Physical Therapy, DPT

Department of Physical Therapy Chairperson: Allison Hyngstrom P.T., Ph.D.
Department of Physical Therapy website

Department of Physical Therapy Mission

The Department of Physical Therapy prepares future health care practitioners and researchers with a transformative education rich in clinical experiences, community outreach, and research opportunities to develop leaders guided by the core Catholic, Jesuit values of Cura Personalis and Cura Apostolica.

Doctor of Physical Therapy Program

Program Vision

The Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at Marquette University will be among the top educational programs in the nation, preparing future Physical Therapists who excel in clinical practice, scholarship, leadership, and service to others.

Program Mission

To graduate autonomous entry-level physical therapists who are evidence-based and ethical practitioners, proficient in applying their knowledge and skills to diverse clinical settings. Our graduates will be lifelong learners empowered to serve as leaders and innovators within their profession and communities.

Our graduates will be recognized by individuals and interprofessional colleagues as movement and function experts, equipped to optimize health, activity, and participation across diverse populations and environments. Our graduates will be prepared to diagnose health conditions within the scope of physical therapist practice and to assess and address impairments in body function and structure, activity limitations, and participation restrictions, while considering the environmental and personal factors that influence health and well-being.

In alignment with Catholic, Jesuit values, the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program is committed to supporting programs of outreach that will enhance the enrollment and training of underrepresented students and service to populations in need in the Milwaukee community and beyond.

program Philosophy

Consistent with the Ignatian practice of Examen which makes a Jesuit education unique, the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program aspires to transform students into critical thinkers who respect the dignity and worth of others, through the process of reflection and discernment.

The teaching-learning process is recognized as a dynamic interaction of shared responsibility among the faculty, clinicians, and students. The Doctor of Physical Therapy Program supports the educational view that students learn in a myriad of ways, necessitating a variety of learning experiences. These experiences are important for the development of a life-long autonomous learner who is self-motivated and self-directed. Furthermore, the program prioritizes the well-being of all members of the department and is committed to fostering a supportive and inclusive environment.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy Program faculty are a resource and role model in the development of these traits by providing quality instruction, contributing to the general body of knowledge through an active research agenda, maintaining personal clinical competence including the operation of on-campus Physical Therapy, NeuroRecovery, and ProBono clinics, demonstrating professionalism, respecting the dignity of others and advocating for patient and professional causes. It is the goal of the faculty to help students to become educated members of society, active members of their profession and role models for peers and future physical therapists.

Expected Global Student Outcomes

One of the defining characteristics of a Marquette education is the focus on cura personalis – care of the whole person. In that vein, we expect that Graduates of the Doctor of Physical Therapy program will embody that characteristic. Graduates of the Physical Therapy program will be able to:

Demonstrate the skills necessary to practice autonomously within a direct access environment in essential practice areas as defined by the Guide for Physical Therapist Practice.
Use testing and differential diagnosis to screen individuals in order to determine appropriateness for physical therapy services, and/or to determine the need for referral to other health professionals.
Apply evidence-based decision making in planning patient care.
Address social determinants of health within plan of care.

Students admitted to the Physical Therapy program are enrolled in a curriculum that culminates in a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. This is a six-year curriculum for a student admitted at the freshmen level. The student first earns a baccalaureate degree of their choice and then is awarded the Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T.) degree at the end of the professional course work. Students admitted with a bachelor’s degree earn the Doctor of Physical Therapy degree after completing the three-year professional program.

