Dec 03, 2024

Mercy University 2024-2025 Graduate Catalog

Physical Therapy, D.P.T.

Nannette Hyland, P.T., Ph.D., Program Director
nhyland@mercy.edu
914-674-7828

Physical therapy is a dynamic profession with an established theoretical and scientific base and widespread clinical applications in the restoration, maintenance, and promotion of optimal physical function. Physical therapists are health care professionals who help individuals maintain, restore, and improve movement, activity, and functioning, thereby enabling optimal performance and enhancing health, well-being, and quality of life. Their services prevent, minimize, or eliminate impairments of body functions and structures, activity limitations, and participation restrictions. Physical therapy is provided for individuals of all ages who have or may develop impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions related to (1) conditions of the musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiovascular, pulmonary, and/or integumentary systems or (2) the negative effects attributable to unique personal and environmental factors as they relate to human performance.

Physical therapists play vital roles in today’s health care environment and are recognized as essential providers of rehabilitation and habilitation, performance enhancement, and prevention and risk-reduction services. Physical therapists also play important roles both in developing standards for physical therapist practice and in developing health care policy to ensure availability, accessibility, and optimal provision of physical therapy.

As clinicians, physical therapists engage in an examination process that includes taking the history including a review of systems, conducting a systems review, and performing tests and measures to identify potential and existing problems. To establish diagnoses, prognoses, and plans of care, physical therapists perform evaluations, synthesizing the examination data and determining whether the problems to be addressed are within the scope of physical therapist practice or whether a referral to another health care provider is indicated. Based on their judgments about diagnoses and prognoses and based on individual goals, physical therapists provide interventions (the interactions and procedures used in managing and instructing patients or clients), conduct reexaminations, modify interventions as necessary to achieve goals and outcomes, and develop and implement plans for conclusion of care. Introduction to the Guide to Physical Therapist Practice. Guide to Physical Therapist Practice 3.0. Alexandria, VA: American Physical Therapy Association; 2014. Available at: http://guidetoptpractice.apta.org/.

Objectives

The Physical Therapy Program at Mercy University is an accredited full-time weekend program designed to prepare graduates to practice with entry-level proficiency and to obtain licensure in Physical Therapy; graduates of the program are granted a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree. Students must hold a bachelor’s degree and have completed the prerequisite courses to begin the Physical Therapy curriculum if accepted.

The curriculum is based on a developmental, life span model that considers the unique needs of each individual. The program is dedicated to the promotion of high standards of physical therapy practice, education, collaboration and research in accordance with guidelines established by the American Physical Therapy Association.

The Physical Therapy Program encourages the motivated, self-directed student to use critical thinking and problem solving skills to integrate theoretical knowledge with clinical and research applications. Collaboratively, the faculty and students strive to develop and implement progressive learning methods to respond to the changing needs of the health care profession as it strives to better serve the community.

The Physical Therapy Program is committed to developing skills and competencies needed by future professionals. Its dedicated faculty has both academic and clinical experience to instill in students a spirit of inquiry, and to provide them with high quality clinical educational experiences.

Program Mission

Transform our students into professionals through unique learning experiences that will enable:

Optimize client’s movement for health;
Appreciate diverse backgrounds;
Collaborate in promoting health across the lifespan;
Apply evidence in patient centered care;
Champion Humanism in teaching, learning, and care giving.

Program Goals

Students are expected to master entry-level proficiencies in physical therapy knowledge and practice skills with individuals of all ages.
Students are expected to display professional behaviors, cultural competence, ethical values and a commitment to remain current with professional knowledge and practice.
Students are expected to demonstrate competency in applying methods of scientific inquiry and/or evidence-based learning to guide clinical/professional/scientific decision making within the physical therapy profession.
Students are expected to manage contemporary practice considering the dynamics that impact healthcare.

Course Load

The Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree is a full-time weekend program that takes approximately three years and four months to complete. The student is required to take eight to twelve credits per trimester. Course work may be completed in 10 trimesters.

Program Requirements

Students are required to complete a bachelor’s degree along with all of the required prerequisite science courses to be considered for acceptance.

