Doctor of Physiotherapy Frequently Asked Questions 1) What is a Doctor of Physiotherapy? The Doctor of Physiotherapy (DPT) is a professional entry degree that provides graduates with a higher level qualification than a Bachelor degree. As a professional entry master s level program, it will build on prior learning at an undergraduate level and provide students with a comprehensive, integrated course in the theory and practice of physiotherapy. The program combines theoretical knowledge and practical skills necessary to assess, diagnose and treat disorders of human movement. The curriculum includes integrated theory and evidence-based clinical practice in affiliated clinical teaching facilities. Students will experience dynamic and interactive learning environments, be exposed to a broad range of clinical experiences and will draw on the strengths of internationally renowned staff. 2) What are some key features of the Doctor of Physiotherapy at the University of Melbourne? The Doctor of Physiotherapy commenced in 2011 at the University of Melbourne and is the first three year physiotherapy graduate entry master s level program, providing a benchmark for physiotherapy education in Australia. In addition to core hands-on practical physiotherapy skills, key program features include advanced theoretical knowledge in areas such as pharmacology, radiology, leadership and management, sports physiotherapy and inter-professional education, including a faculty student conference. Students will be well prepared for the changing roles of the physiotherapist in areas such as acute care, chronic disease management, health promotion, emergency medicine, private practice and sports medicine. The course provides a vertically integrated community group health promotion project that culminates in a presentation and possible publication at the end of three years of study. The clinical program builds progressively to independent practice, with an extended clinical placement in the final semester and provides the potential for an overseas clinical experience to add depth of understanding in global healthcare. The vision of this program is to be a world recognised leader in graduate entry physiotherapy educational standards, research and practice. The new curriculum is aligned with the newly developed graduate attributes, advanced learning outcomes and the Australian Physiotherapy Association 20/20 vision. The new program has an innovative approach to physiotherapy training and aims to meet the current and future needs of students, patients and the changing nature of the health workforce and industry. Graduates will become leaders in physiotherapy clinical practice, clinical research and knowledge exchange. They will be primary contact health practitioners who will be widely recognised for their ability to contribute to the health and well being of the community in which they practice. These features of the course will enable graduates to have high level knowledge, skills and attitudes that will enable them to be work-ready and practice ethically, safely and effectively in both national and international environments. Studying physiotherapy at the University of Melbourne will also provide a campus experience within the Parkville precinct which is one of the premier health and research precincts in the world. 1 P a g e
3) Why is the Doctor of Physiotherapy at the University of Melbourne 3 years when other programs for Graduate physiotherapy are 2 years? The course structure of the Doctor of Physiotherapy was developed following significant research and consultation with leading health and research sector stakeholders, nationally and internationally, to determine the future needs of the physiotherapy profession. A three year program allows the curriculum to move beyond core basic level physiotherapy skills and develop more advanced clinical skills in areas such as advanced radiology and pharmacology, leadership and management and sports medicine to prepare graduates well to practice as primary health practitioners. It has been widely agreed by industry stakeholders that a graduate entry physiotherapy program that is able to extend over 3 years would provide increased opportunity to produce more work ready graduates for the healthcare profession. Three years allows for a more extensive clinical program to be developed which provides experience not only in the core areas of musculoskeletal, neurological and cardiorespiratory physiotherapy but to also move into clinical areas across the lifespan including paediatrics, aged care / rehabilitation as well as essential areas of future healthcare practice in chronic disease management and health promotion. The final third year also enables students to undergo a capstone Work Readiness clinic and culminate their extensive clinical experiences with an extended clinical selective in a variety of clinical areas of personal interest such as private practice or undertake an independent research project. Essentially, the three year program will ensure that graduates from the University of Melbourne, Doctor of Physiotherapy will be academically excellent, work ready and highly employable in the workforce. 4) Wouldn t it be simpler just to study a 4 year undergraduate degree elsewhere and get it over with? As health professionals, physiotherapists continue to study after finishing their undergraduate degree. The Melbourne Model is really a way to improve the quality of your early training and to ensure you are ready for work at higher levels of the profession and are confident in your career choice. You will also have the association with The University of Melbourne Melbourne is a great study partner with more student support facilities than any other university in Australia. Plus, this way graduates get two degrees, one of which is a higher-level graduate degree and therefore more prestigious than even two undergraduate degrees. The journey towards a career is just as important as the end outcome. The new Mebourne Model helps its students get to their career in great shape. Our courses set students up for not only a successful career but a successul life professionally and personally. 2 P a g e
