General Program Description

Saint Louis University (SLU) is a Catholic, Jesuit institution dedicated to student learning, research, health care, and service. The University is a Carnegie Research Extensive institution and currently employs over 3000 full and part-time faculty and enrolls over 12,000 students in the graduate, professional, and undergraduate programs. The physical therapy program at SLU prepares generalist physical therapists who provide patient-centered care using principles of evidence-based healthcare. The program is part of a medical center campus which affords students the opportunity to learn about and collaborate with individuals from a broad scope of health professions. In accordance with the Jesuit identity which recognizes the dignity of all persons, the program educates physical therapists who are excellent practitioners and who act for the good of others. Our program is freshman entry, with transfer students accepted as space allows. Once accepted as freshmen, students do not reapply later in the program provided they meet academic and professional behavior eligibility requirements. Students complete liberal arts and science courses as part of the pre-professional phase during the first three years of the curriculum. During the pre-professional phase of the program the Five Dimensions of the SLU Experience (scholarship & knowledge, intellectual inquiry & communication, community building, leadership & service and spirituality & service) unify the curriculum and encourage the growth of the student as a whole person. During these years, students have the opportunity to develop individual interests and talents. They may complete the University’s Honors program and a minor and/or major in academic areas, such as psychology, foreign language, or philosophy. They may participate in student activities such as athletics, music, drama groups, student government, and service projects. About one third of the students spend a semester studying abroad. After four years students who successfully complete the undergraduate portion of the curriculum are awarded a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science Degree. The breadth in the liberal arts and sciences, the depth in the professional training, the opportunity for integrated interprofessional learning experiences and the opportunity to reflect on the values of the profession in light of the Five Dimensions of the SLU Experience, enable the student to think critically, understand societal needs, value the dignity of life, respectfully care for others regardless of culture, background or needs, assess new developments in health care, and collaborate with other providers. The professional phase, which consists of primarily physical therapy and interprofessional courses, occurs during the last three years of the curriculum. Students can take elective courses in areas of interest including pediatrics, aquatics, and sports. Students who successfully complete the professional phase of the curriculum are awarded the Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree.

Clinical Experiences
Students participate in the equivalent of 33 weeks of clinical experiences integrated during the professional phase of the physical therapy curriculum. The clinical education experiences are sequenced so that students assume increasing levels of professional responsibilities. Students are assigned to different types of clinical facilities so that they may gain experience in a variety of settings. This also allows students the opportunity to perform a wide range of skills. The University is affiliated with close to 300 clinical sites located throughout the country and abroad including an international site in Stockholm, Sweden. The first clinical experience occurs in the first year of the professional phase of the program with planned half day sessions in a clinical facility. Full-time clinical experiences take place during the last two professional years with three short term clinical experiences (one 4 week assignment and two 5 week assignments) occurring at the conclusion of the fall and spring semesters of the second year of the professional phase of the program and preceding the fall semester of the final year of the professional phase of the program. The final clinical experience occurs over 18 weeks and is divided between two facilities (9 weeks at each facility) during the final semester of the program.

Faculty
There are 18 core faculty members. Among the faculty 78% hold doctoral degrees, four are certified as clinical specialists, and several are engaged in regular clinical practice. Consistent with the mission of the university, the faculty is committed to scholarship. From 2004-2007, SLU faculty members published over 20 articles in peer-reviewed journals, authored textbook chapters, and have been awarded federal research grant funding. Several faculty members have received teaching or advising awards from the SLU Student Government Association, the Doisy College of Health Sciences, the university and organizations outside the university. Faculty members are also involved in the American Physical Therapy Association, currently including two section presidents and the former chair of the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties.

Enrollment
Over 12,000 students are enrolled in the university in undergraduate, graduate or professional programs. The physical therapy program enrolls, on average, 90 freshman students each year. These students are admitted from a competitive pool of applicants and must meet standards of academic preparedness in high school.

Admission
Students must apply for fall acceptance in the fall of senior year of secondary school. The application is through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Transfer students without a bachelor’s degree may be admitted on a space available basis and placed in the program according to courses that are transferable and applicable to the physical therapy core curriculum. Application process is through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions process. If you are a student with a baccalaureate degree and seeking admission to the SLU Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program, you need to complete application through the Physical Therapy Centralized Application Service (PTCAS).

Outcomes
Approximately 75% of admitted freshman students matriculate into the professional phase of the program. Of the students entering the professional phase, over 90% complete the program. Pass rate on the licensure exam for first time takers in 2008 was 92.6%. Over the past three years the average ultimate pass rate is 98%.

Tuition, fees and financial aid
Full-time undergraduate tuition per academic semester for 2009-10 is $15,470. Institutional funding for undergraduates is awarded on the basis of academic merit, financial need, service, athletic ability, and other considerations. Federal and state funding for students is also awarded.

Student life
Campus residence halls house 35% of all students, and 85% of freshmen. Some on-campus university leased apartments are available. The campus setting in mid-town St. Louis is beautifully landscaped and convenient to cultural and sporting venues. Many of the physical therapy students participate in music, drama, sports, campus ministry, student government, and service organizations. NCAA Division I athletics at SLU include baseball, basketball, cross-country, soccer, swimming, tennis, and track for men; and basketball, field hockey, soccer, swimming, tennis, and volleyball for women.