Students who have successfully completed at least eight prerequisite courses listed below with a minimum prerequisite GPA of 3.0 are eligible to apply to the program. All prerequisite courses must be successfully completed prior to entry into the Physical Therapy Program. No more than one prerequisite science courses can be taken during the summer before entering the program.

Volunteer or work-related experience in physical therapy is recommended but not required. A maximum of thirty students will be accepted into each class.

Students with foreign credentials and whose first language is not English are required to complete six credits of college-level English composition or complete the TOEFL (as per University policy).

Physical Therapy Undergraduate Prerequisites

Anatomy and Physiology I and II	4 credits each
Biology I and II	4 credits each
Chemistry I and II	4 credits each
Physics I and II	4 credits each
Psychology	6 credits
Statistics	3 credits

All science coursework needs to have a lab component. Online science labs are not accepted unless taken in the years of 2020 through 2022 (COVID-19 exception).

NOTE: Courses taken elsewhere will be evaluated for equivalency.

The grades of any repeated prerequisite courses taken within the last five years will be averaged together when computing the prerequisite GPA. Students currently repeating a prerequisite course will have the standing grade for that course included in their admission GPA until the new grade is averaged with the existing grade. All prerequisite courses must be completed with grades of C or better prior to entry into the program. A prerequisite GPA of 3.0 or higher is required (consisting of the eight most recent prerequisite science courses).

Program Admission Requirements

General information regarding eligibility for the Graduate Program in Physical Therapy may be obtained from the Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS) at www.ptcas.org. Information may also be obtained by contacting the Physical Therapy Program Office at 914-674-7828.

The following is required of all applicants (all documentation must be received by PTCAS no later than January 15th):

Completion of an application packet on PTCAS (www.ptcas.org). Candidates with a science prerequisite GPA of 3.6 or higher can submit applications by October 15 for consideration for early decision.
Have a minimum prerequisite GPA of 3.0, which includes the eight most recent science prerequisite courses.
Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0. * Applicants whose cumulative GPA is < 3.0 will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Official Transcripts of all colleges attended sent to PTCAS (baccalaureate degree transcript if achieved). Students who have studied at institutions of higher education in other countries must submit official translations as part of the admissions submission to PTCAS. Only WES evaluations are accepted by PTCAS.
The GRE is optonal for the 2024 application cycle. If you have taken the GRE’s it is recommended to have your GRE scores sent to PTCAS. The Mercy University GRE Physical Therapy Code is 0656.
Volunteer/work experience is recommended but not required for the 2022 admissions cycle. Students are recommended to research the many roles of a physical therapist on the APTA website (apta.org).
Two references on PTCAS (http://www.ptcas.org). One letter should be from a registered physical therapist or a work supervisor and one letter should be from an instructor of a prerequisite course. The recommendations should give evidence of academic and professional qualifications for graduate study and should be no more than one year old.
Students with foreign credentials and whose first language is not English are required to complete six credits of college-level English composition or complete the TOEFL (as per university policy).
On-site Interview.

Admission Procedure

All candidates for the Graduate Program in Physical Therapy must file an application with PTCAS at www.ptcas.org. Completed applications have to be submitted to PTCAS no later than January 15th. The program begins in September. A complete PTCAS application includes: graduate application form, application fee, official transcripts of all colleges attended, essay and, letters of recommendation.
Please refer to the graduate admissions requirements for additional information regarding immunization and international students.
Selected applicants will be invited to interview with representatives of the Graduate Program Admissions Committee. Students who have taken a minimum of 30 credits at Mercy University and meet all admissions requirements are guaranteed an interview.
Candidates will be notified about Admission decisions by the middle of April for entry to the Physical Therapy Program for the following fall.
Offers of admission are extended only for the academic year stated. Students accepted into the program will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit of $500.00 at the time of acceptance, which will be applied to the fall tuition payment.
Applicants can only apply to the program three times.