Typical Professional Program — Physical Therapy Degree: D.P.T. ¹

Professional Year 1
Fall Term	Hours	Spring Term	Hours	Summer Term	Hours
BISC 7130	5	PHTH 7504	2	PHTH 7522	2
EXPH 7140^2,3	4	PHTH 7515	4	PHTH 7528	2
PHTH 4512	3	PHTH 7516	2	PHTH 7539	2
PHTH 7503	3	PHTH 7525	3	PHTH 7560	4
PHTH 7120	2	PHTH 7558	4	PHTH 7577	2
IPED 9705	0	IPED 9710	0
	17		15		12
Professional Year 2
Fall Term	Hours	Spring Term	Hours	Summer Term	Hours
PHTH 7505	2	PHTH 7530	3	PHTH 7975	10
PHTH 7518	3	PHTH 7533	4
PHTH 7526	3	PHTH 7555	2
PHTH 7532	4	PHTH 7667	2
PHTH 7549	2	PHTH 7570	4
PHTH 7974	4	PHTH 7682	3
IPED 9715	0	IPED 9720	0
	18		18		10
Professional Year 3
Fall Term	Hours	Spring Term	Hours
PHTH 7506	3	PHTH 7976	9
PHTH 7668	4	PHTH 7977	9
PHTH 7672	2
PHTH 7675	4
PHTH 7932 (Optional 2 Credits)	0
	13		18
Total Credit Hours: 121

¹: Students admitted without a completed bachelor's degree must earn their bachelor’s degree by the end of the spring term of the second year in the professional phase of the program.
²: EXPH 7140 Clinical Human Physiology or BISC 4145 Human Physiology fulfill the 4 credit physiology requirement for the DPT program. Students majoring in Biological Sciences may take BIOL 4701 Human Physiology to fulfill the physiology content requirement; however, because BIOL 4701 is a 3-credit course, these students will also be required to complete either BIOL 4702 (in tandem with BIOL 4701 junior year) or PHTH 7932 (in the professional phase of the program) to meet the total credit requirement for the DPT degree.
³: Students in the BISC major complete BISC 4145 Human Physiology in place of BIOL 4701 Human Physiology or EXPH 7140 Clinical Human Physiology Clinical Human Physiology. The fall course schedule has been designed to accommodate the addition of a BISC elective (Medical Genetics) for BISC Majors. Other BISC courses may be possible as allowed by the DPT course schedule.

Business, Management and Leadership Specialization

Completion of this 9-credit specialization in business, management and leadership has been designed to facilitate a pipeline of future leaders within the physical therapy profession. The specialization involves formal course work and hands-on experience through completion of a project and capstone experience.

Eligibility

The program accepts 6-15 students in the first year of the professional phase, through a formal application process. There is no additional tuition charge for students accepted to the program.

Requirements

Course List
Code	Title	Hours
PHTH 7713	Principles of Business, Management and Leadership for the Rehab Professional (Professional Year 1 Spring)	3
PHTH 7953	Business, Management and Leadership for the Rehab Professional Journal Club	0
PHTH 7985	Business, Management and Leadership for the Rehab Professional Practicum (Professional Year 2 Summer)	3
PHTH 7997	Business, Management and Leadership for the Rehab Professional Capstone (Professional Year 3 Fall)	3
Total Credit Hours:		9

Absences- Attendance Policy

Students are expected to attend every meeting, lecture, lab or clinical experience of the courses in which they are registered. Any absence, regardless of the reason, prevents the student from getting the full benefit of the course and renders the student liable to university censure. In the Department of Physical Therapy, class attendance requirements and the impact that absences may have on a student's grade are made by the individual instructors. The attendance policy in each Physical Therapy course is published in the course syllabus.

Students who are ill or anticipate absence for a family emergency must contact the physical therapy department chairperson and academic standards chairperson immediately. All students must consult with the instructor of the course(s) missed for makeup, if necessary. Absences of two or more weeks of content or 10% of content in shorter sessions during the three years of the professional program may be considered as grounds for repeating the entire term. For short term absences please refer to the student handbook.

Refer to the Department of Physical Therapy Clinical Education Experience Manual for clinical education attendance expectations.

Admission and Academic Regulations - Preprofessional Phase

Admission Requirements

Direct Admit Physical Therapy Applicants (Early Assurance)

Students may be admitted to the program as freshmen with an early assurance admission to the professional phase if the student successfully meets all requirements for advancement. (see Academic Requirements for Advancement section). Early assurance admission cannot be extended if requirements are not successfully completed in the pre-professional phase.

