Technical Standards

The graduate of this program must have the knowledge and skills to function in a broad variety of clinical, research, academic and industrial settings. Although not all students will have the same experiences or require the same skills (some students may not work with laboratory chemicals or assist patients in transfers), it is still important that each student have the technical skills necessary, in case they are placed in that situation. Therefore, the following abilities and expectations must be met by all students of the program.

1. Essential Observational Requirements:
   The PhD student must be able to:
• Observe and perform laboratory and/or clinical tests in which human subjects, chemical, and/or biologicals (body fluids, culture materials, and tissue sections) are tested for their physical attributes including, but not limited to, movement, force, texture, color, sound, odor, viscosity, immunological, microbiological and histochemical components.
• Read and comprehend text, numbers, and graphs displayed in print and on video.
• Perform comparative observations of text, movement, shapes, graphs, colors etc.
2. Essential Movement Requirements:
   The PhD student must be able to:
• Move freely and safely about a laboratory and clinic.
• Lift a minimum of 25 pounds.
• Travel to numberous laboratory/clinical sites.
• Perform moderately taxing continuous physical work.
• Control equipment and adjust instruments to perform laboratory procedures.
• Use a computer keyboard.
3. Essential Communication Requirements:
   The PhD student must be able to:
• Read and comprehend technical and professional materials.
• Follow verbal and written instructions.
• Effectively, confidently, and sensitively converse with human research subjects.
• Verbally and orally communicate with faculty members, fellow students, staff, and other research and health care professionals.
4. Essential Intellectual Requirements:
   The PhD student must:
• Possess these intellectual skills: comprehension, measurement, mathematical calculations, problem solving, reasoning, integration, analysis, comparison, self-expression, and criticism.
• Be able to exercise sufficient judgment to recognize and correct performance deviations.
5. Essential Behavioral Requirements:
   The PhD student must:
• Be able to manage the use of time and be able to systematize actions in order to complete professional and technical tasks within realistic constraints
• Possess the emotional health necessary to effectively employ intellect and exercise appropriate judgment.
• Be able to provide professional and technical services while experiencing the stresses of heavy workloads, task-related uncertainty, emergent demands, and a distracting environment.
• Be flexible and creative and adapt to professional and technical change.
• Recognize potentially hazardous material, equipment, and situations and proceed safely in order to minimize risk of injury to human subjects, self, and other individuals.
• Support and promote the activities of fellow students and of health care and research professionals. Promotion of peers helps to furnish a team approach to learning, task completion, problem solving, and patient care.
• Be honest, compassionate, ethical, and responsible. The student must be forthright about errors or uncertainty. The student must be able to critically evaluate her or his own performance, accept constructive criticism, and look for ways to improve. The student must be able to evaluate the performance of fellow students and tactfully offer constructive comments.

It is the student’s responsibility to notify the department if there is any reason they cannot meet the expectations of students in the Rehabilitation Science PhD program with or without reasonable accommodation.

KUMC is committed to equal opportunity and nondiscrimination in all programs and activities, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, sexual orientation, disability or veteran status. Disability accommodation requests should be directed to Carol Wagner, ADA Coordinator: (913) 588-5079 (V) or (913) 588-7963 (TTY).

PhD Faculty