Transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy Program Structure

The tDPT program is designed to offer at least two courses each semester. Enrollment will be capped at 24 learners per course. By limiting enrollment to 24, course faculty can maintain personal and individualized contact with students and camaraderie between students can be promoted in a virtual classroom. By offering two courses per semester, students will have an option of taking one or two courses. The courses will be offered on a rotating basis so that students can enter the program at the beginning of any semester.

Of the six courses required in our program, PTH 6725 Differential Diagnosis (3 cr.) can only be taken after successful completion of both PTH 6710 Pharmacology for Physical Therapists (3 cr.) and PTH 6715 Diagnostic Imaging for Physical Therapists (2 cr.).

PTH 6730 Evidence Based Practice (3 cr.) is a good course to take first, as it sets the stage for graduate level writing and integration of evidence into your practice. In addition, several courses require you to investigate the current literature for assignments. PTH 6720 Health Policy (3 cr.) is also another course to take early in your tDPT education. It is a writing intensive course and can help hone your writing skills for subsequent courses.

PTH 6735 Clinical Experience (2 cr.) is considered our capstone course of the program. It integrates content from previous courses in a portfolio. It is also the course that solidifies the Benedictine values, which our program espouses, as integral values within the profession.

Program offerings:

The courses are designed to fill the gap between previous physical therapy education curricula and the entry-level Doctoral level curriculum. The courses have also been designed to be delivered online to allow the working clinician to participate. The program has 16 credits in six courses covering pharmacology, diagnostic imaging, health care policy, differential diagnosis, evidence based practice and clinical experience. EXCEPTION: graduates of The College of St Scholastica's program from December 2005 will not need to take PTH 6730, Evidence Based Practice, as that course was a part of their master's work.

Course descriptions

PTH 6710 Pharmacology for Physical Therapists (3 credits) - Analysis of common classifications of pharmacological agents and their potential effects on a physical therapy assessment and plan of care. Basic principles of pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, and drug receptors are covered, incuding anti-inflammatory agents, as well as medications used to treat cardiac, pulmonary, endocrine and neurological system dysfunction.

PTH 6715 - Diagnostic Imaging (2 credits) - Compares and contrasts benefits and limitations of various medical imaging techniques including X-Ray, CT Scan, MRI, MRA, PET, ultrasound. Criteria for imaging referral, imaging report interpretation and basic imaging assessment are covered.

PTH 6720 Health Policy (3 credits) - Analysis of legal issues surrounding health care in America and the promotion of advocacy for reform.

PTH 6725 - Differential Diagnosis (3 credits) - Focuses on diagnostic process and clinical reasoning skills in patient/client management. Emphasis is on the differential diagnosis process for physical therapy and indications for referral. Prerequisites are PTH 6710 - Pharmacology for Physical Therapists and PTH 6715 - Diagnostic Imaging.

PTH 6730 - Evidence Based Practice in Physical Therapy (3 credits) - Applies concepts of evidence-based practice to the clinic. Basic concepts of research, statistics, and critical analysis of literature are reviewed and then applied to a topic of interest to the student.

PTH 6735 - Clinical Experience (2 credits) - Development of a portfolio to demonstrate physical therapy skills, knowledge, and behaviors/interactions with patient/clients, peers, and other professionals consistent with doctoral level practice.

Courses will be presented in an online format to allow flexibility for the working clinician. The program will use the Blackboard 9.1 platform with weekly schedules for assignments, discussions, and chats.

Tuition:

$605 per credit or a total of $9,680 for all 6 courses.