High school applicants to the Direct-Admit PT program, referred to as “Early Assurance” throughout the rest of this document, are expected to fulfill the general admissions requirements listed in the university section of this bulletin. In addition, the following specific items should be noted for eligibility to apply to the Direct-Admit program in Physical Therapy:

Meet eligibility for admission to Marquette University as a new freshman.
One year of high school chemistry and biology is required. Applicants should include high school algebra, geometry and trigonometry which are prerequisites for physics courses at Marquette.
Acceptance to the Early Assurance program for incoming freshmen is on a competitive basis. Completed applications must be received by the university’s Regular Decision deadline for first-year applicants.
Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and/or dual enrollment college credits may be applied toward a maximum of four D.P.T. prerequisite courses, excluding CHEM 1002, PHYS 1002, and Anatomy and Physiology. These four prerequisite courses must be completed at the college level for a letter grade after high school. However, credits earned through Marquette University's Early College Credit Program (ECCP) are exempt from this limitation and may be applied to D.P.T. prerequisite courses without restriction. ECCP courses are included in the calculation of the minimum 2.670 GPA required for prerequisite courses and are subject to the letter grade minimum requirements. Note: AP, IB, and dual enrollment credits (non ECCP) awarded by MU are credit-bearing only and are not included in grade point average (GPA) calculations.

Marquette students who were not offered an early assurance position as freshmen may apply to transfer into the program.

Transfer Applicants

Internal Transfer Admission (Marquette Students and Graduates)

Pre-physical therapy students (PREP) and other Marquette undergraduates may apply for admission into the professional phase of the program, subject to space availability. This internal admission process is competitive. To be eligible, applicants must have completed at least half of the D.P.T. prerequisite credits at Marquette University or be graduates of Marquette, including those holding a master’s or doctoral degree in Exercise and Rehabilitation Health Sciences (EXRS). Transfer applicants should have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.000 and a minimum prerequisite GPA of 2.670. However, most successful applicants exceed these minimum GPA thresholds.

A maximum of seven prerequisite credits may be completed outside of Marquette, provided the applicant still meets the requirement of completing at least half of all prerequisite credits at Marquette. To be competitive, students are strongly encouraged to complete all prerequisite courses at accredited four-year institutions. Once a student has matriculated to Marquette, D.P.T., prerequisite courses taken elsewhere may be completed in-person or online format, but in-person courses are strongly recommended. Prerequisite courses not taken at Marquette University are not included in the Marquette University GPA or in the D.P.T. prerequisite GPA calculation. A list of prerequisite courses required prior to admission into the professional phase is provided below.

All internal transfer applicants who do not have their bachelor’s degree completed prior to starting in the professional phase (DPT Pro-1 year) are required to submit a plan with their application demonstrating how they will complete their bachelor’s degree by the end of the spring term of the second year in the professional phase (DPT Pro-2 year) of the program.

The internal transfer application is available on the Department of Physical Therapy website.

External Transfer Admission (Non-MU Students)

External transfer students with degrees and prerequisites from other institutions are considered external transfer applicants. Given the early assurance and internal transfer options, space is limited, and enrollment is extremely competitive. Transfer applicants should have a minimum 3.000 cumulative GPA and 2.670 GPA in the prerequisites, although successful applicants typically have above a 3.400 prerequisite GPA. All external transfer applicants apply via the national Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service. (www.PTCAS.org)

D.P.T. Prerequisites

All prerequisite courses for internal and external transfer applicants must be completed within seven years of application, except for Physics 2 and Anatomy and Physiology, which must be taken within five years of application. Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and/or dual enrollment college credits may be applied toward a maximum of four D.P.T. prerequisite courses, excluding CHEM 1002, PHYS 1002, and Anatomy and Physiology. These four prerequisite courses must be completed at the college level for a letter grade after high school. However, credits earned through Marquette University's Early College Credit Program (ECCP) are exempt from this limitation and may be applied to D.P.T. prerequisite courses without restriction. ECCP courses are included in the calculation of the minimum 2.670 GPA required for prerequisite courses and are subject to the letter grade minimum requirements. Note: AP, IB, and dual enrollment credits awarded by MU are credit-bearing only and are not included in prerequisite grade point average (GPA) calculations. However, prerequisites not taken at MU after high school are not included in the D.P.T. prerequisite GPA calculation and are not included in the university GPA calculation.

