Clinical Education


Within the Doctorate of Physical Therapy program, students complete a total of 38 weeks of full-time clinical education (approximately 40 hours per week).  During this time, students work with licensed Physical Therapists to apply their didactic knowledge to the care of patients/clients in a variety of clinical practice settings (e.g., outpatient musculoskeletal, inpatient acute care, and post-acute rehabilitation).  The objectives of each clinical experience evolve as the level of coursework increases.  Clinical education sites for full-time experiences are available throughout Michigan and the United States, with limited international experiences also available. 

Timeline of Full-time Clinical Experiences:
Third Semester (Spring/Summer of the 1st year): One 5-week clinical experience
Fifth Semester (Winter of the 2nd year): One 6-week clinical experience
Seventh Semester (Fall of the 3rd year): Two different 9-week clinical experiences
Ninth Semester (Spring/Summer of the 3rd year): One 9-week clinical experience

For additional information, please see the links to the Clinical Education Handbook listed below. 



Page last modified November 30, 2022