Misericordia University

Catalog - Table of Index

Physical Therapy Major

College of Health Sciences
Degree MS, Physical Therapy
Department Chair Susan P. Barker, PhD

Faculty

Susan P. Barker, Professor of Physical Therapy, BS University of Pennsylvania; MS Temple University; PhD Drexel University

Richard Haydt, BS Wilkes College; MSPT Beaver College; DPT University of St. Augustine

Diane E. Madras, Associate Professor of Physical Therapy, BA University of Missouri-Columbia; MS Columbia University; PhD Louisiana State University

Roberta H. Mawdsley, Professor of Physical Therapy, BS Springfield College; Physical Therapy Certificate U.S. Army Medical Field Service School; MEd Boston College; EdD Boston University

Kelley A. Moran, Associate Professor of Physical Therapy, BS University of Delaware; MS Arcadia University; DPT Temple University

Michael Moran, Professor of Physical Therapy, BS State University of New York at Stony Brook; MS University of Scranton; ScD Nova University

Maureen Pascal, Associate Professor of Physical Therapy, BS University of Pennsylvania; MS Boston University; DPT Temple University

Steven Pheasant, Associate Professor of Physical Therapy, BA Wittenberg University; MS Arcadia University; PhD University of Toledo

Amy Tremback-Ball, Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy, BS, MS College Misericordia; PhD Marywood University

The physical therapy program admits students at the first year and transfer level to the five-year,professional master's degree program. Students admitted as first year or undergraduate transfers who successfully complete all major and university requirements will be awarded a bachelor of science degree in health science in addition to an MS in physical therapy degree. Students admitted with a baccalaureate degree will be awarded an MS in physical therapy degree upon successful completion of the professional program.

For students admitted at the first-year level, the program's first two years of pre-professional study provide a strong foundation in the liberal arts and sciences appropriate in depth and breadth to develop the ability in students to think independently, weigh values, and understand fundamental theory. This further serves to develop skills of critical thinking and communication, inherent in baccalaureate education and essential to professional socialization. The physical therapy professional curriculum is initiated in the third year and continues through the fourth and fifth years.

Students with a baccalaureate degree will be admitted directly into the professional program and will be awarded the MSPT degree upon successful completion of the three-year professional curriculum.

The program is guided by the standards and criteria of the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education of the American Physical Therapy Association (CAPTE), by whom it is accredited. Graduates of accredited physical therapist education programs are eligible to apply for licensure as physical therapists in the individual United States and territories.

Mission
It is the mission of the physical therapy education program to provide professional physical therapy education opportunities to the citizens of northeastern Pennsylvania and the surrounding regions of New York, New Jersey, Maryland, and Pennsylvania and to help meet the physical therapy health care needs of these areas.

The physical therapy program is committed to providing an education program that produces competent physical therapy practitioners who are critical thinkers and educated consumers of research. This program will prepare graduates for productive careers in physical therapy and as advocates for and participants in life long learning.

As an entry-level professional post-baccalaureate program, the physical therapy curriculum reflects a commitment to the complementary relationship between liberal arts and professional studies which enables graduates to adapt to and deal with constantly evolving societal and professional needs.

The physical therapy program’s commitment to providing affordable, quality physical therapy education expresses the founding Sisters’ values and attitudes of justice, mercy, and service.

Philosophy
The physical therapy education program is based on the belief that graduates of entry-level physical therapy programs should possess the clinical decision making and problem solving skills which enable them to function as peer colleagues in the contemporary health care system. Physical therapists need to be sensitive to the needs of a culturally diverse society as evidenced by their interactions with clients, families, health care colleagues, and the community in which they practice.

An educational program for physical therapists should reflect the concepts of androgogy (adult education), including problem solving, critical thinking, analysis, integration of theory and practice, clinical decision making, mentoring, and self-directed learning.

Physical therapists should have the ability to articulate and exchange knowledge and to seek additional knowledge and skills; and they should have the ability and desire to remain open to input from and collaboration with other health care professionals. They should value collaboration and communication in a spirit of mutual collegiality among health care providers and view these as essential to meeting the health care needs of society.

A physical therapy professional education program not only prepares physical therapy generalists but also provides graduates with the tools that enable them to develop specialty expertise through the application of critical thinking and problem solving skills and a holistic approach to health care.

The academic and clinical faculty and the academic and clinical education environments must reflect and foster professional values and behaviors. The academic and clinical faculty and curriculum components must be inextricably linked for the provision of professional education programs preparing competent health care practitioners.