Program Design

The professional program in Physical Therapy is a full-time weekend program that takes approximately three years, four months to complete. The program is divided into ten trimesters of academic work. Classes are generally held on 10 to 11 weekends within the fall, spring and summer semesters, between the hours of 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Students are required to take a minimum of six credits each semester. Since the program involves a full-time graduate course load, it is recommended that students work for no more than thirty hours per week.

Practical skills are developed through three full-time clinical education assignments (32 weeks in total). Basic Clinical Education (8 weeks) is completed between the second and third years, and Advanced Clinical Experience I and II (12 weeks each) are taken at the completion of the third year. All clinical education requirements must be successfully completed within 24 months of the didactic coursework. The professional program contains a total of 96 credits.

NOTE: While attempts are made to address students’ needs, optimal Clinical Education assignments may be a distance from students’ homes, thus requiring significant travel or the need for housing accommodations. Students are responsible for the cost of travel and accommodations.

Degree Requirements

Requirements for the Doctor of Physical Therapy include:

Professional Courses	83 credits
Clinical Education Courses	13 credits
Total	96 credits

Physical Therapy Curriculum

The physical therapy curriculum builds upon itself, therefore students most complete the coursework in sequence. (Each term is a prerequisite for the consecutive term.)

Note: All physical therapy classes may require an online component and students are expected to have internet access and participate in online discussions.

Year One

Year Two

4th Trimester - Fall

PHTR 535 - Childhood & PT Practice Credit(s): 6-7
PHTR 536 - Chldhd/Prob Solving Applictns Credit(s): 1
PHTR 541 - Patient Client Mgt II Credit(s): 3
PHTR 511 - Rehabilitation Research I Credit(s): 2

5th Trimester - Spring

PHTR 545 - Adolescence & PT Practice Credit(s): 5
PHTR 546 - Adoles & Prob Solving Applicat Credit(s): 1
PHTR 561 - Patient Client Mgt III Credit(s): 3
PHTR 531 - Rehabilitation Research II Credit(s): 2
PHTR 556 - PT:Ethics, Values & Practice Credit(s): 1

6th Trimester - Summer

PHTR 567 - Teach/Learn App in PT Credit(s): 1
PHTR 605 - Basic Clinical Education Credit(s): 3
PHTR 611 - Rehab Research III Credit(s): 2

Year Three

7th Trimester - Fall

PHTR 616 - Adulthood & PT Practice I Credit(s): 3
PHTR 617 - Adulthood & PT Practice II Credit(s): 3
PHTR 618 - Adulthood & Prblm Solving App Credit(s): 1
PHTR 619 - Medical Differential Diagnosis Credit(s): 2
PHTR 621 - Radiology for PT Credit(s): 1

8th Trimester - Spring

PHTR 627 - Maturity & PT Practice I Credit(s): 3
PHTR 628 - Maturity & PT Practice II Credit(s): 3
PHTR 630 - Case Study Clinic Prob Slv Credit(s): 3
PHTR 631 - Maturity & Prob Solving APP Credit(s): 1

9th Trimester - Summer

PHTR 620 - Professional Managemnt&Admin Credit(s): 3
PHTR 701 - Advanced Clinical Experience I Credit(s): 5
PHTR 709 - Research Externship I Credit(s): 2

Year Four

10th Trimester - Fall

PHTR 710 - Research Externship Credit(s): 2
PHTR 702 - Advanced Clinical Experience II Credit(s): 5
PHTR 730 - Prof Preparation Capstone Credit(s): 1

Total Credits: 96

Physical Therapy Program Policies

Academic Advisement

Upon acceptance into the Physical Therapy Program, each student will be assigned a faculty member who will serve as his or her advisor. The advisor will offer counsel on issues related to requirements for program completion, the development of long-term plans of study and future professional direction, and academic standing in the program. Students are required to meet with their advisor once per academic year (at a minimum). If students are experiencing difficulties during the Program, they are strongly encouraged to contact their advisor, who can develop a plan of action to assist in resolving the problems.

