Prospective Applicants : Technical Standards

Applicants must possess certain skills in order to master the educational content of the Physical Therapy program at an acceptable level of performance within the time frames both provided in the curriculum and required for professional competence. These skills are needed to improve or maintain patient health by preventing and/or alleviating disability and improving independence of function; to achieve goals of physical therapy care that engage the greatest possible degree of patient motivation and cooperation within resource constraints; and to provide for periodic revision and appropriate discontinuation. This regimen should be appropriate to the patient's progress and physical and psychosocial status. All professional service must be provided in a manner to assure safety of clients, professionals, and technical staff.

The Director of the Division of Physical Therapy welcomes questions or inquiries from individuals with disabilities regarding the standards and their application to each individual's unique situation. In each case, a determination can be made as to whether the individual is qualified for admission to the program and if reasonable accommodations can be made. While the Division of Physical Therapy is prohibited by federal law from making inquiries about specific disabilities prior to admission, applicants who are selected for admission must be prepared to meet the performance standards in order to complete the program.

Skills fundamental to the physical therapy profession and curriculum include:

• Problem solving on the basis of verbal, visual, and written information within a limited time frame;
• Clinical reasoning and decision making within a limited time frame;
• Visual-spatial integration;
• Perceptual-motor integration;
• Intermittent lifting of heavy loads;
• Repetitive motion;
• Insight and judgment for safety and prognostication;
• Written and verbal communication among group members;
• Planning and organizing for treatment prescription;
• Time management to coordinate course requirements and clinical responsibilities.

These skills require that applicants have the abilities to meet technical standards which have been established for this program. They are:

 I.  Participate in all phases of the educational program within the required time frame, including demonstrating comprehension of all classroom, clinical, and any other required learning experiences through performance and/or examination in order to:

A. be provided with all the specific skills and experiences necessary to successfully complete the Physical Therapy Program, and become eligible for licensure

B. apply basic principles of the scientific method in reading and interpreting professional literature, performing research, and critically analyzing new concepts and findings provided by others. Components of the scientific method include:

1. identifying a professional problem or question.
2. critiquing and synthesizing current theory related to the problem.
3. integrating the relationship between current theory and the problem.
4. generating a hypothesis and variables related to the hypothesis.
5. devising a research protocol to test the research hypothesis.
6. determining the resources required to perform the proposed research procedures.
7. presenting a written research proposal.
8. carrying out the protocol for purposes of collecting data.
9. interpreting the data collected based on current theory.
10. integrating the results into clinical practice or knowledge base.
11. presenting the results in written and verbal formats.

C. apply basic educational concepts of theories in designing, implementing, and evaluating treatment regimens, and in educating patients, families, and health care personnel involved in the patient's care. Components of education include:

1. identifying the needs of the learner.
2. analyzing the learner's current level of knowledge.
3. determining what needs to be learned and stating that information to the learner.
4. relaying the purpose for learning to the individual.
5. reviewing the learner's previous knowledge related to the content.
6. presenting the material at a level appropriate to the learner verbally and by demonstration.
7. providing the learner an opportunity to practice the material presented.
8. analyzing the learner's knowledge and providing feedback to the learner.
9. augmenting the material as indicated by the learner's performance.
10. relating the information to practical situations relevant to the learner.

II.  Function appropriately in interpersonal relationships by exhibiting use of good judgment, empathy, reliability, and emotional stability; must possess the abilities to practice appropriately in stressful situations and to work acceptably with others in order to:

A. interact with patients and families in a manner which provides the desired psychosocial support by:

1. recognizing his/her own reaction to illness and disability.
2. recognizing patients' and families' reactions to illness and disability.
3. respecting individual, cultural, religious, and socioeconomic differences in people.
4. utilizing appropriate communicative processes, including:

a. presenting and interpreting facial expressions and body language;
b. monitoring voice intonation and enunciation;
c. accepting and providing constructive criticism.  

B. demonstrate safe, ethical, and legal practice as stated by the profession C. engage the greatest possible degree of patient motivation and cooperation in evaluation and treatment
D. function effectively with other health care practitioners in providing appropriate patient care and in improving the quality of patient care
E. be responsive to ideas and techniques that might be more appropriate, effective, or safe.

III. Communicate effectively with patients, their families, and health care practitioners in order to

A. instruct, confer, and integrate appropriate patient treatment with other aspects of patient care
B. stimulate motivation and cooperation in treatment, and assist in the alleviation of anxiety
C. teach patients and their families procedures necessary for continued care
D. participate in the planning, organization, and control of a physical therapy service.

IV. Function appropriately in professional practice in order to:

A. review and evaluate patient needs; specify which definitive physical therapy procedures are indicated by administering and analyzing the results of tests, measurements, and evaluations including: gait analysis, vital signs, strength, coordination, joint range and capsule integrity.
B. plan and prepare treatment programs which:

1. include realistic goals in terms of diagnosis, prognosis, physical, psychosocial status, and anticipated lifestyle of the patient.
2. include effective treatment methods that provide a high probability of achieving treatment goals
3. are within resource constraints.
4. provide for periodic revision according to changes in the patient's physiological state.
5. contain specificity and comprehensiveness appropriate to the level of personnel who will execute the plan.
6. are adequately documented.

C. properly administer and/or modify physical therapy treatments in order that patients safely perform functional activities