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cARE
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physicAl ThERApy
The human body is fascinating – and at Clarke, we take pride in being a leader in preparing graduates ready to treat individuals physically, psychologically and spiritually.
At Clarke, you get integrated clinical experience early - students get hands-on experience at the start of their second semester through Clarke’s pro bono clinic.
The physical therapy program at Clarke is an entry-level doctoral program that requires an undergraduate degree in another area. Many students choose to major in athletic training, psychology, biology or chemistry.
Clarke offers an accelerated 3+3 program in which qualifying students can finish both their undergraduate and doctor of physical therapy degrees in 6 years.
Undergraduates who meet specific criteria are guaranteed direct admission into the highly competitive dpT program.
Each member of Clarke’s PT faculty is a board-certified therapist. Faculty members maintain clinical practice.
The DPT program features a national network of clinical internships at some of the top clinics and medical centers in the country. Each student is required to do 40 weeks of internship work.
ThE clARkE AdvAnTAgE
The Physical Therapy Department at Clarke University is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 1111 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314; telephone: 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org; website: http://www.capteonline.org. clARkE physicAl ThERApy sTudEnTs ARE involvEd in A vARiETy of pRojEcTs on cAmpus And in ThE communiTy. ThEy includE:
Kids Against Hunger
Wheels for the World, a program that keeps wheelchairs and walkers out of the landfill
Adopt-A-Highway
Mentoring at Hillcrest Family Services
The Human Body Bee, which hosts more than 900 area fifth-graders Clarke Organization of Student Physical Therapists
Graduates from Clarke’s Physical Therapy program have requisite skills to practice physical therapy as generalists who can appropriately adapt to practice across all health care settings and patient conditions.
Clarke graduates are employed across the country in a variety of geographical settings, from rural to urban, in almost every imaginable practice setting.
When you pursue a degree in physical therapy at Clarke, you will benefit from elite affiliations and expert faculty.
gRAduATEs fRom clARkE’s physicAl ThERApy pRogRAm woRk in A vARiETy of occupATions upon gRAduATion, including:
· Acute Care · Clinics · Sports Medicine · Pediatrics · Nursing Homes · School Districts · Hospitals
Clarke physical therapy graduates have a nearly 100 percent job placement rate in recent years and a 97 percent board pass rate for licensure.
100
97
Employment of physical therapists is projected to grow 36 percent from 2012 to 2022, much faster than the average for all occupations.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for physical therapists was $79,860 in May 2012.
$79,860
A libERAl ARTs AppRoAch
At Clarke, a liberal arts education serves as an integral foundation of physical therapy professional education. Physical therapy students develop an understanding and appreciation for the structural, functional psychosocial, emotional and spiritual dimensions of humans. Individuals are recognized as unique composites of body, mind and spirit and in response, physical therapy intervention is based on individual patient/client needs.
10-TAblE cAdAvER lAb
AThlETic TRAining
Athletic trainers play a significant role in the management, prevention, recognition and rehabilitation of injured athletes. Under the supervision of a licensed physician, athletic trainers administer immediate emergency and follow-up care. They develop athletic injury prevention, treatment and rehabilitation programs using their knowledge of biomechanics, anatomy and pathology.
Clarke’s athletic training program has a strong liberal arts component, which helps students develop an understanding and appreciation of the many dimensions of humans – structural, functional, psychological, emotional and spiritual.
Along with the necessary professional skills, Clarke’s athletic training program emphasizes the development of critical-thinking and problem-solving skills. The athletic training program faculty believes that this is the strongest preparation for a career as a competent practitioner in today’s evolving healthcare environment.
psychology
The mind works in mysterious ways – but with a psychology degree from Clarke, you’ll be prepared to enter the exciting field of analyzing, evaluating, predicting and changing human thought and behavior.
Clarke’s secret to success is a nice balance of clinical psychology, social psychology and cognitive psychology. Faculty members bring a wealth of research, clinical and life experience to the classroom and present it in exciting ways. (When was the last time you saw a professor act out a mental disorder?) Clarke’s psychology department is committed to maintaining a rigorous academic curriculum designed to emphasize the development of analytic and expressive skills that are the basis of investigation, evaluation and communication in the field.
Biology is a rapidly expanding, widely diverse discipline, embracing all aspects of life. At Clarke, you will have the opportunity to design your own experiments from the introductory course through your senior capstone course, using appropriate equipment and techniques in the biology laboratories.
biology
why AThlETic TRAining?
Athletic training is a health care profession that has some similar techniques to PT used in the areas of treatment and rehabilitation. Students will learn patient interactions and evaluation methods as an AT major that may be helpful to them if they move to another healthcare profession, such as PT.
why biology?
The importance of the basic sciences needed to succeed in physical therapy is evident in the fact that many of the prerequisites for the DPT program as well as four of the courses required during the first year of the DPT program are part of the
biology program. This allows biology majors to have time in their schedules for other areas of interest, such as sports, student government and studying abroad.
why psychology?
ouR Alumni
scoTT schuEsslER | Human Health Sciences ‘00, Master’s in Physical Therapy ‘01,
Doctorate in Physical Therapy ‘06
Scott owns and operates Physical Therapy, Spine and Sports Medicine LLC, and Elite Physical
Therapy in St. Louis. While studying at Clarke, he still found time to play on the men’s volleyball team
where he earn all-academic honors, was a three-time team MVP and is now a member of the Clarke
Athletic Hall of Fame.
“Clarke taught me not only how to treat patients, but also how to run a business.”
PHySICAL THErAPy
AmAndA cyzE | Human Health Services ‘01, Master’s in Physical Therapy ‘02,
Doctorate in Physical Therapy ‘06
Amanda currently works at Unity Point Health-Finley Hospital in the Occupational Health Department.
She primarily works with patients who have gotten injured while at work and need to get rehabilitated
to their pre-injury level to return to work.
“The faculty at Clarke got to know us as students and therapists - they truly wanted us to excel and
knew what steps we needed to get there. The PT program taught me how to be a critical thinker and
problem solver - skills that I have come to realize are vital in a clinical setting. Now, as a professional
who has supervised Clarke students in clinicals, it is clear that same focus still exists.”
conTAcT clARkE
Admissions Office 1550 Clarke Drive Dubuque, Iowa 52001-3198 (800)383-2345 (563)588-6316 (563)584-8666 (fax) admissions@clarke.edu www.clarke.edu www.facebook.com/clarkeuniversity www.twitter.com/ClarkeUBEGIN yOUr
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