Course List
Code	Title	Hours
Biology (with or without lab)		3
General Chemistry 1 and 2 (with lab)		8
General Physics 1 and 2 (with lab)		8
Anatomy and Physiology		6
Statistics		3
Abnormal or Developmental Psychology ¹		3
Introduction to Physical Therapy and Medical Terminology (PHTH 1001) ²		1
Social Sciences ³
Total Credit Hours:		32

¹: MU courses that meet the Psychology prerequisite are: PSYC 2101 Introduction to Life-Span Developmental Psychology for the Health Professions, PSYC 3101 Developmental Psychology: Conception Through Adolescence, PSYC 3120 Developmental Psychology: Adulthood and Aging and PSYC 3401 Adult Psychopathology
²: Waived for accepted transfer students but will need to document proficiency in medical terminology in lieu of Intro to PT Class. Completion of a programmed text and written departmental test in medical terminology would meet this requirement and is offered to the students accepted into the professional phase of the program.
³: External transfer students need 12 credits of social sciences and/or humanities in addition to the DPT prerequisites. Three credits of cognitive and motor learning are strongly recommended, but not required.

technical standards

Students are made aware as freshmen and prior to entering the professional phase that all students must be able to carry out the basic duties of a generalist physical therapist with or without reasonable accommodation(s). A generalist P.T. is one who is capable of treating patients across the lifespan. Specifics of the technical standards are included in the Physical Therapy Student Handbook available on the Physical Therapy department webpage.

Academic Requirements for Advancement – Early Assurance Admission

Students admitted to the D.P.T. Program as freshmen must meet all requirements for advancement by June 1, preceding the Fall start of the professional phase. These include:

A 2.670 or greater cumulative GPA in the specified D.P.T. prerequisite course work consisting of BIOL 1001 or BIOL 1002, CHEM 1001, CHEM 1002, PHYS 1001, PHYS 1002, PHTH 1001, Abnormal or Developmental Psychology, Anatomy/Physiology course(s) and a statistics course (minimum 32 credits). Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB) credits and/or dual enrollment credits for a maximum of 4 courses may be applied towards D.P.T. prerequisite courses with the exception of CHEM 1002, PHYS 1002, Anatomy and Physiology. Credits earned through Marquette University's Early College Credit Program (ECCP) are exempt from this limitation and may be applied to D.P.T. prerequisite courses without restriction.
To maintain early assurance, direct-admit status:
1. No more than two prerequisite courses can be completed with a grade of C. A grade of C- or lower is not acceptable for prerequisite courses.
2. Students can retake no more than one prerequisite course. If a course is repeated at MU, the higher grade is used in the D.P.T. prerequisite GPA calculation. If the course is repeated at another institution, the grade for this prerequisite course will not be included in the prerequisite GPA calculation.
3. It is strongly encouraged that all D.P.T. prerequisite courses be completed at accredited four-year institutions. Courses taken elsewhere may be completed in-person or online. Note: AP, IB, and dual enrollment credits awarded by MU are credit-bearing only and are not included in grade point average (GPA) calculations. Prerequisite courses taken at institutions other than Marquette are not included in the Marquette University GPA or in the D.P.T. prerequisite GPA.
4. At least 16 of the 32 prerequisite credits must be taken at Marquette University. Credits awarded for test and/or dual credits completed in high school do not count as prerequisite credits taken at Marquette University (with the exception of credits earned through Marquette University's Early College Credit Program. Students who have more than 9 credits of prerequisites completed in high school will be limited in the number of prerequisite credits that can be taken elsewhere to ensure at least half of the 32 credits are taken at Marquette.
5. Students can take no more than seven prerequisite credits outside of Marquette post high school and must follow the policy for Study at Other Institutions. Prerequisites not taken at MU after high school are not included in the D.P.T. prerequisite GPA calculations or in the university GPA calculation.
A demonstrated plan for completion of a bachelor’s degree at the end of the spring term of the second year in the professional phase of the program. Students who do not complete their undergraduate degree in the expected time frame (4.5 years for EXPH majors, 4 years for all other majors), must submit a written plan to the Physical Therapy department chairperson no later than June 1 that outlines degree completion before the end of the spring term of the second year in the professional phase. Students failing to have an approved plan cannot matriculate to the professional phase. Students accepted to the Athletic Training/Physical Therapy dual-degree program must complete all requirements for the Master of Athletic Training degree prior to entering the final two terms of the Doctor of Physical Therapy program.
A student who forfeits early assurance direct admit status can still apply as an internal applicant in their third or fourth year, and is no longer time-bound for when they need to start the professional phase. This is a competitive admission window without a guarantee of enrollment.

