Clinical Education
The UNC-CH physical therapy program affiliates with many excellent clinical education centers both inside and outside of North Carolina. Considerable planning and preparation go into the arrangements as affiliation contracts are established. The students’ special interests and personal circumstances are seriously considered as the clinical assignments are made. A diverse geographical distribution of assignments is important in the students’ development as a professional physical therapist.
Clinical Education Settings
Students must work with patients of all ages and a variety of clinical conditions to provide them with entry-level knowledge and skills in the general practice of physical therapy. Each student must have a clinical experience in three settings during their academic curriculum: acute care hospital, neuromuscular and musculoskeletal. In addition, each student must complete a clinical experience in an underserved area, including rural settings or specialty experiences.
First-year physical therapy students have an eight-week practicum beginning in the summer following the first two semesters of their academic experience. Second year physical therapy students have back-to-back eight-week practicums spanning from March to June (or, alternatively, on 16-week rotation for selected sites). Third-year physical therapy students have a final 12-week rotation in the summer upon completion of the academic portion of the curriculum.
UNC-CH physical therapy students are required to have at least one rotation that satisfies each of these categories:
Acute care
- Practice with acute care which may include intensive care, infection control, wound care, orthopedic, neurologic and cardiopulmonary dysfunction.
Neuromuscular
- A comprehensive approach to management of the patient with major disabilities and usually requiring long-term care; an emphasis on neuromuscular diseases/disorders is preferred, although patients with cardiopulmonary or musculoskeletal problems may also be seen. Experiences include problem solving and planning, interaction with and integration of contribution of several health disciplines such as nursing, physicians, social service, occupational therapy, speech therapy and orthotics. Most pediatric experiences are included in this category.
Musculoskeletal
- Includes acute and chronic musculoskeletal and other orthopedic problems. Patients with many other types of involvement such as neurological and cardiopulmonary dysfunction may also be seen, but an emphasis on musculoskeletal disorders is preferred. Clinicals emphasizing sports medicine fall into this category.
Underserved facilities or areas
- As a part of meeting our mission to serve the people North Carolina, we require all students to have at least one rotation during which a substantial portion of their patients are members of underserved communities. Experiences in many subacute rehabilitation facilities, rural outpatient centers, skilled nursing facilities, and school systems are considered underserved practice settings.
Clinical Education Contacts
Director of Clinical Education:
Jennifer Cooke, PT, DPT
Clinical Education Assistant:
Gabbie Kirby