General Program Description

The Doctor of Physical Therapy program is a 3-year professional program requiring a minimum of 3 years of pre-professional education for admission. Freshmen entry students will follow a 3+3 curriculum. Both freshmen and transfer students will either enter the professional program with a baccalaureate degree or must have completed their baccalaureate degree requirements at the end of the first professional year. The professional curriculum is founded on an evidence-based approach to clinical practice with basic science, clinical courses, and clinical exposure integrated throughout each semester of the program. The program begins in the fall semester and consists of five traditional academic semesters; two summer clinical internships, and a final spring semester of clinical internships. Graduation is in May of each year. Daemen College also offers a post-professional Fellowship Program in Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy which is credentialed by the American Physical Therapy Association.

Clinical Experiences
The Clinical Exposure component of the entry-level DPT curriculum consists of five semesters of 2 hours, every other week, which is a clinic-based, faculty-mentored, experiential learning sessions. Students engage in full-time professional practice during 9-week clinical internships in each of the two summer sessions; and, during 18 weeks of internships in the spring of their final year. Thus, professional practice is integrated throughout each step of the educational experience.

Faculty
There are eleven full-time core faculty members, including one full-time Director of Clinical Education, and 20 associated faculty members. Six of the full-time core faculty members hold post-professional doctoral degrees, one is a PhD Candidate; six have a DPT in addition to their first professional degree; nine hold advanced master’s degrees; seven are certified clinical specialists through APTA and/or other professional organizations; and all are engaged in clinical practice. The core faculty are also actively engaged in research with grant funding, publications, and presentations at state, national and international conference. Additionally, the core faculty participate in local, state and national APTA activities, provide continuing education, and serve on certification boards. The faculty to student ratio is 1:12.

Enrollment
Daemen College has a total enrollment of approximately 2,400 students. The Doctor of Physical Therapy program will enroll 55 students into each professional class for a total of 165 students in the 3-year professional program. The program enrolls pre-professional phase students completing pre-requisite requirements on an ongoing basis. Transfer students are accepted both into the pre-professional phase (years 1-3) and directly into the professional phase (year 4) of the program. Preference is given to pre-professional phase Daemen College students in acceptance to the professional phase of the program. No preference is given to in-state residents.

Admission
This program accepts freshmen entry students, pre-professional transfer applicants and direct-entry applicants. Freshmen admission consideration is based on standardized test scores, high school grade point average (GPA), transcripts (grades and rigor of courses), extracurricular activities, class rank, and counselor or teacher recommendations. Requirements for admission to the freshmen year include 3 years of high school science (including chemistry) and math (including trigonometry). Pre-professional transfer admission consideration is based on overall GPA and science GPA in previous college course credits to be transferred, standardized test scores, and all required application materials/documents. Direct-entry applicants must have an earned baccalaureate degree (BS/BA) in a related field including prerequisite courses with a minimum overall and science GPA of 2.8. Applications for progression to the professional program are accepted on an ongoing basis through April 15 of each year (direct-entry applications due February 1 each year). Professional program prerequisites include: college biology, chemistry, biochemistry, physiology, gross anatomy, physics, psychology, pre-calculus. Advanced English composition, pre-professional seminars in physical therapy, and a competency based core curriculum in liberal arts are also required. Students must maintain a science GPA of 2.8 and an overall GPA of 2.8 to be permitted to progress into the professional phase. Progression or admission to the professional phase also requires two character references (one must be from a physical therapist), a biographical sketch, and 120 hours of clinical exposure (i.e. volunteer or work experience) in a physical therapy setting. Professional program classes begin in the fall of each year. The cumulative GPA of the last class upon admission to the professional phase of the program was 3.4 on a 4.0 scale. Students accepted as freshman are guaranteed progression/admission to the professional phase of the program provided they achieve all academic/departmental requirements. Pre-professional phase transfer applicants and direct-entry applicants are accepted to the professional phase of the program based upon level of achievement of all academic/departmental requirements and space availability.

Outcomes
The ultimate weighted average pass rate based on the most current data as reported by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (2006-2008) is 100% with the first time pass rates consistently above state and national averages. On average 90% of the admitted professional phase DPT program students graduate from the program and 100% of the graduates are employed.

Tuition, fees and financial aid
Undergraduate tuition for the 2010-11 academic year is $23,335 ($795.00 per credit, graduate); annual fees are $510.00 plus related lab fees and health insurance (available upon request). Residence and board costs range from $9,850.00 – $10,690.00 depending on selected meal plan and residence hall. Numerous venues of financial aid are available to students in the form of scholarships, grants, and loans. Daemen College participates in all Federal Title IV programs, New York State aid programs, and also awards numerous institutional scholarships and grants. All students who apply for financial aid are reviewed for their eligibility in all of these programs.

Student life
Daemen College is located in Amherst NY just outside of Buffalo NY, in close proximity to many area colleges and universities. The College is on a public transportation route, and there are a variety of cultural, entertainment, shopping, sporting, and recreational activities in close proximity. The campus is within 10 minutes of the Buffalo Airport. Intercollegiate athletic programs are basketball, volleyball, soccer, golf and cross-country, as well as club/intramural sports. The college has many student organizations and clubs, and students also participate in the Student Physical Therapy Association. Off-campus rentals are plentiful and reasonable.