The sequence of courses in the professional phase begins in August of each academic year and includes both summers of the three-year program. Following acceptance into the professional phase of the program, students follow the curriculum as outlined for the three-year professional phase unless prior approval is received from the department chairperson.

Assessment of Student Requirements for Admission to the Professional Phase

Assessments of students’ fulfillment of the above criteria are made June 1, prior to students entering the professional phase of the program in the summer of their third year. Students who have successfully met the requirements outlined above in undergraduate academic regulations are guaranteed admission into the professional phase of the program with the class they entered as freshmen. Students who do not meet the criteria forfeit automatic admission into the professional phase in the fall term. A pre-professional third-year student may request to use the summer session to retake one prerequisite, if it is their first retake, in order to meet all admission requirements. Such a request is made in writing, no later than June 1, to the departmental chairperson.

Admissions Hearing

Early assurance students who fail to meet any of the admission requirements and are not admitted to the professional phase of the program may request a hearing with the Academic Standards Committee.

CR/NC Grade Option

University guidelines allow junior and senior students to elect one course per term (to a maximum of four courses) for which only a CR or NC grade is assigned, given certain requirements are met. Refer to the CR/NC option entry in the university section of this bulletin for the specific requirements. However, this CR/NC option is not available for any course that is part of the prerequisite courses for the D.P.T. program or any course required in the professional phase of the program.

Course Sequence

Taking courses early and out of sequence is discouraged. Modification of the course sequence during the professional phase requires permission from the department chairperson. Students cannot withdraw/drop a required D.P.T. class without permission from the department chairperson.

Academic Regulations - Professional Phase

Students are expected to maintain full-time status and complete the D.P.T. program in three years. If extenuating circumstances occur, students may be allowed to extend their program into a 4th year with permission of the department chairperson. Failure to complete the D.P.T. program requirements within the 4-year time limit may result in dismissal from the program. During the professional phase of the program, students are considered in good academic standing if they comply with the academic standards printed in the Physical Therapy Student Handbook. Failure to meet the academic requirements results in dismissal from the program.

Academic Censure (Dismissal/Probation/Academic Alert)

Overview

There are certain categories of student performance problems that can lead to some form of censure. These problems may be identified at any point during the academic year, though a systematic review of all students' course grades is also conducted at the end of each academic term. The review of other, non-course grade problems is typically conducted on an individual basis as issues arise. A finding of significant problems in any of these areas can result in probation, suspension, or dismissal, depending on the nature and severity of the problems identified. All of these statuses are maintained permanently on the academic record; only dismissal, however, appears permanently on Marquette University's official transcript. If students are reinstated following a dismissal, that notation also permanently appears on the official transcript. Refer to the "Transcripts-Official' section of the Health Science Professional policies for statuses that appear permanently on the transcript.

Academic Dismissal – Required to Withdraw for Academic Reasons (RWAR)

Health Science Professional students (HESP) who have completed their undergraduate degree must maintain a GPA of at least 2.670 for each term. The D.P.T. program considers a grade below C to represent unsatisfactory academic progress. Students earning a final grade below a C (C- or below) or an unsatisfactory grade (U, UNC, UW, ADW, WF, WA) in a course or a clinical experience in the D.P.T. program may be dismissed. The Office of the Registrar (OTR) and the Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA) monitor the program's academic requirements at the end of each term (fall, spring, and summer). Students who do not meet these academic requirements are academically dismissed by the college (coded as RWAR by OTR) and their record is coded as failure to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) by OSFA.

