Entry - Level Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Admission Requirements and Application Instructions

Transcription

1 School of Medicine Medicine DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICAL THERAPY AND REHABILITATION SCIENCE Entry - Level Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Admission Requirements and Application Instructions The University of Maryland is the state s public academic health, human services, and law center. Seven professional and graduate schools train the majority of the state's physicians, nurses, dentists, lawyers, social workers, pharmacists and physical therapists. DPT Program The DPT is designed to prepare physical therapy students to function as independent, entry-level practitioners upon graduation. Students will learn to effectively examine, evaluate, diagnose, and provide appropriate interventions for patients with primary, secondary, and tertiary physical impairments, functional limitations, and disabilities across the lifespan. The goal of the DPT program is to graduate culturally-competent professionals capable of delivering excellent clientcentered care through critical thinking, evidence-based practice and lifelong learning. The DPT is a full-time program and requires mandatory enrollment during the summer, fall and spring semesters. Accreditation The Entry-Level Doctor of Physical Therapy program at the University of Maryland School of Medicine is accredited by the Commission of Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 111 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, Virginia, 22314; telephone: ; accreditation@apta.org; website: Campus Visits Admissions Open House - Join us as we discuss the application process, admissions requirements and the DPT curriculum. Please RSVP your attendance. PTRS Spring 2016 Open House: Saturday, April 9, PTRS Fall 2016 Open House: Saturday, September 10, Campus Visits : Please contact the Director of Student Services to schedule a visit at Application Deadlines Early admission application deadlines will be posted on PTCAS. If an applicant is competitive, they will be invited for an interview to be held on September 14, 2016 The interview process is ROLLING. Applications will be evaluated weekly by the Admissions Committee. Competitive applicants will be selected on an on-going basis to attend the mandatory on-campus interview. With the exception of EARLY ADMISSION decisions, offers of admission will be extended upon the completion of all interview sessions. Available space for the interview sessions may be exhausted before the application deadline so apply early

2

3 Page 2 Admission Requirements The Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science seeks applicants who will bring to the student body the qualities of scholarship, motivation, leadership and commitment. A bachelor s degree is required for admission. All majors are eligible to apply. In addition to a bachelor s degree, the following pre-requisite courses are required for admission into the DPT program. All courses must be successfully completed prior to the start of the DPT program. Competitive applicants traditionally earn a minimum B+ gradepoint-average for the pre-requisite courses. Grades of C- (C minus) and below cannot be used to satisfy the requirements for admission. Biology (4 semester hours) At least one course from the field of biology. (Excludes Botany and Environmental Science) Human Anatomy (4 semester credit hours) One course in Human Anatomy,or the first course in the series of Anatomy and Physiology I&II. We recommend that this course include a lab. Anatomy content must include skeletal and muscular systems of the human body. Human Physiology (4 semester credit hours) One course in Physiology, or the second course in the series of Anatomy and Physiology I&II. Physiology content must cover various systems of the body including: cardiovascular, endocrine, respiratory, etc General Chemistry I with lab (4 semester credit hours) Content should include atomic and molecular structure. This course should be the first course in the Chemistry I&II series and must include a lab. General Chemistry II with lab (4 semester credit hours) This course should be the second course in the Chemistry I&II series and must include a lab. General Physics I with lab (4 semester credit hours) Content should include mechanics, heat, sound, electricity, magnetism, optics, etc This course should be the first in the Physics I&II series and must include a lab. May be non-calculus or calculus based. General Physics II with lab (4 semester credit hours) This course should be the second course in the Physics I&II series and must include a lab. May be non-calculus or calculus based. Statistics (3-4 semester credit hours) Course content must Include mean, median, mode, standard deviation, t-tests, etc Psychology (3 semester credit hours) Introduction to Psychology may be used to satisfy this Requirement. Developmental Psychology and Abnormal Psychology are the recommended courses. Human Behavior(3-6 semester hours) In addition to Abnormal Psychology or Developmental Psychology listed above, applicants must also complete 1-2 courses that include a knowledge of human behavior from an individual or societal perspective. Sociology, additional Psychology and select Education courses will satisfy this requirement. Questions regarding the eligibility of courses to satisfy the pre -requisites, may be submitted to: ptadmissions@som.umaryland.edu Certifications: When enrolling into the Doctor of Physical Therapy program, students are required to provide certifications for: Basic First Aid, and CPR The CPR certification must include infant, child, and adult resuscitation. Certifications must be valid on the first day of classes and remain active throughout your enrollment in the DPT program. First Aid and CPR courses may be offered by various agencies in your community, including hospitals and community colleges. First Aid and CPR courses delivered solely via a web-based format ARE NOT acceptable. Courses delivered via a blended format are acceptable. A blended course includes on-line information and in-person skills practice and testing. For more information go to: American Red Cross: Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED for lay responders American Heart Association CPR & ECC Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED

