General Program Description

The University offers a three-year professional preparation program. The Professional Doctor of Physical (DPT) program prepares graduates educated in all areas of current physical therapy practice to enter the field as competent general physical therapy practitioners. Graduates are prepared to assume the roles to practice within the contemporary parameters of physical therapy practice, prepared to assume roles consistent with various practice patterns throughout the United States, provided with skills and knowledge to adapt to future practice patterns, and encouraged to be lifelong learners including but not limited to the use of current technology in the learning process. The graduates are prepared for discharging their duties and responsibilities to the recipients of their services in a manner which promotes optimal health and function for the recipients, and enhances the profession of physical therapy, and the public health and welfare of the patient/client served.

Clinical Experiences
Clinical education is an important aspect of the program. Initial exposure to clinical practice occurs in the first semester of the program. Clinical education is integrated throughout the educational program. Following satisfactory completion of all didactic courses, students engage in three, 10-week full time clinical internships throughout Michigan and the United States. Students must complete at least one clinical internship in an in-patient or acute care setting. Options for a specialty rotation are available.

Faculty
There are 10 full-time, 2 posted full-time and one part-time faculty members. Four faculty hold PhDs, One holds DSc degree. One faculty member is ABD in a DSc program. Four faculty are certified as clinical specialists and are engaged in clinical practice. There are 5 associate faculty employed in the department but teach primarily in the post-professional programs. Two hold PhDs, one holds a DSc and one is ABD in a PhD program. All five are certified as clinical specialists. The faculty are actively engaged in scholarship including funded projects and contribute to the profession through numerous state, national, and international presentations.

Enrollment
Their are 8,555 students representing diversity in backgrounds, gender, and age are enrolled in the University. The physical therapy program admits 60 students in the fall semester and 2 may be part-time.

Admission
The admissions process is designed to provide a comprehensive review of the applicant and admit those who demonastrate the the best ability to perform as a student and fuuture physical therapist. Students are admitted as a co-hort in the fall semester. Admissions requirements for the DPT program consists of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited insitution. At the time of application a student must have a 3.00 GPA or higher in the cumulative coursework towards the undergraduate degree, 3.00 GPA or higher in the pre-requisite courses, 2.75 GPA or higher in science pre-requisite courses. Applicants must earn a C or better in each course. Pre-requisite courses should be completed within 7 years of applying to the program; pre-requisite courses taken more than 7 years prior will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Pre-requisites include: 8 hours of General Chemistry with lab; 8 hours of Biology with lab; Anatomy and Physiology I and II; 8 hours of College Physics with lab; General and Developmental Psychology; Pre-calculus Mathematics; or College Algebra AND Trignometry; First Aid and Medical Terminology. The part-time program is available and specifically designed to accommodate students who are unable or who otherwise choose not to attend the university on a full-time basis. Part-time students are required to meet the same criteria and application process as the full-time student.

Outcomes
91% of admitted students graduate from the program (3-year average). Pass rates on the license examination as of November 2013 are: 2011 and 2012 were 100%, and 84.91% for 2013. 100% of graduates report working at 6 months post-graduation.

Tuition, fees and financial aid
Students entering the DPT program in Fall 2013: Tuition and fees for the 2013-14 academic year are $21,960 for in-state students and $32,901 for out-of-state students. Students pay a $35.00/per credit hour fee for physical therapy courses. The majority of physical therapy students receive financial aid and/or scholarships. For further information, contact the Financial Aid Office at 810-762-3444 or visit http://www.umflint.edu/finaid/scholarship.htm

Student life
The University of Michigan-Flint opened new residential halls in 2007 for undergraduate students. Please visit the web site for more information http://www.umflint.edu/housing/. Most students live off campus where there is an ample supply of rentals in a wide price range. The campus has an active intramural sports program and a variety of service and special interest clubs. Because all students must have transportation, parking is readily accessible. The University of Michigan-Flint is part of the University of Michigan system, thus, students have access to all UM-Flint resources as well as many of those of the Ann Arbor and Dearborn campuses. The campus is readily accessible by I-75 and the Bishop International Airport as well as major metropolitan cities and all season recreation and sports venues.