Student Resources

Frequently used resources for students of the Physical Therapy program.

Physical Therapy Course Schedule

Below are samples of Physical Therapy Students' weekly course schedule. Please note these calendars are subject to change and should not be used in place of the course syllabi.

PT Profession Today

Developments, links, opportunities, trends.

Physical Therapy today is a very broad profession, with a full range of practice areas from generalist to specialist, geriatric to pediatric. Changes in methodologies, health care, and other issues can dramatically affect the field and its practitioners. The best way to keep abreast of new and interesting information is by following the links below.

American Physical Therapy Association - The governing body for PT in America.
APTA Career Center

Florida Physical Therapy Association
PT in Motion - The professional issues magazine of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA).
News Now - The weekly magazine of issues.
Other APTA Publications
Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy - The organization that creates and administrates the national physical therapy licensure exam.

Student Guidebook

The following documents are provided in Adobe Acrobat* format. Changes or updates to the information contained in these documents will be provided directly to each enrolled student as well as on this website.

DPT Student Guidebook

Professional Behaviors Plan
Independent Study/Independent Research Guidelines

Formatting Guidelines for Final Manuscript (ProQuest)

APTA Code of Ethics
Immunization Requirements
Anatomy Lab Policies
Practice Center Policies
Mandatory Prep for NPTE
Notice for Initial licensure for Applicants
Injury Prevention and Reporting Policy
Essential Functions

tDPT Student Guidebook

I understand that if I have any questions related to information contained in these documents, it is my responsibility to seek clarification from my program faculty advisor.

Essential Functions

The following are essential functions needed for successful completion of the Physical Therapy program at Florida Gulf Coast University. Students must be able to perform, with or without reasonable accommodations, each of these essential functions in order to fully participate in the program and successfully complete the requirements of the program in which they are enrolled. A student requesting accommodation in regard to carrying out any of these essential functions must realize that although he/she may meet program requirements to graduate, he/she may not meet some requirements of licensure and employment in the profession.

Florida Gulf Coast University, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and the University's guiding principles, provides classroom and academic accommodation to students with documented disabilities. Students are responsible for providing documentation of disability to the Office of Adaptive Services. Whether or not a requested accommodation is reasonable will be determined on an individual basis in consultation with the Office of Adaptive Services. (See current FGCU Student Guidebook).

Cognitive Functions
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1. Comprehend, retain, and retrieve complex information from the social sciences, humanities, natural and movement sciences, and apply this information to professional course work.
2. Comprehend, synthesize, and integrate information from extensive written materials, demonstration, group facilitation, lectures, class discussion, laboratory practice sessions, and simulated patients/clients.
3. Apply information obtained from classroom, laboratory, and written materials to the examination, evaluation, and intervention of real and simulated patients.
4. Critically analyze information taken from written materials, demonstration, group facilitation, lectures, class discussion, laboratory practice sessions, and simulated patients/clients to develop and support the rationale for appropriate examinations, evaluations, prognoses, and interventions.
5. Integrate information from multiple simultaneous sources in a timely manner.
Affective and Communication Functions
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1. Speak in English effectively and with sufficient volume to convey information to and instruct other individuals and groups from a variety of backgrounds, ages, and needs in a professional, respectful, and non-judgmental manner.
2. Understand and interpret the verbal, non-verbal, and written communication of others and respond in an appropriate professional manner.
3. Write clearly, concisely, and effectively in English.
4. Effectively attend to people, information, and tasks in a complex, highly stimulating environment during an entire workday.
5. Practice as a student in a safe, ethical, and legal manner.
6. Meet externally imposed deadlines and time requirements.
7. Effectively and consistently manage personal stress and the stress of others.
8. Respond to medical crises and emergencies in a calm, safe, and professional manner.
Psychomotor Functions
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1. Physically move or support patients/clients/classmates/equipment in a variety of situations and safely and skillfully supervise/instruct the movement/support of patients/clients/classmates utilizing a minimally trained technical support person.
2. Demonstrate the ability to observe and practice universal precautions.
3. Demonstrate the ability to perform emergency first aid and Health Care Provider CPR (American Heart Association BLS, including defibrillator).
4. Safely and reliably read meters, dials, and printouts.
5. Manipulate and operate examination and intervention equipment, monitoring devices, and computers.
6. Demonstrate appropriate body mechanics and react safely and appropriately to sudden or unexpected movements of patients/clients/classmates.
7. Demonstrate the ability to work in an environment which requires significant physical activity and mobility throughout the workday and which does not compromise patient or therapist safety.
8. Hear and comprehend the spoken word and auditory signals from equipment.
9. Write legibly and clearly by hand and by computer.
10. Safely, reliably, and efficiently perform appropriate examinations and interventions. See appendix for listing of sample (incomplete) examinations and interventions, listed by program.
Sample Examinations and Interventions
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Safely, reliably, and efficiently perform appropriate examinations and interventions. See appendix for listing of sample (incomplete) examinations and interventions, listed by program.

