General Program Description

The entry-level professional degree awarded is the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree. The program accepts up to 64 students on an annual basis. The doctoral program includes an interdisciplinary/interprofessional emphasis to health care through a hybrid curriculum. The program requires a bachelor’s degree prior to entry, followed by 126.5 semester hours of professional course work at the Medical University of South Carolina and clinical practicums across the United States. Curriculum: The curriculum, which extends over 3 contiguous calendar years, has extensive breadth and depth in the basic sciences supporting physical therapy, the clinical sciences, practice management, and professional behavior. Students progress from basic and foundational courses to courses and experiences that demand integration, application, and synthesis of fundamental information and problem solving in the clinical context. The curriculum is designed to address human development and dysfunctions that can occur across the lifespan, and is profoundly influenced by evidence-based practice. A large component is devoted to clinical reasoning and differential diagnosis relevant to physical therapy. Students develop qualities that encourage independent learning, preparing for an exciting and dynamic practice environment. Students graduate with an understanding of other health care professional’s scope of practice and the ability to promote interprofessional collaboration. Facilities: The Division of Physical Therapy and the College of Health Professions are housed in 3 state of the art buildings. Classrooms and clinical skills laboratories include contemporary technology to enhance the educational experience. Research facilities include a biomechanics / motion analysis lab, an exercise physiology lab, and a neuromuscular performance lab. Several faculty have joint appointments with the Center for Rehabilitation Research in Neurological Conditions. Information about the program and facilities can be found at http://academicdepartments.musc.edu/chp/pt/details.htm

Clinical Experiences
The clinical experiences are designed to provide an organized sequence of learning activities in the clinical setting. The clinical experiences are structured to provide increasing levels of performance expectations at each rotation. The four full-time experiences are designed to foster integration, application, synthesis, expansion and modification of didactic learning in the development of clinical competence of at least entry-level performance. Clinical practicum opportunities include acute care, underserved or rural populations, outpatient orthopedic, pediatrics and pediatrics in the school system, neurorehabilitation, home health, hand therapy, burns, and sports physical therapy. The many outstanding clinical sites that affiliate with the program include acute care medical centers, subacute centers, home health agencies, outpatient clinics and specialized practice centers. Sufficient quantities of clinical sites exist to enable our students to meet the above expectations. Students also have the opportunity to work in an interprofessional setting with patients and clients in student run pro bono clinic that is offered two evenings a week on the Medical University campus.

Faculty
The Division of Physical Therapy has 12-core faculty, supplemented by adjunct faculty. All core faculty have doctorate degrees, five have advanced specialty certification (Cardiopulmonary, Neurology, Pediatrics, and Orthopaedics), and seven are engaged in clinical practice. The collective core faculty average greater than 20 publications per year.

Enrollment
MUSC has approximately 2,500 students. Each physical therapy class is composed of up to 64 students. Approximately 1500 physical therapy students have graduated from the Medical University of South Carolina since 1975. Approximately 60% of our graduates remain in South Carolina, and 40% live out of state.

Admission
Classes begin May of each year. The cumulative GPA of the physical therapy classes entering across the past 3-years has been 3.6 and the grade point average for prerequisite science courses has been 3.6. Selection is based on the applicants overall GPA, prerequisite GPA, and GRE scores (verbal, quantitative, and written), and a profile score from the application portfolio. Successful applicants average at or above the 50th percentile on each section of the GRE.

Outcomes
The cumulative pass rates for the NPTE are 100%, 100%, 96.83%, 96.77% and for the 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014 graduating classes, with 100% of those passing the exam gaining employment. Graduates are prepared to practice in nearly any physical therapy practice setting. Graduates develop long-term career goals, which for many include a plan for specialization or advanced certification.

Tuition, fees and financial aid
Tuition and fees for in-state students and out-of-state students can be found at http://academicdepartments.musc.edu/esl/em/records/fees.html. There are a variety of scholarships available through the College and the University specifically for full-time health professions students. These scholarships are based on academic achievement, financial need, and non-cognitive factors such as community service, college involvement, and volunteerism. The following url will provide information concerning scholarships: http://academicdepartments.musc.edu/chp/current_students/scholarships.htm. Financial need is established by applying for assistance with the Office of Student Financial Aid (843) 792-2536 or go to the website at http://academicdepartments.musc.edu/esl/em/fin_aid/ to receive the necessary forms.

Student life
The Medical University of South Carolina is located in Charleston, a rapidly growing port city on the Atlantic coast. The resort city is perfect for year-round outdoor activities that include swimming, boating, and fishing. Beaches, tennis courts, and golf courses are located throughout the Charleston area. Its location and climate offer attractions to people of all ages and backgrounds. Students’ live off-campus with the average rent of $700-$800 per month. Many students share rental costs. Contact MUSC Off-Campus Housing at the Harper Student Center (843) 792-0394 or go to the web site at: http://www.musc.edu/housing. Intramural programs include football, basketball, volleyball, softball, and soccer. The campus is within close proximity to four major hospitals, as well as The Citadel and College of Charleston campuses. The city of Charleston is served by Charleston International Airport and has regularly scheduled Amtrak service. Many cultural and entertainment activities exist, including the city’s historical background and architecture, much of which has been preserved.