Technical Standards

Physical therapists seek to prevent injury, impairments, functional limitations, and disability; to maintain and promote fitness, health, and quality of life; and to ensure availability, accessibility, and excellence in the delivery of physical therapy services to patients.

Students are expected to master the technical standards of their program.

• Acquire information from demonstrations and experiences in the basic and clinical sciences, including but not limited to information conveyed through laboratory dissection, physiologic demonstrations and physical demonstrations.
• Acquire information from written documents and identify information presented in images from paper, videos, transparencies and slides.
• Accurately elicit from a patient, a history and other information required to adequately and effectively evaluate a patient's condition.
• Select and perform examinations of aerobic capacity, gait and balance, integumentary integrity, joint integrity, motor function, muscle performance, neuromotor development, posture, range of motion, reflexes, self-care, sensory integrity, ventilation, respiration and circulation.
• Use and interpret information from diagnostic maneuvers (e.g. observation, palpation, auscultation, the course of conducting a comprehensive physical therapy exam.
• Synthesize information to develop a plan of care for patients.
• Problem solve and think critically to judge which theory, and or strategy of assessment and intervention is most appropriate for facilitation the attainment of the highest level of function.
• Perform interventions including but not limited to therapeutic exercise, functional training, manual therapy, debridement and wound care, physical agents, electrotherapeutic modalities and the prescription, application and fabrication of assistive/supportive/protective devices.
• Communicate effectively and efficiently with faculty, patients, families and all members of the health care team about a patient's condition as called for under the circumstances.
• Utilize intellectual ability, exercise proper judgement, timely and accurately complete responsibilities intrinsic in patient care.
• Develop effective and appropriate relationships with patients, colleagues, co workers and relevant others.
• Practice in a safe manner and respond appropriately to emergencies and urgencies.
• Adapt and function effectively under the various circumstances and rigors which are inherent in the clinical practice of physical therapy.