General Program Description

Located in The School of Health Sciences and Practice, with strong ties to The Institute of Public Health, The School of Basic Medical Sciences, and The School of Medicine, the program at New York Medical College offers an experience that leads to unparalleled excellence in the profession of Physical Therapy. Classes are taught by faculty from not only the Department of Physical Therapy, but from all departments of the The School of Health Sciences and Practice, Institute of Public Health, School of Medicine, and Graduate School of Basic Medical Sciences. Together, they help our physical therapy students to develop a strong foundation in basic sciences, integrate basic sciences with the clinical art of physical therapy, and develop expertise in patient examination, diagnosis, prognosis, and intervention. Students are provided a public health perspective on physical therapy that does not occur in a traditional medical school environment. Our students learn how to promote healthy lifestyles and work environments, how to prevent health problems or detect them at the earliest stages through state-of-the-art screening techniques for risk factors and early indicators of illness, and how to design health and wellness programs. These skills complement those needed to treat patients in acute-care settings, rehabilitation centers, home care, and long-term care settings. The curriculum is highly interactive, including traditional lectures and laboratories, a well-structured Problem-Based Learning environment, and multiple clinical experiences with patients. Students carry out service-based learning activities and community service projects. Students also have the opportunity to study a specialized aspect of physical therapy through a faculty-mentored doctoral thesis in an area of teaching, public health, or clinical research. Students have the option of a DPT, MPH dual degree involving the conferring of the DPT degree after the third year of study and the MPH degree after a fourth year of additional evening course study. The program’s assets includes: an outstanding community of faculty, students, and alumni; state-of-the-art facilities; an innovative curriculum blending traditional coursework with Problem-Based Learning; diverse clinical sites and experiences; and personalized support and mentoring within a small class size. Graduates are prepared to practice autonomously in all clinical settings, and adapt their practice strategies to changes in the healthcare environment. This advanced standard of practice corresponds to patients’ “direct access” to physical therapists in New York and more than 40 other States.

Clinical Experiences
The philosophy of the Department of Physical Therapy is that students benefit from a diversity of experiences, rather than extended clinical experiences at only a few facilities. Students at New York Medical College complete four full-time clinical education experiences, totaling more than 9 months of clinical education, which are interwoven across the curriculum. Students practice treating a wide variety of patients in diverse healthcare settings and specialized clinics that span the entire United States. In all cases, students are well-supervised and mentored by experienced practicing therapists.

Faculty
Six core faculty form the basis of the program faculty. However, foundational sciences are taught by medical school and basic medical science faculty, and courses in biostatistics and health policy and administration are taught by faculty of the The School of Health Sciences and Practice and The Institute of Public Health. Thus, six additional faculty play a pivotal role in the curriculum. In addition, over 30 highly experienced clinicians from area hospitals and clinics are heavily involved in teaching the clinically related coursework. Altogether, over 40 instructors and professors play a part in educating our students.

Enrollment
New York Medical College enrolls over 1,600 students in three schools: the School of Medicine,The School of Health Sciences and Practice and The Institute of Public Health, and the Graduate School of Basic Medical Sciences. To ensure a close and effective educational environment, the class size for the DPT program is limited to 40 students. Students come to study from all regions of the United States and from different parts of the world.

Admission
Most students enter the graduate program in physical therapy immediately following the completion of their baccalaureate degrees, but many students enroll after one or several years of working. A small number of students begin studies after completing their junior year at one of the colleges with which The School of Health Sciences and Practice and The Institute of Public Health maintains an articulation agreement. This year’s incoming DPT class had an average undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.43 and an average prerequisite GPA of 3.32. Students are welcome to apply with a wide variety of undergraduate majors. Prerequisite course for admissions include: 1 semester of general biology, math (college-level), and statistics; 2 semesters of anatomy and physiology (w/lab), chemistry (w/labs), and physics (w/labs); one course in general psychology and another in advanced psychology (e.g., abnormal and developmental psychology, physiological psychology). Scores on the Graduate Record Examination must also be submitted. Fifty hours of volunteer or work experience in a physical therapy setting is required, although competitive applicants typically attain over 150 hours in 2 or more clinic sites. All students must demonstrate evidence of professional readiness through a written essay, submission of a resume of life experience, and three recommendations (one from a physical therapist, one from a college professor, one additional). Applications are processed beginning in the first week of October each year. All applications must be submitted through PTCAS (www.PTCAS.org) by the posted deadline, typically during the first week of February. An on-campus interview and orientation day is typically required as a component of the admissions process. Admissions are made on a rolling basis from November until a full class has been admitted.

Outcomes
Our graduates are well-prepared to assume full clinical responsibilities. They are well-respected by physical therapists in all areas of practice. The DPT graduates of New York Medical College have generally taken the national licensure exam within 2 months of graduating and have consistently attained a first-time passing rate above state and national averages. The First-Time Passing Rate for graduates in 2014 was 100%, placing New York Medical College in the top tier of programs in the U.S. Employment is typically 100% within six months of graduation. New York Medical College graduates receive excellent starting salaries and sign-on bonuses, rapid promotion to supervisory positions, and have presented their doctoral work at state and national physical therapy conferences.

Tuition, fees and financial aid
Tuition, Fees, and Financial Aid Tuition for the 2014-2015 academic year is $31,500. Fees for health services, network and voicemail access, and student activities are separate. The total budget for on-campus housing, health insurance, and living expenses is $59,830. Students are eligible for loan programs that are sufficient to cover the cost of tuition, fees, books, and living expenses. There are some additional sources of financial aid. In particular, government agencies and private institutions offer scholarships to students in exchange for service with pay after graduation. Students must generally apply for these scholarships on their own, but are assisted by program faculty and university staff.

Student life
New York Medical College is located on a pastoral 565-acre campus shared with the Westchester County Medical Center. Resting within the historical Hudson River Valley, the campus is close to both the Catskill Mountains and Long Island Sound. For interests in arts, fashion, and culture, New York City lies just 25 miles south. On-campus housing is available for students, although the number of rooms/apartments is limited. Priority is given to first-year students. The Student Housing Office works with students to make arrangements for both on-campus and off-campus housing.