Clinical Education
Translate your knowledge and skills into clinical practice through top-level clinical education in KU's doctoral program in physical therapy.
When you begin your clinical education in KU's doctorate program in physical therapy, you’ll have the opportunity to translate the essential physical therapy knowledge and skills you’ll gain in the classroom and lab into the clinical environment through a combination of integrated clinical experiences, clinical simulations and full-time clinical rotations.
Because we believe broad exposure to different practice areas throughout the lifespan is instrumental in the development of a well-rounded and versatile physical therapist, our clinical education curriculum begins in the fall semester of your first year and extends throughout the first two years of the curriculum. During this time, you'll complete part-time integrated clinical experiences each semester at partnering facilities. These opportunities provide immediate opportunities to translate the concepts and skills you’ll learn in the classroom to the variety of practice settings and patient populations that serve as the foundation of physical therapy practice.
Simulation and Real-World Clinical Experiences
In addition to integrated clinical experiences, you'll have the opportunity to develop your clinical reasoning and practical skills through high-fidelity simulation and interprofessional training events in KU Medical Center’s state-of-the-art Health Education Building and Zamierowski Institute for Experiential Learning.
During the final academic year, you’ll gain a total of 36 weeks of full-time clinical experiences offered at more than 250 sites throughout the United States and abroad. Clinical assignments are based on multiple factors, including the availability of placements and student preference. We strive to place students in medically underserved communities whenever possible, and students may be expected to travel outside of their home community.
Students are required to complete at least nine weeks of full-time clinical experience in an inpatient setting and at least nine weeks of full-time in a general or orthopedic outpatient setting. We believe broad exposure to geographically representative practice throughout the lifespan is instrumental in the development of a well-rounded and versatile physical therapist.
When entering the clinical education program in KU's doctoral degree program in physical therapy, you have the opportunity to translate essential physical therapy knowledge and skills into the clinical environment. This takes place through a combination of integrated clinical experiences, clinical simulations and full-time clinical rotations.
Because we believe clinical education is an integral part of our program, you'll begin your clinical education in the fall semester of your first year, and extending through the first two years of the curriculum. During this time, you'll complete part-time integrated clinical experiences during the semester at local partnering facilities. Such opportunities provide immediate ways to translate the concepts and skills learned in the classroom to a variety of practice settings and patient populations that serve as the foundation of physical therapy practice.
Simulation and Real-World Clinical Experiences
In addition to integrated clinical experiences, you'll complete a series of simulations to develop clinical reasoning and interprofessional skills in practice scenarios and settings through KU Medical Center’s state-of-the-art Health Education Building and experiential learning programs.
During the final academic year, you will fulfill a total of 36 weeks of full-time clinical experiences offered at more than 250 sites throughout the United States and abroad.
Students are required to complete two clinical experiences: one in an inpatient setting and one in a general or orthopedic outpatient setting. We believe broad exposure to geographically representative practice throughout the lifespan is instrumental in the development of a well-rounded and versatile physical therapist.
Clinical Faculty
Several members of the clinical education team are actively engaged in clinical education research through the Leveraging Education and Research in Physical Therapy Lab.