A diverse faculty whose members have responsibilities and activities consistent with their areas of teaching and scholarly expertise strengthens and enhances a professional education program.

Goal
It is the goal of the physical therapy education program to prepare graduates who:

Are physical therapist generalists capable of contemporary, competent, legal, and ethical practice.
Value the relevance of critical inquiry in the validation and advancement of the art and science of physical therapy.
Appreciate the roles and responsibilities of physical therapists as professionally autonomous practitioners within the health care system.
Accept the responsibility for education of self, the community, clients, and colleagues in the health care system.
Value and foster communication and interaction with colleagues for the benefit of optimal service to clients.
Respect and respond to contemporary bio-psycho-social diversity in interactions with clients, families, colleagues, and the community.

Selection, Advancement and Graduation Criteria

Admission into Pre-Professional Physical Therapy
Students admitted into Pre-professional Physical Therapy (first year) must meet the general admission requirements of The University. Minimum criteria for admission to the Physical Therapy program are:

Class rank in the top one-third of the graduating class
Minimum combined SAT score of 1,050 for Critical Reading and Math (or the equivalent ACT score), with minimum SAT scores of 500 in the Critical Reading and Math sections.
Completion of three years of mathematics, one year of biology, and one year of chemistry in high school.

Additionally, high school preparation in physics is highly recommended. Exposure to and exploration of physical therapy as demonstrated by paid or volunteer experience is strongly encouraged.

Transfer into the Physical Therapy Program
Applications will be accepted only for transfer admission into the professional program that begins in the fall semester of the junior year. Admission to the physical therapy major is not guaranteed, and is on a space available basis. The deadline for submitting an application for transfers admissions is February 1st prior to the fall for which the candidate is applying. Contact the admissions office for further information. All prerequisite coursework must be completed prior to beginning the professional program.

Internal Transfer
Students who currently attend Misericordia University and who wish to transfer into the physical therapy professional program will be evaluated by the physical therapy admissions committee, along with external transfer applicants. Admission to the physical therapy major is not guaranteed, and is on a space-available basis. The deadline for submitting an application for transfer admission is February 1st prior to the fall for which the candidate is applying.

The criteria for admission into the professional physical therapy program (fall semester, junior year) are:

Completion of at least 70 credits with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5, with at least a B average in pre-requisite science courses highly desirable.
Minimum combined SAT score of 1050 for Critical Reading and Math (or the equivalent ACT score), with minimum SAT scores of 500 in the Critical Reading and Math sections. If SAT scores are older than five years, GRE or Miller's Analogy Test scores are required.
Completion of required pre-requisite courses or their equivalents with a minimum grade of C:
- CHM 104 General Chemistry (4 credits)
- CHM 105 Introduction to Organic and Biochemistry (4 credits)
- BIO 211/212 Anatomy and Physiology I & II (8 credits)
- PHY 107/108 Introductory Physics I & II (6 credits)
- PSY 123 Introduction to Psychology (3 credits)
- SOC 101 Comparative Sociology (3 credits)
Completion of a minimum of 39 core curriculum credits.
Exposure to and exploration of physical therapy as demonstrated by documented paid or volunteer experience of 50 or more hours in at least two different facilities or a minimum of one year's full-time professional experience within the health care system.

External Transfer
Students who do not currently attend Misericordia University but who have completed college-level work may be evaluated for admission into the physical therapy program.

Applicants Without Baccalaureate Degree Transfer applicants who do not have a baccalaureate degree may be admitted into the professional physical therapy program (fall semester, junior year) if they meet the criteria listed above for internal transfer candidates. Students who do not have an earned baccalaureate degree must complete all university requirements for a baccalaureate degree.

Applicants with a PTA Associate Degree
Transfer students with a physical therapist assistant associate degree will fall under the following requirements with regard to core curriculum requirements:

Student must have at least one course on his/her transcript in each area of Misericordia University’s core curriculum.
Courses transferred from another institution may represent the area of the core which the course satisfies. The appropriateness of the representational core substitute will be determined by the director of the program in which the core course resides. Courses taken at Misericordia University must satisfy the specific course requirement in the core area.
From the date of enrollment only two additional courses may be taken off campus and these must be taken at a four-year institution. One of these may be in a core course.

