Examine the Curriculum

The success of WesternU’s DPT-Entry curriculum is evident in the fact that
100% of WesternU’s 2006 DPT graduates passed their national licensure exam!

The 3-year DPT-Entry curriculum is designed around a problem-solving approach to physical therapy clinical practice. As you click on each trimester, corresponding course details will appear in the box below.  

Early Clinical Experience
Students gain early clinical experiences starting in the 3rd trimester. This enables them to immediately apply, in real clinical settings, the knowledge and skills they’re learning in class.

To prepare students for their clinical experiences they participate in simulated and real patient scenarios while faculty provide feedback to maximize learning.

High Faculty to Student Ratio
These labs and others like them have a high faculty to student ratio of approximately 1 faculty member for every 10 students, and class size is typically 40-44 students.

Academic Support
DPT-Entry students are taught by gifted faculty, many of whom have 15-20 or more years of teaching experience and are APTA board certified in a variety of clinical specialties.

Not only do students have the support of their faculty and classmates, but they also have the expertise of the Learning Enhancement & Academic Development Office (LEAD). The staff of the LEAD office arrange for individual and group peer tutoring sessions, one-on-one stress relief sessions, as well as workshop on topics such as time management, test taking skills, learning styles, and review courses for licensing/certifying exams.

Our very high retention rate and the fact that 100% of our 2006 graduates passed their national licensure exam (93% the first try) is a clear indication that our students are receiving an excellent education and are afforded all the support required to succeed!

48 Hours in a Wheelchair
During their 1st trimester (PT 5000) DPT-Entry students spend 48 hours in a wheelchair to get a sense of what it’s like to live in a world designed for people with full use of their legs. 

Anna Sladkey (pictured right) said of the experience:
“It’s not often that we have the opportunity to share the same experiences as our patients. This project has allowed me to be a better clinician because I am able to comprehend the physical and emotional challenges that the wheelchair bound face everyday.”

Students also learn which adaptive equipment; such as canes, walkers, crutches, etc, are best suited to the patient’s functional limitations.

Learning the mechanics of such equipment and viewing the world through their patient’s eyes prepares our graduates to work exceptionally well with the growing number of individuals living with disabilities.

Learn Alongside Students in Other Health Professions
WesternU’s interprofessional curriculum will provide a forum for you to collaborate and learn from students in eight other health-care programs.

When launched in 2009, this curriculum will provide an opportunity for early networking with other health professionals and ultimately prepare you to better serve your patients through interprofessional collaboration and referrals.

Facilities
Our first and second year students spend most of their classroom time in Cooper and Swift Halls where they have access to up-to-date scientific equipment and learning resources.

In addition, students use the recently opened Library and Learning Resource Center that provides great hardcopy and electronic resources. The library is both hardwired and wireless for laptop use.

Join us for information session where you can tour the facilities, chat with faculty and students,
and learn more about WesternU's DPT-Entry curriculum and admission requirements.