Clinical Education

As a DPT student, your journey through clinical education plays a crucial role in bridging the gap between classroom learning and real-world practice. The clinical education experiences are designed to help you transition from theory to practice, building your competency and confidence in a variety of patient care settings. Each step, from Integrated Clinical Experience II through the Terminal Clinical Experiences, is crafted to help you become a knowledgeable, empathetic, and skilled physical therapist, prepared to meet the challenges of a dynamic healthcare environment. The TAMUT DPT program has clinical education agreements with sites locally to Texarkana, regionally and across the United States. We work closely with students to place students in an environment where they strive and grow.

Integrated Clinical Experience I

In Integrated Clinical Experience I, you’ll engage in a full-time, immersive experience where you apply the knowledge and techniques learned in the classroom to real patient care. During this nine-week placement, you’ll work closely with a licensed physical therapist, who will mentor and guide you as you evaluate and treat patients in various settings.

Key Highlights:

• Wide Range of Settings: You’ll gain exposure to different types of healthcare environments, including acute care, outpatient clinics, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, and potentially specialized settings. This approach is designed to broaden your understanding of patient care and prepare you to handle different cases and treatment environments.
• Skill Development: The focus is on developing your critical thinking skills as you practice clinical decision-making in real-time. Under your clinical instructor’s guidance, you’ll hone your abilities to assess and manage patient conditions, improving your confidence in working with patients from different backgrounds and with various movement system disorders.
• Evaluation Metrics: At the end of this experience, your performance will be assessed using the Clinical Internship Evaluation Tool (CIET). By the conclusion of Integrated Clinical Experience I, you should achieve target performance ratings, indicating that you are progressing toward becoming a competent, well-rounded practitioner.

Terminal Clinical Experience I

In Terminal Clinical Experience I, you’ll continue to refine the clinical skills you’ve developed while broadening your scope of practice. This stage marks a critical point in your education, where you’ll be expected to demonstrate a deeper understanding of patient care across the lifespan and continuum of care.

Key Highlights:

• Expanded Patient Populations: You’ll treat patients of all ages and with a variety of conditions, gaining experience with cases ranging from acute and outpatient care to inpatient rehab. This exposure enables you to build on your previous experiences and deepen your clinical knowledge.
• Entry-Level Competency: By the end of this experience, you should be performing at an entry-level, as measured by the CIET. This means demonstrating consistent clinical decision-making, patient interaction skills, and technical competencies expected of a new graduate entering the field.

Terminal Clinical Experience II

Terminal Clinical Experience II is the final and most intensive phase of your clinical education. During this full-time experience, you’ll focus on solidifying all the skills and knowledge you’ve accumulated, working independently yet still under the supervision of a licensed physical therapist.

Key Highlights:

• Managing a Full Caseload: You’ll take on the responsibilities of managing a full patient caseload, handling complex cases, and addressing a wide range of movement disorders. This experience will push you to refine your time management, prioritization, and problem-solving skills in a real-world setting.
• Competency and Professional Growth: By the end of this experience, you should achieve entry-level or above entry-level performance on the CIET. This signifies that you are ready to transition from being a student to an independent practitioner, confident in your ability to evaluate, diagnose, and treat patients effectively.