual and cultural diversities;
4. Demonstrate clinical decision-making skills including clinical reasoning, clinical judgment and reflective practice;
5. Screen patients/clients to determine the need for further examination or consultation by a physical therapist or referral to another health care professional;
6. Examine and re-examine a patient;
7. Synthesize examination data to complete the physical therapy evaluation;
8. Establish and communicate a physical therapy diagnosis for patients across the life span;
9. Determine patient prognosis based upon evaluation of results of examinations and medical and psychosocial information;
10. Collaborate with patients and their families, care team members, and others to develop, monitor, and adjust a safe, compassionate, effective, realistic, fiscally responsible plan of care with time specific goals and outcomes which comply with the policies of the practice setting;
11. Assume responsibility for the efficient, coordinated management of care (primary, secondary, or tertiary) based on the patient's/client's goals and expected functional outcomes;
12. Facilitate expected patient outcomes through providing safe, effective physical therapy interventions within a variety of care delivery settings and evaluating outcomes;
13. Provide effective education for patients, caregivers, students, health care professionals and the general public;
14. Contribute to the advancement of physical therapy practice through critical evaluation of published studies, informed application of the findings of studies and participation in collaborative research;
15. Use evidence as a basis for critical thinking, decision-making and independent practice;
16. Complete thorough, accurate, analytically sound, concise, timely and legible documentation that follows guidelines and specific documentation formats required by the practice setting;
17. Participate in the administration of physical therapy services including delegation and supervision of support personnel, management planning, marketing, budgeting and reimbursement activities;
18. Provide consultation services to individuals and groups;
19. Individually demonstrate healthy life style practices and promote these practices in others (patients, groups, and communities) by providing wellness and health promotion programs appropriate to physical therapy;
20. Formulate and implement a plan for personal and professional development and life-long learning based on self-assessment, reflection and feedback from others;
21. Demonstrate social and professional responsibility through mentoring and participation in professional and community organizations and activities.