Applicants with a Baccalaureate Degree
Transfer applicants who have a baccalaureate degree may be admitted directly into the professional physical therapy program (junior year) if they meet the following criteria:

Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 in college work completed.
Successful completion of the following prerequisite College courses or their equivalent with a grade of at least C in each course:
Chemistry with lab 2 semesters (must include organic chemistry)
Physics with lab 2 semesters
Human Anatomy with lab 1 semester
Human Physiology with lab 1 semester
Introduction to Psychology 1 semester
Minimum total SAT score of 1,050 for Critical Reading and Math (or the equivalent ACT score), with minimum SAT scores of 500 in the Critical Reading and Math sections. If SAT scores are older than five years, GRE or Miller's Analogy Test scores are required.
Exposure to and exploration of physical therapy as demonstrated by documented paid or volunteer experience of 50 or more hours in at least two different facilities or a minimum of one year’s full-time professional experience within the health care system.
The following courses are not pre-requisites; however, they must be completed by the spring semester of the first year of professional study. Transfer applicants are encouraged to complete them before entering the program:
Statistics 1 semester
Developmental Psychology 1 semester

Advancement to the Professional Physical Therapy Program

Advancement to the professional program (junior year) is based on the following criteria:

Completion of at least 70 credits with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5.
Completion of required prerequisite courses or their equivalents with a minimum grade of “C”: CHM 104/105, PHY 107/108, BIO 211/212, PSY 123, SOC 101, PT 304
Completion of a minimum of 39 core curriculum credits.
Exposure to and exploration of physical therapy as demonstrated by documented paid or volunteer experience of 50 or more hours in at least two different facilities or a minimum of one year's full-time professional experience within the health care system.

Advancement within the Professional Physical Therapy Program
To advance within the professional program, students must

Earn no grade below B- in required professional level courses.
Achieve at least a minimum level of competence (MLC) of 80 percent in all required professional level courses and at least C in MTH 115 and PSY 275.
Satisfy all College undergraduate and graduate requirements.

Policies and procedures related to academic standards for the Physical Therapy program are included in the Physical Therapy Student Handbook supplied to all enrolled Physical Therapy Students.

Undergraduate Pre-professional Curriculum for PT Majors

Sequence of Required Courses and suggested sequence of core courses,

First year

First Semester	Total Credits	16	Second Semester	Total Credits	16
CHM 104	Gen. Chem. II	4	CHM 105	Intro. to Organic Chemistry	4
	Core or Elective	12		Core or Elective	12

Summer

	Total Credits	3
	Core or Free Elective	3

Sophomore Year

First Semester	Total Credits	16	Second Semester	Total Credits	16
BIO 211	Anatomy/Physiology I	4	BIO 212	Anatomy/Physiology II	4
PHY107	Physics I	3	PHY 108	Physics II	3
	Core or Elective	9	PT 304	Health Wellness and HP	3
				Core or Elective	6

Summer

	Total Credits	3
	Core or Free Elective	3

Requiredcore curriculum for PT Majors to include:

CPSSS Core	PSY 123, SOC 101
Natural Science Core	CHM 104-105
Mathematics Core	MTH 115 Statistics*

Additional Required Course:

PSY 275*
PHY 107/108
BIO 211/212
PT 304
Behavioral Science, Social Science, Education, Business or Language electives (6 credits)

* Must be completed before the beginning of Fall Semester Senior year.

Physical Therapy Professional Curriculum- Undergradaute Student

Sequence of Courses with suggested sequence of core and elective courses

First (Junior) Year

First Semester	Total Credits	18	Second Semester	Total Credits	16
BIO 301	Gross Anatomy	5	BIO 302	Neuroscience	4
PT 405	Analysis of Human Movement	4	PT 402	Clinical Science I	6
BIO 407	Applied Physiology	4	PT 410	Integrated Clinical Arts I	3
PT 409	Clinical Skills	2		Core or Elective	3
	Core or Elective	3

Summer

	Total Credits	6
	Core or Elective	3
PT 515	Research	3

Second (Senior) Year

First Semester	Total Credits	17	Second Semester	Total Credits	14
PT 503	Clinical Science II	4	PT 518	Clinical Education I 6 weeks	3
PT 505	Clinical Science III	4	PT 506	Clinical Science IV 10 weeks	6
PT 511	Integrated Clinical Arts II	4	PT 512	Integrated Clinical Arts III 10 weeks	4
PT 590	Research Seminar	2	PT 507	Clinical Science V	1
	Core or free elective	3

Third (Graduate) Year

First Semester	Total Credits	12	Second Semester	Total Credits	13
PT 619	Clinical Education II 10 weeks	6	PT 614	Integrated Clinical Arts IV	3
PT 621	Clinical Education III 10 weeks	6	PT 690	Critical Inquiry	2
			PT 616	Clinical Decision Making	2
			PT 612	Special Topics	3
				Core or free elective	3

Physical Therapy Course Descriptions (PT)