Undergraduate students in the Physical Therapy program must also meet the requirements listed above to continue in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program. Students who are dismissed from the Physical Therapy program but remain in good standing at the university as an undergraduate student are allowed to continue with their undergraduate degree course of study.

Satisfactory Academic Progress: there are other SAP conditions for which students are responsible and are applied to all students in the program, both professional and undergraduate. Refer to the complete SAP policy on the OSFA website.

RWAR/SAP Appeal Process

Students subject to RWAR/SAP must appeal both RWAR/SAP by sending one form, which addresses both RWAR and SAP issues. This is done via the Academic Censure form located on the Marquette Central academic forms website. The form includes all of the required information students must submit in order to have their appeal reviewed.

The form is submitted to Marquette Central (see bottom of the form for methods of submission). Completed appeal forms are then forwarded to the chairperson of the Department of Physical Therapy. The department chairperson, in consultation with the Academic Standards Committee, has the final decision on all RWAR/SAP appeals. The Academic Standards Committee may require a hearing with students. See appeal hearing procedures in the Physical Therapy Student Handbook.
If the appeal is approved, students are 'Reinstated on Probation' and the Academic Standards Committee establishes an academic probation plan for them to regain their satisfactory academic and degree progress standing, and their eligibility for financial aid is restored.
The plan must be measurable and ensure that students are able to meet Marquette's SAP standards by a specific point in time. Plans should include courses to be taken, expected grades and a time frame to complete the outlined objectives.
The plan is monitored by the department (Academic Standards Committee).
Should students not fulfill all of their academic obligations as outlined in the academic probation plan, their performance is evaluated by the committee and a determination is made as to whether the College Academic Alert (see below) process is instituted; however, students are again coded with SAP for that term.

Physical Therapy Probation and College Academic Alert (CAA)

Failure to meet the requirements of probation may lead to a College Academic Alert (dismissal from the program). Conditions of probation may be prescribed in writing when good academic standing is not maintained (via a hearing). Conditions may also be prescribed in writing in the case of a student whose course performance or failure to follow academic advice warrants such action at any time during the program. All students where conditions of probation have been established are subject to committee review and possible CAA action should they fail to fulfill the specific terms.

In addition, any instance of failing to meet academic standards, regardless of a GPA of 2.670, may result in a College Academic Alert (CAA) action.

Students placed on College Academic Alert cannot register for subsequent courses in the Physical Therapy program and may be removed from any such classes for future terms in which they are registered. Students are notified by letter or email of the committee’s decision and of the appeal process. Undergraduate students who are not allowed to continue in the Physical Therapy program but remain in good standing at the university are allowed to continue in their undergraduate degree course of study.

Academic Dismissal – Professional Integrity

Students may be dismissed from the Physical Therapy program for failure to maintain professional integrity standards, which may include, but are not limited to:

Failure to comply with the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Code of Ethics or the APTA Guide of Professional Conduct. (www.apta.org)
Failure to comply with learning objectives set forth in a professional behavior learning contract between the student and the program.
Failure to complete their undergraduate degree by the end of the spring term of the second year in the professional program.
Clinical misconduct, including, but not limited to:
1. Conduct that constitutes harassment, threats, or abuse of, or discrimination against peers, faculty, patients, or others.
2. Provision of physical therapy services, including laboratory experiences in courses, while under the influence of an illegal substance and/or alcohol.
3. Breach of patient/client confidentiality.
4. Failure to comply with the policies and procedures of the clinical facility during a clinical experience.
5. Failure to comply with the Physical Therapy Act for the state in which a clinical experience is located.

