Program Outcomes
Upon completion of the program, graduates will demonstrate proficiency in all 6 of the following domains:
DOMAIN 1 – COMMUNICATION
Employ effective communication strategies (written, oral, non-verbal) that enable successful patient outcomes and develop professional relationships.
DOMAIN 2 – PROFESSIONALISM
Demonstrate professionalism by adhering to the principles, standards, and values outlined in the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Code of Ethics for the Physical Therapist, APTA Standards of Practice for Physical Therapy, and the APTA Core Values for the Physical Therapist, respectively.
DOMAIN 3 – KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS FOR PHYSICAL THERAPY PRACTICE
Demonstrate the knowledge and skills to enable examination and intervention that prevent, minimize, or eliminate impairments of body functions and structures, activity limitations, and participation restrictions for individuals of all ages with conditions of the musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiovascular, pulmonary, and/or integumentary systems.
DOMAIN 4 – CLINICAL DECISION MAKING FOR PHYSICAL THERAPY PRACTICE
Make clinical decisions which are able to be justified and modified based on patient response using a process of clinical reasoning that includes interpretation of the examination (physical therapy differential diagnosis and medical screening), analysis of current literature, understanding of the patient’s goals, values and beliefs, the context of the situation, and reflection of their own experience and intuition.
DOMAIN 5 – PHYSICAL THERAPISTS’ ROLE IN HEALTHCARE
Display effective leadership and management skills in their interactions with other healthcare providers to improve the health and wellbeing of their patients and society as a whole.
DOMAIN 6 - SCHOLARSHIP
Demonstrate a commitment to the continual improvement of self and profession through evaluating and producing scholarly work, creating a career development plan and actively participating in community and professional organizations.
Academic and Professional Standards
Students in the DPT Program must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0/4.0 as required by the University for all graduate programs. Additionally, students are not permitted to earn more than 3 Cs over the course of the curriculum.
Professional behavior is an essential component of successful practice of physical therapy. Student professional development will be modeled, facilitated, expected and monitored throughout the student’s progression in the DPT Program.
Additional academic and professional standards for successful completion of the program are outlined below.
Academic Probation
Students falling below an overall GPA of 3.0 will be placed on academic probation and given one semester to raise their GPA. If the student fails to increase one's overall GPA to a 3.0, he/she/they will be dismissed from the program.
A graduate student on academic probation will be returned to good standing when at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA is achieved. A student cannot be placed on probationary status more than once. That is if a student successfully removes him/her/themself from probationary status and subsequently has a cumulative GPA that falls below a 3.0 on the 4.0 scale, that student will be dismissed from the program.
Academic Dismissal
Dismissal for academic reasons will occur for the following:
- A student who fails to improve his/her/their semester GPA following placement on probation (cumulative GPA <3.0).
- Failure of any DPT degree course.
- A student who receives a 4th C in any DPT degree course.
- Failure of Hallmark Practical 1 or 2 (original and retake).
Professional Behaviors Dismissal
- Students may be dismissed from the DPT Program for behaviors that violate the APTA Code of Ethics.
- Students may be dismissed from the DPT Program for consistent unprofessional behavior as assessed by faculty using the “MSJ DPT Description of Professional Behaviors.”
Appeal Process/Reinstatement
When a student is dismissed from the DPT Program for either an academic or professional behaviors cause, he/she/they may not register for classes for the upcoming term. If classes have already been pre-registered, they must be dropped. In cases of appeals, students will be re-registered for classes only after a successful appeal is granted. Appeals and reinstatements will often come with additional requirements, so all reinstated students must meet with their faculty advisor at the start of the new semester for academic counseling.
Appeal Process
The DPT faculty have a responsibility to exercise their professional judgment, guided by the APTA Code of Ethics, in determining a student’s competence to continue in the program. They bear the weight of the public safety as educators of future health care providers. Faculty will consider the student’s demonstrated academic performance and professional behaviors as well as the student’s perspective as outlined in the formal appeal letter. Students may not appeal for reinstatement following dismissal more than once.
- Following receipt of a dismissal letter from the Dean of Health Sciences, DPT students may consider whether or not to appeal to the faculty to be re-instated. The PT Chairperson and/or the student’s advisor will provide the student with a due date for the appeal.
- Appeals for reinstatement require a written letter to the PT Chairperson which must include the student’s self-assessment of factors that contributed to poor academic performance and a statement indicating what will be or has been done differently to positively alter the situation.
- Students are encouraged to schedule a meeting to discuss their situation and the appeal letter with their advisor and/or the PT Chairperson
- The DPT faculty will confidentially review the formal appeal letter and discuss the student’s reinstatement at the next scheduled faculty meeting following receipt. Following discussion, the faculty will vote for reinstatement but the student’s advisor, as advocate, will not vote. A three/fifths majority (60%) is required for a successful appeal.
- Students will be informed of the decision with a written letter from the Chair, copied to the Dean, Advisor and Vice Provost.
Denial of Appeal
Should the DPT faculty vote to uphold the dismissal, the student may appeal to the Provost using the guidelines set forth in the Graduate Catalog (Academic Policies – Appeals for Academic Reinstatement).
Reinstatement
If the appeal is successful, reinstatement requirements will be developed by the DPT Faculty. All re-instated students must meet with their faculty advisor at the start of the new semester for academic counseling and to develop a mandatory academic or professional behaviors action plan.
If a DPT student is reinstated following a failing grade in a DPT course, he/she/they will re-take the course the next time it is offered and will then progress through the remaining curriculum with a new cohort. The student will not be allowed to continue with their original cohort. Students must develop an academic action plan with their advisor to address any additional requirements from the reinstatement letter and to facilitate future academic success.