Hattiesburg
The curriculum can best be described as a hybrid curriculum, with foundational sciences and basic physical therapy skills taught in the first year in integrated fashion. Many of the foundational sciences are taught in collaboration with the Master of Biomedical Science degree, and will be cross listed in the catalog as such. The second and third year focus on patient management in each of four physical therapy practice areas; musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiopulmonary, and integumentary. Most trimesters of the program contain a clinical decision making course, which is a case based small group course designed for advanced mentoring in clinical decision making algorithms. Thirtythree weeks of full-time clinical practice are included in the curriculum, as well as a professional development track containing concepts in legal/ethical issues, practice management, and professionalism issues. Evidence-based practice courses are strategically placed in the curriculum to allow small groups of learners to develop research questions, collect data, and draw conclusions from the evidence regarding physical therapy principles under the mentorship of faculty. Finally, multiple opportunities exist in the curriculum for inter-professional training with nursing, doctor of osteopathy, education, and health information management programs.
This is a lock step, cohort educational program. Each student must pass the previous trimester at a satisfactory level to proceed to the next level.
Year One
Fall Trimester
DPT 520 Gross Anatomy I (4)
DPT 521 Human Physiology I (3)
DPT 505 Biomechanics I (2)
DPT 501 Principles of Physical Therapy Practice I (1)
Winter Trimester
DPT 530 Gross Anatomy II (4)
DPT 531 Physiology II (3)
DPT 506 Biomechanics II (2)
DPT 502 Principles of Physical Therapy Practice II (1)
January Term
DPT 570 Foundations of Professionalism I (2)
DPT 503 Principles of Physical Therapy Practice III (1)
Spring Trimester
DPT 523 Neuroscience (3)
DPT 510 Neuromuscular Conditions I (3)
DPT 597 Experiential Learning I (2)
DPT 507 Biomechanics III (2)
Summer Session
DPT 610 Neuromuscular Conditions II (3)
DPT 504 Principles of Physical Therapy Practice IV (1)
DPT 528 Evidence-Based Practice I (3)
DPT 550 Clinical Decision Making I (1)
DPT 525 Exercise Physiology (3)
Year Two
Fall Trimester
DPT 601 Musculoskeletal Conditions I (3)
DPT 604 Wellness and Preventive Practice (2)
DPT 628 Evidence-Based Practice II (2)
DPT 571 Foundations of Professionalism II (2)
DPT 650 Clinical Decision Making II (1)
Winter Trimester
DPT 602 Musculoskeletal Conditions II (3)
DPT 605 Physical Agents (2)
DPT 697 Experiential Learning II (6)
Spring Trimester
DPT 710 Neuromuscular Conditions III (3)
DPT 605 Cardiopulmonary Conditions (3)
DPT 607 Integumentary Conditions (3)
DPT 651 Clinical Decision Making III (1)
Summer Session
DPT 603 Musculoskeletal Conditions III (3)
DPT 670 Foundations of Professionalism III (2)
DPT 651 Clinical Decision Making IV (1)
DPT 608 Disability through the Lifespan (2)
Year Three
Fall Trimester/Winter Session 1/January Term
DPT 7970 Experiential Learning III (16)
Winter Session 2
DPT 7700 Foundations of Professionalism IV (2)
DPT 7010 Service Learning (1)
Spring Trimester
DPT 7500 Advanced Clinical Decision Making (4)
DPT 7770 Elective (1- 2)
DPT 7280 Evidence Based Practice III (1-2)
May Term/Summer Session
DPT 7980 Experiential Learning IV (12)
