Clinical Doctorate in Physical Therapy

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) curriculum utilizes a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) approach to education, providing students an active, exciting and effective way to learn. PBL is student-centered, collaborative and self-directed.  This active learning process, based on patient case studies, more resembles actual clinical experience.  It improves preparation of the student for clinical practice, and the lifelong learning process as health-care professionals.  Throughout the curriculum, students develop a professional portfolio demonstrating their academic and clinical work.

One of the goals at Clarkson is to develop physical therapists possessing more than just technical knowledge required for practice. The professional curriculum develops knowledge and skills in human relations, communications, ethics, evidence based practice and effective resource management.  Students experience a wide range of environments in which physical therapists can have an impact on health and well being of individuals and society. Graduates are able to adapt to future changes in physical therapy and health care using critical and analytical skills learned in the curriculum.

The DPT program is housed in the Center for Health Sciences at Clarkson Hall.  The Center for Health Sciences is a regional center for excellence in health science education, treatment and research in physical rehabilitation.  The Center houses Clarkson's Academic Physical Therapy porgam, Canton-Potsdam Hospital's Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Servies, and the Clarkson site of the Syracuse VAMC R&D Service.

The state-of-the-art patient evaluation center combines the resources of both the University and Hospital and sophisticated technology, such as teleconferencing and human performance laboratory for teaching, research and clinical practice.