Clinical Education is a crucial aspect of the Physical Therapy curriculum.
It is in the clinical setting that the opportunity exists to integrate the knowledge gained in the classroom with the clinical world.
Physical Therapy students complete a total of four clinical internships while in the professional phase of the PT program:
- PT 577 is a nine (9) week full-time clinical internship which will be completed following the successful completion of the fall and spring semesters of the first year in the professional phase of the PT curriculum. The focus of this internship is on the musculoskeletal patient population.
- PT 582 is a nine (9) week full-time clinical internship that will take place during the summer (following successful completion of the fall and spring curriculum) following the second year in the professional phase of the curriculum. The focus of this internship is on the neuromuscular patient population both pediatric and geriatric.
- PT 680 is a nine (9) week full-time clinical internship that will take place during the spring semester of the student's final year in the professional phase of the PT program. This internship starts upon successful completion of the didactic component of the curriculum in the previous semester.
- PT 690 is also a nine (9) week full-time internship which will follow the PT 680 internship.
There are three (3) types of affiliations that each student must complete: Acute Care, Musculoskeletal, and Neuromuscular (i.e. geriatric, pediatric). The fourth type of affiliation can be in a chosen specialty area. At least one experience must be completed in an Inpatient environment and one experience in an Outpatient environment. Additional types of affiliations include: Cardiac Rehab, Developmental Disabilities, Home Care, Sports Medicine, Aquatic therapy, etc. Students are required to perform at least one of their internships outside of the Western New York area (outside of a 50-mile radius to Daemen campus) in order to experience a variety of health care regional factors and in an effort to afford all students depth and breadth along the continuum of care.
View the Clinical Education Manual for Clinic Sites (PDF).
Download the Physical Therapist Student Evaluation: Clinical Experience & Clinical Instruction Form (PDF).
For more information about our Clinical Education Program please contact:
Theresa Kolodziej, PhD, PT, DPT
Director of Clinical Education
716-839-8412, tkolodzi@daemen.edu
Colleen Corcoran, PT, DPT
Associate Director of Clinical Education
716-566-7863, ccorcora@daemen.edu