Sample Examinations
- cognitive/mental/ emotional status
- endurance
- skin integrity
- sensation
- strength
- joint mobility
- joint motion and play
- muscle tone and reflexes
- movement patterns
- coordination
- balance
- developmental skills
- pain
- posture
- gait
- functional abilities
- assistive devices and equipment
- cardio-pulmonary status
- segmental length, girth, and volume for patients
Sample Interventions
- therapeutic exercises to improve strength, ROM, or endurance
- developmental activities
- gait activities
- prosthetic and orthotic training
- wound care
- wheelchair training
- neurosensory techniques
- thermal agents
- physical agents and mechanical modalities
- massage
- electrotherapy
- balance and coordination training
- positioning techniques
- cardio-pulmonary rehabilitation
- manual therapy techniques
- functional activities, bed mobility, and transfers
- airway clearance techniques

Clinical Education

Clinical education is an important part of the physical therapy curriculum. It is the time for students to apply and expand the knowledge and skills they have learned in class.

During clinical experiences, all FGCU, College of Health Professions, and Department of Rehabilitation Sciences Policies are applicable. Students must adhere to these as well as the policies and procedures of the affiliated clinical sites they are assigned to. The following links and documents will serve as a reference and guide in matters related to clinic to all students, academic and clinical faculty:

APTA Code of Ethics for Physical Therapists
APTA Guide for Professional Conduct
FGCU Student Code of Conduct
FGCU Clinical Affiliation Agreement
FGCU Site Availability Form
FGCU DPT Program Clinic Policy

FGCU Physical Therapy program Clinical Education Curriculum
FGCU Physical Therapy program Professional Behaviors Plan
PT CPI Web Site link (https://cpi2.amsapps.com/user_session/new)
PT CPI Web Definition of rating scale and Clin Ed course requirements

Students are assigned to a wide range of facilities in order to assure experiences with patients having a variety of diagnoses/disabilities, ages, and practice parameters. Each student will gain experience working with patients with orthopedic, neurological, and medical diagnoses. In addition, each student must participate in the inpatient and outpatient perspectives and have the opportunity to experience patients throughout the lifespan. Management concepts must be a part of the student's clinical experience. Students have the opportunity to examine information about specific clinics prior to submitting a list of top choices. Students will not be assigned more than once to a facility unless the learning experiences are significantly different.

The DPT Program works with several facilities outside the State of Florida. Individual states may have requirements and/or resources for students placed at clinical facilities in those states. Links are provided below for requirements and/or resources provided by individual states outside of Florida.

State of Texas Clinical/Experiential Learning Site Complaints.

Useful Information

Physical Therapy Program Curriculum Plan
Clinical Education Policies
Practice Center Policy

Physical Therapy and Human Performance Practice Labs Policy

Biosafety/Infectious Agents Control Plan
Independent Study/Independent Research Guidelines

Formatting Guidelines for DPT Projects - REV 2015

Library Guide

A subject guide to assist FGCU students studying Physical Therapy by providing links to locate library resources for study/research purposes, as well as other relevant information sources.

Physical Therapy Library Guide

Library Guide Details
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Using the FGCU Library Guide you will find access to the following (note: you can also access the below databases by clicking on the below links):

Databases for PT: Specific databases for program related journals and/or specialized literature pertinent to Physical Therapy.

Core PT Journals:  A list of Core PT Journals along with a definition for students of "core journals". Also tips for locating specific articles and journals.

PT Books and eBooks: Instructions for students on how to search the library catalog for PT books. Additional information includes a list of the library's newest Pt books and a separate library lists of medical reference books, books on anatomy and physiology for PT students.  Use this area to suggest a book for the library's collection.

Assessments & Measures: A guide to locating / accessing psychological tests (assessments, measures, scales, etc.) as well as health tests. Additional information about Ref-Works, a web-based citation management program that can assist in research writing, and a list of APA & AMA style books that are available at the library.

Writing & Citing Tools: Find information regarding The Writing Center located at Library West 202C. Links to online help for APA and AMA citation styles. Also included are helpful guides on APA and AMA styles in addition to writing guidebooks at the library that students can consult.

Publishing in PT: A helpful library guide for faculty (and interested staff and students) regarding publishing.  Includes journal directory databases, journal rankings, information on predatory publishers, and a list of writing guides at the library especially for publishing in the health professions.

Special Topic: TBI: Current news on traumatic brain injury (TBI) and concussions. Find useful websites on TBI, and where to find stats and data on TBI in addition to viewing a list of books on TBI and concussions at the library.

FAQ: A Frequently Asked Question page designed with DPT students in mind to help them navigate library resources and the PT library guide.