5) What are some other advantages of physiotherapy being taught at a DPT level at this University? Students in the DPT will already have a cognate undergraduate degree and will be mature learners. Due to this fact, the difference in pedagogy that is able to be delivered will result is: - Increased use of e-learning: in classroom teaching (eg. audience response technology, use of tablets for e-notes and videoconferencing); for independent learning (eg. virtual clinics, streamed lectures, use of podcasts, wikis, on-line communities); in clinics (eg. discussion boards, blogs) and assessment (eg. e- learning formative assessment packages, group production of podcasts & wikis). - Use of adult learning principles including reflection and debriefing, self-directed learning, collaborative learning projects and choice in assessment tasks. - Increased use of learning outcomes set at the higher levels of learning. Use of master classes, classroom debates & critical reflections. Critical reasoning and clinical reasoning skills will be emphasized early in all subjects using small group learning. - Increased contextualizing of all subjects within local, national and international healthcare systems, with attention to patient voice, advocacy and evidence based outcome measures - Integration of evidence based practice and research led teaching in all subjects - Systems based biomedicine with integration of basic science and physiotherapy into more complex problems - Increased focus on primary health care (wellness, health promotion and chronic disease management) - Extended period of study in year three in a selected area of practice or research - Advanced theoretical knowledge in areas such as pharmacology, leadership and interprofessional education 6) What other benefits does studying at the University of Melbourne provide? The University of Melbourne has recently been ranked as the number one university in Australia and one of the top ranked universities in the world. If you are passionate about health and biosciences, highly motivated to succeed, have a thirst for life-long learning and excel academically, then the University of Melbourne is for you. Renowned for global leadership in health research, policy and practice, the University of Melbourne educates more health professionals than any other university in Australia. As a student, you will benefit from our first-class study options, state-of-the-art facilities and extensive connections with specialist and general hospitals, leading research institutes and the community and private sectors. Studying at the University of Melbourne opens the door to a world of opportunities. The University of Melbourne enjoys close collaborative teaching links with many of Melbourne s most esteemed public hospitals, community and private sectors. Our physiotherapy department collaborates with leading physiotherapy research institutes including: The Centre for Health Exercise and Sports Medicine, Rehabilitation Sciences Research Centre and the Sensorimotor Research Laboratory. We have well developed interprofessional and international research links with leading universities located in Norway, Sweden, the USA and the United Kingdom. 3 P a g e
7) How is the new Doctor of Physiotherapy different to the Doctor of Philosophy? The professional entry Doctor of Physiotherapy is different from the academic research-based degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) held by some Physiotherapy graduates in Australia and offshore. The Doctor of Physiotherapy is a professional entry, master s level coursework physiotherapy degree that combines evidence based practice, theoretical principles, clinical practice and high level abilities in knowledge transfer and professional leadership. In contrast, PhD graduates spend three or more years undertaking a very substantial piece of original research into Physiotherapy. The PhD will continue to be available at the University of Melbourne for graduates. 8) What career opportunities are there as a physiotherapist? Graduates from the Doctor of Physiotherapy are immediately employable following registration. Employers and clinicians consistently rate Melbourne physiotherapy graduates highly. You will be well prepared to work in ever-changing, complex environments, where your leadership and clinical skills are in high demand. As a graduate, you will have the opportunity to pursue a career in a range of health settings including hospitals, private practice, sporting and rehabilitation facilities, community organisations or as an advisor to government or industry bodies. This degree provides opportunities for pursuing employment globally. 9) Will the Doctor of Physiotherapy enable me to work internationally? Physiotherapy graduates from the University of Melbourne have a strong reputation and are highly regarded for employment opportunities both locally and internationally. Consistent with new courses in physiotherapy, the Doctor of Physiotherapy is currently undergoing accreditation as per Australian Physiotherapy Council guidelines. Upon successful accreditation the DPT will be recognised by a range of local and international professional associations allowing graduates to apply and work internationally. 10) What are the course requirements and what is the selection process? The selection committee will evaluate the applicant s ability to pursue successfully in the course using the following criteria: - Applicants having completed (or be in the final year of completing) an undergraduate degree in the last 10 years. - Successful completion of pre-requisite university subjects in human anatomy and human physiology (one subject of each) - Performance in a Multi-Mini Interview The Selection Committee will shortlist applicants for the Multi-Mini Interview on the basis of their performance in previous undergraduate studies (GPA). 4 P a g e