4 Page 3 How to Apply for Admission Submit the Physical Therapist Centralized Application (PTCAS), required transcripts, recommendations and GRE results WELL IN ADVANCE OF THE OCTOBER 1st, PRIORITY DEADLINE. Promoted by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), PTCAS simplifies the application process for all prospective physical therapy students. PTCAS is a web-based application and allows the prospective student to submit one application and distribute to multiple DPT programs. The interview process is ROLLING. Competitive applicants will be invited, on an on-going basis, to attend the mandatory on-campus interview. With the exception of EARLY ADMISSION decisions, offers of admission will be extended upon the completion of all interview sessions Available space for the interview session may be exhausted before the application deadline. Follow the instruction provided by PTCAS for completing the application and submitting required documents: Required Experiences Confirm via PTCAS Physical Therapy Observation Hours All applicants must complete a minimum of 100 hours (volunteer or paid), observing the practice of physical therapy in a clinical setting. This experience must be supervised by a physical therapist licensed to practice in the US. This person must hold a PT, MPT, or DPT degree. The goal of the PT observation is to expose prospective students to the broad scope of physical therapy practice. Therefore, applicants are STRONGLY encouraged to complete observations in at least two to three different clinical settings (acute care, in-patient rehabilitation or skilled nursing facility, out-patient practice and/or school) and with different patient populations (children, adults and the elderly). Applicants are strongly encouraged to complete at least half of the required hours prior to submitting the application for admission. Community Service The Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science values service to the community. Students enrolled in our DPT program are required to maintain a portfolio that includes on-going community service. Therefore, applicants should document experiences that demonstrate on-going volunteer/non-paid service to the community. Acceptable experience should be non-pt related, and may include participation in college and university groups that provide service, cultural and faith-based groups, and national, regional, state, or local organizations. Please be sure to identify any leadership positions held while participating in community service activities. Record your community service activities and leadership positions when completing the PTCAS application. Only those observation hours completed within the past two years may be used to satisfy this requirement. All observation hours must be completed prior to enrolling in the DPT program. Record your PT observation hours when completing the PTCAS application. Verification of completed hours must be confirmed by a licensed physical therapist.

5 Page 4 Required Documents - Send to PTCAS Transcripts - Send an official transcript from each college or university you have attended to PTCAS. Each transcript must record all course work completed to date. PTCAS will not verify or forward your application until all official US transcripts are received. Recommendations - Recommendations must be provided from the following sources. At least one recommendation from a PT you have shadowed. This form must be completed by a physical therapist licensed in the US. Foreign Course Work - A professional course-by-course evaluation is required for college-level course work completed at foreign institutions. This excludes credit completed as a Study Abroad student that is recorded on the transcript of a U.S. college or university. The recommended credit evaluation service is: World Education Services - One recommendation from a community service experience describes the nature of your participation and your contributions to the organization (volunteer/non-paid experience preferred). A recommendation from an academic source. The academic recommendation must be completed by a college or university faculty member who has served as your instructor and has personally observed you in the classroom environment. Required Documents - Send to the University of Maryland GRE The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required of all applicants. An official score report must be sent directly from the ETS TOEFL - The TOEFL is required if English is not your first or native language and if you have lived in the US for fewer than 5 years University of Maryland Baltimore Institution Code: 5848 PTRS Department Code: 0619 Minimum required TOEFL score: 213 computer based exam OR 80 - Internet Based Exam Group Interviews A limited number of interview spaces are available. After an application is received, an initial review of the student s selfreported academic information will determine selection for the Group Interview. Applicants found to be competitive for Early Admission will be invited for an interview on September 14, Interview dates are assigned based on the following: Date the application for admission is received Determination of a competitive profile: Cumulative GPA Pre-requisite course GPA Number of required pre-requisite courses completed TOEFL score, if required Maryland residency Invitations to the Group Interview will be extended via . Interview schedule: Wednesday, September 14, 2016 Wednesday, September 28, 2016 Wednesday, October 12, 2016 Wednesday, October 26, 2016 Wednesday, November 9, 2016 Wednesday, November 30, 2016