Attendance

Attendance and punctuality in all classes and clinical education assignments is required, unless the student is excused for extenuating and extraordinary life circumstances. If absence is due to illness, a note signed by an M.D. should be submitted. Missing one weekend day per semester is equivalent to missing three to four classes in a traditional program and may jeopardize a student’s standing in the program. Course instructors or clinical instructors must be notified in advance regarding absences. Failure to contact your course instructor and/or missing one full weekend of coursework (18 hours) will result in a review of the situation by the Faculty Review Committee. Possible results of absenteeism may include points taken off for absenteeism, documentation on the professional development form, a written warning and/or additional assignments. Missing a test or exam without previously contacting the instructor will result in a faculty review of the situation and can result in a grade of F for the test or exam.

Absence from any clinical education assignment must be made up or may result in a failing grade in the course.

Academic Integrity

Cheating and plagiarism are contrary to the purpose of any educational institution and must be dealt with severely if students’ work is to have any validity. The Physical Therapy Program following the College’s Academic Integrity Policy (located in the Academic Regulation and Procedures section in the Graduate Catalog). This policy covers cheating, plagiarism, obtaining unfair advantage, and falsification of records and official documents.

Background Checks

In order to participate in clinical education, a criminal background check may be required. The majority of clinical sites now require students to pass a background check prior to starting their affiliation. It is the student’s responsibility to perform this and supply the necessary documentation to the clinical facility well in advance of the start date of their affiliation. Policies regarding criminal background checks vary from facility to facility. Some facilities require students to have the background check performed on-site or be a specific company. Some facilities require fingerprinting and/or drug screening in addition. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the Clinical Coordinator of Clinical Education (CCCE) to find out the specific procedure at that facility and to have it completed and submitted within the specific time frame for the facility. If a facility has no preference, the ACCE will provide the student with an acceptable company. Cost of the background check is the student’s responsibility. A student may be required to have more than one background check performed during the course of the program.

Clinical Education Grades

All clinical education courses are graded on a pass/fail basis. If a student fails any Clinical Education course, the decision to allow the course to be repeated will be determined by a Faculty Review Committee. If the student is allowed to repeat the affiliation and fails again, they will be dismissed from the program. If the student is not allowed to repeat the affiliation, matriculated status will be withdrawn. Failure of any further clinical education courses is grounds for dismissal.

A student can only withdraw from a clinical education assignment for extenuation circumstances approved by a Faculty Review Committee. A student cannot withdraw from a clinical education assignment more than once. A student will not be allowed to enter into Advanced Clinical Education if they are on probation. Students on probation who are scheduled to enter Basic Clinical Education will only be allowed to enter BasicClinical Education after a faculty review panel determines that it is appropriate.

Complaints That Fall Outside the Realm of Due Process

The Physical Therapy Program is committed to meeting its mission as it relates to serving our students, potential students, staff, faculty, adjunct faculty, clinical faculty and the public consumer of physical therapy. To that end, we are committed to ensuring that exceptional complaints for which there is no established College, School or program policy or procedure are considered and resolved in a timely, fair, consistent and equitable manner.

Procedure: Complaint to the Program: Complaints should be addressed to the Program Director through the online form located here .
If the program director is the subject of the complaint, the complaint should be addressed to the Dean, School of Health and Natural Science.

Essential Functions

The program has an Essential Function Form that outlines the necessary behavioral/communicative, psychomotor, cognitive and self-care skills deemed essential for completion of the program and performance as a competent physical therapist. This form is signed by the student prior to starting the program stating they are or are not capable of performing the skills and abilities that are listed.

If a student cannot demonstrate the skills and abilities outlined in the Essential Function Form, it is the responsibility of the student to request an appropriate accommodation through the Office of Accessibility. The College will provide reasonable accommodation as long as it does not fundamentally alter the nature of the Program offered and does not impose an undue financial hardship or unduly disrupt the educational process.

Graduation Requirements

Each candidate for a degree or certificate must have completed all coursework and program requirements. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in all courses applicable to the degree is required for both good academic standing and degree conferral. The coursework includes the completion of research and clinical education requirements. The words “With Distinction” will appear on the diploma and transcript of any student who completes their degree with a GPA of at least 3.75. Once the degree is conferred, the academic record is finalized and cannot be changed.