Violations of the professional integrity requirements result in a hearing with the Academic Standards Committee. Findings of misconduct to self, faculty, the university clinical placements, and/or patients may result in failure in the assignment, failure in the course, or dismissal from the program. For instances of dismissal from the program, a notation of “Required to Withdraw for Professional Integrity Reasons” appears on the permanent academic record and transcript.

Academic Dismissal - Academic Misconduct

Dismissal for academic misconduct (RWAM) is determined per the Academic Integrity policy found in Health Sciences Professional policies. Once this determination has been made, students are dismissed from the university. This action results in ineligibility to register at Marquette. Reinstatement criteria for students who are dismissed, if applicable, are outlined in the dismissal notice. If students are allowed to return to the university, a permanent notation of ‘Reinstated to the University’ appears on the academic record and Marquette’s official transcript.

Accreditation

The Department of Physical Therapy at Marquette University is accredited by the

Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE)
3030 Potomac Ave, Suite 100
Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085
Telephone: 703-706-3245
Email: accreditation@apta.org
Website: http://www.capteonline.org.

If needing to contact the program/institution directly, call 414-288-7161 or use email the Physical Therapy department contact form.

Certification in Basic Life Support

Certification in basic life support that includes child, infant, and both one- and two-person adult CPR along with automatic external defibrillator (AED) training, is required of all students before beginning the professional phase of the program. Continued certification is required to be maintained by the student throughout the D.P.T. curriculum. Failure to maintain current certification may jeopardize enrollment in subsequent PHTH courses and/or clinical assignments. Students should contact their local American Heart Association office.

Emergency Care and Safety

All clinical education sites are responsible for providing students with site-specific safety information, including emergency procedures. Students should be aware that potential health and safety risks may exist during clinical education experiences. To ensure preparedness, all students are required to complete annual OSHA training prior to clinical placement, which ensures that they have received training on OSHA guidelines for blood-borne pathogens and universal precautions. Students are not employees of the clinical site and are not covered by workers’ compensation. Proof of active health insurance must be provided yearly to the program and before beginning any clinical experience. Students are responsible for the cost of any emergency medical care received while on-site, unless the illness or injury is determined to be the result of negligence by the clinical facility. In non-emergency situations, students are expected to manage their own healthcare needs while off campus. The DPT program follows and enforces all Marquette University safety and emergency procedures, including protocols related to lab safety and emergency response.

Examinations

Students who miss a final examination risk the loss of credit and the possibility of not being able to enroll in subsequent PHTH courses. All such cases are judged by the department chairperson.

Liability Insurance

Even though the university has liability insurance for students while they are in clinical practice situations, some facilities require students to have an additional liability policy. This type of insurance can be obtained through the insurance company used by the American Physical Therapy Association for student members of the association.

Patient Right to Refuse

Clinical education experience contracts state that patients have the risk-free right to refuse to participate in clinical education, and patients/clients provide informed consent to being involved in the clinical education experience.

Policy for Students Requesting Accommodations

It is the responsibility of students to utilize the Office of Disability Services to identify and request reasonable accommodations in the classroom or laboratory. Students are encouraged to be proactive in addressing their learning needs and to discuss their needs with their instructors as early as possible at the beginning of each term. See the DPT Student Handbook for classroom accommodation procedures and the MUPT Clinical Education Manual for clinical education placement accommodations procedures.

Tuition/Financial Aid for Professional Phase

Students who enter physical therapy as freshmen are considered in the pre-professional phase for Years 1-3 and the D.P.T. professional phase for Years 4-6. Full-time students are charged normal undergraduate rates of tuition for Years 1-3. Students are charged the higher professional phase tuition rate in years 4-6. There is no additional tuition payment for summer work. Even though undergraduate students in Year 4 are considered in the professional phase of the program, they may still apply for financial aid available to Marquette undergraduate students. When physical therapy students complete their undergraduate degree, they can no longer be considered for undergraduate sources of financial aid.

Withdrawal from the Physical Therapy Program

Withdrawal from the program is achieved through a written request submitted to the chairperson of the Department of Physical Therapy. Students considering withdrawing from the physical therapy program are encouraged to meet with the chairperson of the Department of Physical Therapy or their adviser before making a final decision.