- The Grade Point Average (GPA) will be measured by considering the last 3 years of the applicant s undergraduate coursework studies (including honours) - Weightings will be applied by weighting the first of the final three years by 1, the second year by 2 and the final year by 3 Offers will be made on the basis of a combined ranked list where ranks by GPA and the Multi-Mini Interview are given equal weighting. 11) What is the Multi Mini Interview? The interview component of the selection process will be a 10 station Multiple Mini Interview for local applicants. Each station takes 5 minutes and has a single interviewer. The MMI aims to assess non-cognitive qualities including cultural sensitivity, maturity, collaboration, reliability and communication skills. The stations could include practical tasks, answering questions, commenting on short films, and explaining your thinking. Candidates who apply to both Physiotherapy and Medicine at Melbourne will only be offered one MMI in any one academic year. The results of the MMI will be used for both applications. International applicants will undergo a modified Multi Mini Interview via Skype. The interview will consist of multiple independent interviewers with multiple stations of questions. 12) How many places will be available? The Doctor of Physiotherapy will be looking to provide places for approximately 70-75 local students and 15-20 international students in 2012. 13) What marks do I need to get into the course? Each year the academic standard required to be competitive in your application to the course will vary depending on the applications received each year. It is envisaged that in order to be competitive, applicants will need to have achieved a standard of at least 70% or higher or equivalent GPA in their undergraduate degree. 14) What are the typical pathways to get into the course? The University of Melbourne provides a number of New Generation bachelor degrees suitable for entry into the Doctor of Physiotherapy. The Bachelor of Biomedicine and Bachelor of Science provide ideal options for entry into the course. The Bachelor of Biomedicine has the required pre-requisites already built into the degree while students from other undergraduate degrees need to ensure they select the appropriate prerequisites. 5 P a g e
Applicants who have completed their undergraduate degree at another university will be considered on an equal basis with students from The University of Melbourne, provided they meet the prerequisite subjects and other selection requirements. Some common undergraduate degrees as pathways to the DPT have included Biomedical Science, Science, Human Movement, and Exercise Science type undergraduate degrees. Examples of appropriate pre-requisite subjects can be found on our website at: http://sc.mdhs.unimelb.edu.au/prerequisites 15) How much does the course cost and what types of places are available? For full details regarding the course fees, please visit our website at: http://www.physioth.unimelb.edu.au/dpt/fees.html The course provides a high proportion of local commonwealth supported places (CSP). There will also be places made available for local Australian Full Fee Places. Places will also be available for Full Fee International students. 16) Are there any scholarships or other forms of financial assistance available? Scholarships are available for Australian and International students including access and equity scholarships. For information about current scholarships visit: - http://www.futurestudents.unimelb.edu.au/scholarships - http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/scholarships/gradcoursework/ Australian students are eligible for financial assistance in the terms of either FEE-HELP or HECS-HELP. Students may also be eligible for Youth Allowance and Austudy. Graduate Access Melbourne Applicants of the Doctor of Physiotherapy are eligible for Graduate Access Melbourne. This access and equity scheme provides access to applicants whose personal circumstances have had a sustained adverse effect on their academic achievement at undergraduate level or who are members of a specified group known to be under-represented in higher education. Information about Graduate Access Melbourne, including the eligibility criteria and application form, are available on the Future Students Website: http://www.futurestudents.unimelb.edu.au/ 17) What are the English Language Requirements for the Doctor of Physiotherapy? Full details of English Language Requirements for the DPT are available on our website at: http://www.physioth.unimelb.edu.au/dpt/int_students.html 6 P a g e
18) Is there a mid-year intake into the course? The Doctor of Physiotherapy does not have a mid-year intake. Students can only commence in semester 1 of each year. 19) How much contact time is required to undertake the course? The Doctor of Physiotherapy is very much a full-time course and can at times require quite substantial contact hours for lectures, pracs, tutorials, clinics and self directed learning. It is recommended that students do not undergo more than 8 hours of paid work during semesters of the course. 20) What are the key dates for the course? Key dates pertaining to applications, selection and starting dates can be found on our website at: http://www.physioth.unimelb.edu.au/dpt/key_dates.html 21) How do I apply for the course? Go to: http://www.physioth.unimelb.edu.au/dpt/apply.html 22) Where do I go if I have more questions? Physiotherapy Melbourne School of Health Sciences Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010 Australia Tel: +61 383444171 Fax: +61 383444188 Email: physio-enquiries@unimelb.edu.au Web: http://www.physioth.unimelb.edu.au/ 7 P a g e