Requirements of the DPT in Physical Therapy must be completed within five years from the date of the matriculation into the professional program. All clinical education must be completed within 24 months of completion of didactic course work. Exceptions may be made by the director of the program if the candidate demonstrates circumstances beyond the student’s control that temporarily interfere with the ability to complete the program on time.

Incomplete Grades

To request an incomplete grade, students must develop a written contract with the course instructor regarding the completion of coursework within a specified time not to exceed the start of the next semester. Incomplete grades will be granted only under extraordinary circumstances such as a severe illness, death of a family member, etc. Students may not register for any further Physical Therapy courses without permission of a Faculty Review Committee. Failure to complete the work in accord with the contract-specified time will automatically result in failure for the course.

Leave of Absence

A leave of absence will only be granted for extraordinary life circumstances after a full review by the Faculty Review Committee. The student must submit a written request including supporting documentation that will be reviewed by the Faculty Review Committee. If the leave of absence is granted, the student must maintain matriculation in the program by registering for Maintenance of Matriculation. The student must pass a yearly competency exam for clinically related coursework before attending a clinical affiliation. If the student fails the competency exam, they must remediate the previous coursework through independent study and/or auditing courses until they are able to pass the competency test. The maximum time a student can be on a leave of absence is one year. If the student requires more than one year, their matriculation status will be dropped and in order to return, they need to apply for readmission.

Maintenance of Matriculation

It is expected that students will fulfill the requirements for their graduate degree by registering for all successive sessions. For cohort programs, registration is required during summer session(s). For non-cohort programs, summer registration is not required. Registration is accomplished by either enrolling in classes or maintaining matriculation. The Maintenance of Matriculation fee is $100 per session and is processed as a registration.

Students who have not maintained matriculation and wish to return to their program within one year after their last course will be charged the Maintenance of Matriculation fee of $100 for each missed session. Maintenance of matriculation without attending classes is limited to one year. Activated U.S. Military Reservists are not required to pay the Maintenance of Matriculation fee.

Capstone Advisement

It is expected that Capstone students shall make satisfactory progress with their program’s culminating activity, which is the Research Externship and Professional Preparation Capstone course requirement in the Physical Therapy Program. Students are required to achieve a minimal score of a 73 on a Comprehensive Cumulative Exam in PHTR 730 to complete the program. A Comprehensive Cumulative Examination is utilized to ensure students have the ability to retain and integrate foundational and clinical science information. The examination will also test the students’ ability to apply this information to clinical practice.

The National Physical Therapy Licensure Examination (NPTE) is the external standard that all students need to meet to become a practicing therapist. Students who do not complete their Research project by the end of the 10the term must register for PHTR 711 - Research Externship Continuatn . Research Externship Continuation has a Capstone Continuation fee (equal to the cost of one graduate credit) which will be charged for each additional term required to complete the project. Students can only register for Capstone Continuation for two terms. A student’s degree will not be released until all Maintenance of Matriculation and Capstone Continuation registration and fees are recorded appropriately on a student’s record.

Maintenance of Good Academic Standing

A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in all courses applicable to the degree is required for both good academic standing and degree conferral. A student admitted as a Special Matriculant is required to achieve a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 after completion of six credits. Please note, certain graduate programs may have more stringent program policies. Please check the specific program regulations. Grades are subject to review by the faculty advisor and program director at the end of each term. If the academic average falls below 3.0, the student will be placed on academic probation.

If a student receives a grade of C in any required course in the DPT curriculum, the course must be repeated before permission to continue the curriculum sequence is granted. A student can only repeat a course one time if he/she has received a grade of C. A student must achieve a grade of a B or higher on the repeated course or the student will be dismissed from the program. The student must also pass a competency exam for clinically related coursework previously taken before attending a clinical affiliation. A student is only allowed to repeat one course in the DPT curriculum. A grade less than a C in any course required in the DPT curriculum will result in dismissal from the Physical Therapy Program. Students may appeal the dismissal; however, if the dismissal is upheld by the School of Health and Natural Sciences Program Dismissal Review Committee, a student may not reapply to the DPT program.

