What Sets UM-Flint's Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program Apart?

Focus:

• UM-Flint’s DPT degree program places great emphasis on clinical education.

• The DPT program at UM-Flint employs a life-span approach, which encourages you to value and respect diversity of gender, race, culture and disability, regardless of age. As a result, you will:

- Be competent to treat persons from infancy through the elder years

- Develop your abilities as a critical thinker, recognizing the value of scientific literature to make sound clinical judgments

- Understand the scope of physical therapy practice, recognizing when a patient needs medical management in substitution for, or in addition to, physical therapy

• UM-Flint’s DPT degree program has a Service Learning requirement, where students apply their learning to projects that benefit the community.

• The DPT is a 119 credit, three-year, full time program (part-time also available).

Flexibility:

• Students participate in a selection process for the clinical internships which allow greater flexibility to choose specific internships of interest to the student or in a location that is convenient for the student.

• Students are involved in scheduling of course times and final examination schedules

Resources:

• You will benefit from outstanding faculty, whose consistent record of scholarship and service at the state, regional, and national levels of the profession helps to mentor you in leadership and service, both to the profession and the community.

• The DPT faculty consists of members recognized for clinical specialization, which enhances the clinical aspects of your physical therapy curriculum.

Results:

• UM-Flint’s DPT program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education.

• The Physical Therapy department at UM-Flint prepares you to become a physical therapist who is a professional, competent practitioner for the rapidly changing health care industry of the 21st century

Admission Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution

• GPA minimums:

- 3.0 GPA or higher in the undergraduate degree

- 3.0 undergraduate GPA in all prerequisite courses (items below noted with “*”)

- 2.75 undergraduate GPA in all science prerequisite courses (items below noted with “#”)

• Completion of prerequisite courses from an accredited institution with an equivalent grade of ‘C’ or better in each course (‘C-’ for courses taken at UM-Flint):

- 8 credits Biology with at least two labs (no Botany) # *

- 8 credits Chemistry with at least two labs # *

- 8 credits Physics with at least two labs # *

- 4 credits Human Anatomy with lab # *

- 4 credits Human Physiology with lab (if a 5-6 credit combination Anatomy and Physiology class is taken, then course content needs review) # *

- 3 credits Exercise Physiology with lab # *

- 3 credits Statistics *

- 3 credits College Algebra and Trigonometry or Pre-calculus *

- 6 credits Psychology (general and developmental) (developmental across life span) *

- 1 credit Medical Terminology (must be a letter-graded course) *

Prerequisite courses should be completed within 7 years of applying to the program; prerequisite courses taken more than 7 years prior will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

• Completion of the GRE (Graduate Record Examination) general test:

- Verbal: Minimum score of 400 (exam taken before August 1, 2011) or 146 (exam taken after August 1, 2011)*

- Quantitative: Minimum score of 450 (exam taken before August 1, 2011) or 141 (exam taken after August 1, 2011)*

- Competitive scores are in the range of 450* Verbal (150 on revised exam) and 500* Quantitative (144 on revised exam)

- Must be completed before application will be considered for admission

*Special note:  The GRE has revised its General Test effective August 1, 2011. Scores of the revised exam are on a scale of 130-170; the previous GRE had a scale of 200-800. Either test is acceptable.

• Current CPR (Adult, Child, and Infant) and First Aid certification: First Aid certification must be acquired through the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross.

• Observation of Physical Therapist Hours:

- 60 or more hours

- Two or more different types of clinical settings required

- 125 or more hours in four or more settings recommended

The most competitive applicants demonstrate knowledge of the depth and breadth of the profession as well as consistent academic performance, maturity and values associated with health care professions.

The Fall 2011 entering class GPA average was 3.41.

Application Process

For the Fall 2013 admission period, the University of Michigan-Flint will use the Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS). The application will be available July 2-December 1, 2012. Additional application materials must be submitted as follows:

Submit the following to PTCAS by December 1:

• Official transcripts from all colleges and universities you have attended in the United States (foreign transcripts are to be sent to the Office of Graduate Programs, not PTCAS)

• Two letters of reference to be sent to PTCAS. At least one reference must be from a physical therapist who has observed you within the last five years in a clinical setting. The second reference may be from another physical therapist or a university professor who has instructed you in a course within the last five years, or who has acted as your academic advisor.

• Arrange for a licensed physical therapist to review your  PT observation hours and send the signed PTCAS Observation Hours form directly to PTCAS. (See “Admission Requirements” tab for observation hour requirements.)

• Essay Questions specific to the DPT program at UM-Flint (part of the application you complete through PTCAS)

Questions about the PTCAS portion of the application may be addressed on the FAQ page of the PTCAS website here: https://portal.ptcas.org/applicants2012/faq/ptcas_faqs.shtml.

In addition, you can contact PTCAS by phone at (617) 612-2040 or through the website at: ptcasinfo@PTCAS.org if you have any further questions regarding the PTCAS portion of
your application.

Submit the following directly to UM-Flint by December 1:

• UM-Flint Supplemental Application Fee (paid online)

• GRE scores (general test) sent to UM-Flint Institutional Code #7737

• Foreign transcripts and diplomas or certificates of graduation from any colleges and universities you have attended from outside the United States (do not send to PTCAS)

• Additional Documentation if your native language is not English or you are an international student seeking a student visa. Visit www.umflint.edu/international for details.

All documents to be submitted to UM-Flint should be mailed to:

University of Michigan-Flint
Graduate Programs, 251 Thompson Library
303 E Kearsley St
Flint, MI 48502-1950

If you are admitted to the DPT program at UM-Flint, you will be required to submit the following directly to UM-Flint following admission before you can register for classes:

• Official transcript from the institution where you earned your bachelor’s degree (with the degree posted)

• Copy of CPR card

• Copy of First Aid card

Application Deadlines

Students are admitted in the fall semester only. The deadline to submit all documents to PTCAS is December 1 to ensure full consideration of your application. It can take up to five weeks for PTCAS to send UM-Flint all of your documents after you have submitted them to PTCAS. If you do not
submit all PTCAS materials to PTCAS by December 1, the materials may arrive to UM-Flint late and will thus take your application out of consideration.

Review of completed applications will begin on or before January 15.

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