6 Admission Review After participation in the required on-campus interview, results of the interview will be incorporated into the admission decision along with: Cumulative grade-point-average. A minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA is required to be considered for admission. The average cumulative GPA earned by competitive applicants selected for admission is 3.7. Pattern and history of all grades earned throughout the undergraduate curriculum. The official transcript should document a pattern of consistent or steadily improving academic achievement. Grades earned for the required pre-requisite courses. A minimum 3.0 pre-requisite GPA is required to be considered for admission. The average pre-requisite GPA earned by competitive applicants selected for admission is GRE scores: verbal, quantitative and analytical writing. The average verbal and quantitative GRE score earned by competitive applicants selected for admission is 152. The average analytical writing score is 4. TOEFL score if required. The minimum acceptable score is 80 - Internet Based Exam. Strength of the recommendations. Additional consideration will be given to: Maryland residency Location/region of the undergraduate institution attended. Maryland, Mid-Atlantic, etc... Documentation of unique personal and/or professional achievements Resume and letter of recommendation from a current or recent employer submitted by a career changer Depth and breadth of professional growth, development and career advancement after completion of a bachelor s degree PTRS alumnus legacy if self-identified Application summary for the DPT class enrolling in 2016: Total number of applications for admission received 722 Total number of applicants selected for admission interview 144 Anticipated Total number of enrolling students 65

7 Page 6 Academic Profile - Students Selected for Admission 2015 ( 2016 profile still pending) # of applicants offered admission with: GPA Range Cumulative GPA Required Pre-requisite Course GPA Below # of applicants offered admission with: GRE Range Verbal Score Quantitative Score Below DPT Enrollment Deposit Applicants who are offered admission to the DPT program will be required to submit the Enrollment Form and a $500 nonrefundable deposit to accept the offer of admission and to secure their space in the entering class. From the deposit, $400 will be applied toward DPT tuition and $100 will be applied toward the Enrollment Fee. A summary of all DPT tuition and fees is available at:

8 DPT Curriculum, Course Descriptions, Student Handbook and Student Outcomes The following information may be viewed on the department website: An overview of the DPT curriculum: DPT course descriptions: Clinical Education: DPT student handbook - all academic policies: Student Outcomes - retention, graduation and employment rates: 1st Year DPT Academic Calendar The Department reserves the right to alter the academic calendar to promote the best educational experience for students in the program. Every attempt will be made to communicate changes as early as possible. Students are strongly encouraged to monitor the calendar for updates and to consult with the Block Leader before scheduling events that may conflict with the academic timetable. During the week(s) between blocks (termed inter-block recess ), blockrelated activities might be ongoing (i.e. final written examination review / petitions, repeats of final practical examinations, pre-block preparatory assignments, etc.). Please plan accordingly. Summer Semester 2016 Wednesday, June 1, 2016 through Friday, August 19, 2016 Fall Semester 2016 Monday, August 29, 2016 through Friday, December 16, 2016 Spring Semester 2017 Tuesday January 3, 2017 through Friday, April 28, 2017 DPT calendar for the current academic year can be viewed at

9 Contact Us University of Maryland Bal more h p:// School of Medicine h p://medschool.umaryland.edu/default.aspx Physical Therapy and Rehabilita on Science DPT Admissions 100 Penn Street, Room 115 Bal more, MD Phone: (410) Fax: (410) E mail: ptadmissions@som.umaryland.edu h p://pt.umaryland.edu Prospective students Class of 2020 Tiny.cc/ptrsprosp Tiny.cc/ptrs2020 Follow us on Join us on Like us on See us on twitter.com/ umsomptrs PTRS Alumni Group University of Maryland facebook.com/ UMD.SOM.PTRS youtube.com/ umsomptrs