Students will be rated by faculty on their professional development (generic abilities) each year of the program. If a student does not achieve the expected level of development, a plan of action will be developed by the student and faculty advisor. If a student has not achieved the stated expected level of development prior to beginning clinical education, a plan of action will be developed by the program Academic and Professional Standing Committee and reviewed with the student. The clinical education assignment will not begin until the student demonstrates an ability to achieve the expected level of development. See the Program Student Manual for additional details.

A rating of “unacceptable” in any area of professional development/generic ability will be reviewed by the program Academic and Professional Standing Committee. If improvement is not made following a plan of action, the student may be dismissed from the program.

In addition to maintaining acceptable academic and professional status in the program, students are expected to provide service to the community. There is a mandatory service requirement in the program which is outlined further in the Program Student Manual

The Physical Therapy Program is responsible for ensuring that all students are competent and safe to enter the clinical education portion of the Program. To do so, students must demonstrate competencies by passing designated lab practical or examinations. Students must receive a grade of 73 or above on all specified examinations and a grade of 80 or above on all specified lab practical of a class. The designated lab practical examinations and/or examination will be on the course syllabus.

If a student receives a grade lower than 73 on an exam or an 80 on a lab practical, they must retake the examination/practical. The grade of the retaken examination must be 73/80 respectively or greater to continue in the Program. If the grade for the retaken written or lab practical examination is lower than the required score, the student will receive a maximum grade of a C in the class and the course must be repeated before permission to continue with the curriculum sequence is granted. The original grade on the examination is the grade utilized in the course grade. If the final course grade is a C, the course must be repeated before permission to continue in the curriculum sequence is granted. If the final course grade is an F, the student will be dismissed from the Program. Dates for reexaminations will be determined by the individual course instructor.

Academic Probation

Any student whose cumulative program or term GPA falls below 3.0 (without rounding) after any given trimester will be placed on academic probation. While on academic probation the student is required to achieve a term GPA of 3.0 or higher in the next term of enrollment. If the student is not able to achieve a cumulative program GPA of 3.0 within two terms, the student will be dismissed from the program. A student must have a cumulative program GPA of 3.0 or higher by the end of term 5 to be able to register for Basic Clinical Education. A student must have a cumulative program GPA of 3.0 or higher by the end of term 8 to be able to register for Advanced Clinical Education. If a student receives a grade of C in any undergraduate or graduate required course in the DPT curriculum, the course must be repeated before permission to continue the curriculum sequence is granted. A student can only repeat a course one time if he/she has received a grade of C. A student must achieve a grade of a B or higher on the repeated course, or the student will be dismissed from the program. A student is only allowed to repeat one course in the DPT curriculum. The student must also pass a competency exam for clinically related coursework previously taken before attending a clinical affiliation. Any student who fails the competency exam must remediate the previous coursework through independent study and/or auditing courses until he is able to pass the competency test. A grade lower than a C in any course required in the DPT curriculum will result in dismissal from the Physical Therapy Program and may result in dismissal from the College. Once a student is dismissed from the Program he/she may not re-apply to the DPT Program.

Program Dismissal Review

In cases in which a student has been dismissed from the Physical Therapy Program, the student may request a dismissal review when he/she believes that extenuating circumstances affected his/her academic performance in the program. The student must follow the SHNS Program Dismissal Review Policy detailed at the beginning of the School of Health and Natural Sciences section of this catalog.

Program Accreditation

The Physical Therapy Program at Mercy College is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave, 2G07, Alexandria, Virginia 22305. Telephone: (800) 999-APTA x 3241, (703)-706-3245 Email: accreditation@apta.org
Website: http://www.capteonline.org. Students are eligible to take the National Physical Therapy Examination, administered by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy. If you need to contact the Physical Therapy Program/Mercy College directly, please call (914) 674-7828 or email ptprogram@mercy.edu.

Professional Licensure

If you are interested in obtaining professional licensure, please check with the appropriate licensing body in the state where you intend to practice. For additional information and detailed requirements, please refer to the specific program of interest on the “School Resources” section of the Mercy College NC-Sara webpage.