School Vision Statement
"Uniting Christian Values and Healthcare Education"
DPT Mission Statement
To empower students who dream of becoming an excellent physical therapist.
In accordance with the Andrews University mission, our mission provides a quality Physical Therapist education where students seek knowledge while affirming their faith within a cooperative learning environment that promotes Christian values and prepares them to change the world.
Core Values
Exemplify Christian values through:
| Family Spirit | Servant Heart | Inquisitive Mind |
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DPT Statement of Philosophy
The Entry-Level Doctor of Physical Therapy program affirms the mission and values of Andrews University and the College of Health and Human Services in its desire to provide excellence in education that fosters collaboration, research, and service, thus promoting the healing ministry of Jesus Christ to restore in humanity the image of God.
The Andrews University School of Rehabilitation Sciences is committed to excellence in Christian healthcare education by training individuals to become physical therapists that provide evidenced-based service throughout the continuum of care.
The DPT Curriculum Plan
The student's comprehensive liberal arts and sciences background provide a base for the DPT curriculum's foundational and clinical sciences. This background will further help students integrate their knowledge into the classroom, clinical environments, and their community.
The DPT curriculum is designed to encourage collaborative attitudes while fostering independent learning. It begins with the foundation sciences and basic assessment and intervention skills and progresses to the more complex systems approach with specialty practice areas and research interwoven where appropriate. The curriculum culminates with the clinical education component.
The DPT Program is sensitive to the interests and changing needs of practitioners, patients, clients, families, caregivers, healthcare and educational systems, and to society at large. This is especially essential within an uncertain healthcare environment, an increasingly accountable higher-education system, and an evolving body of physical therapy knowledge. Critical inquiry within the academic experience enhances the preparation for evidence-based practice as clinicians and contributes to the professional body of knowledge.
It is of utmost importance to instill within the learner the accessibility of the power of Christ. The accessibility of His power is important to utilize not only in their personal life but also within the delivery of care to the clients they serve. The program seeks to prepare the learner to discern the spiritual needs of their patients.
DPT Program Goals:
To achieve the School of Rehabilitation Sciences mission, the DPT program offers professional physical therapy education that:
1. Attracts students who are interested in pursuing a career in physical therapy within a Christian environment.
2. Empowers students to become primary health care providers ready for contemporary professional practice in a variety of settings.
3. Inspires servant leadership in the area of health promotion and advocacy.
4. Endorses evidence-informed practice.
5. Promotes professional behavior consistent with current ethical and legal standards.
6. Develops understanding and respect among individuals from a variety of ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds.
7. Encourages compassion for the patient/client as a whole person, taking into account physical, mental, spiritual and social needs.
8. Prepares students to communicate effectively with patients/clients, colleagues, health care providers and other community members.
9. Contributes to the physical therapy profession through research and creative scholarship.
10. Facilitates faculty educational and professional development.
DPT Faculty Goals:
To provide professional physical therapy education consistent with the program goals, the faculty will:
1. Integrate Christian values into the physical therapy classroom.
2. Connect to their profession through licensure and professional membership.
3. Hold a postprofessional degree at the doctoral level.
4. Cultivate contemporary knowledge/practice expertise in assigned teaching area.
5. Develop, review, and revise the physical therapy curriculum plan collectively.
6. Admit students into the DPT program who have an appropriate balance of prerequisite courses and the ability to successfully complete the DPT program and practice in the profession.
7. Maintain currency in instruction and teaching methods including course content, design and assessment methods.
8. Pursue an on-going scholarship agenda which culminates in the peer-reviewed dissemination of original contributions.
9. Serve the department, university, profession and/or community.
10. Model professional behavior.
DPT Student Goals (Expected Student Outcomes)
In accordance with the School of Rehabilitation Sciences mission and program goals, DPT graduates will:
1. Model behavior which reflects Christian values, including an understanding of the role of prayer and faith in the complete healing process.
2. Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the basic and clinical sciences relevant to physical therapy, both in their fundamental context and in its application within professional clinical practice.
3. Provide primary care to patients/clients within the scope of physical therapy practice.
4. Demonstrate entry-level competency in clinical skills necessary to perform a comprehensive physical therapy examination, and evaluation, establish a differential diagnosis, determine an appropriate prognosis, and establish intervention and/or prevention activities.
5. Understand and value the capabilities of other health care providers and determine the need for referral to those individuals.
6. Participate in practice management including delegation and supervision of support personnel, financial management, business planning, marketing and public relations activities.
7. Possess the critical inquiry skills necessary to evaluate professional knowledge and competencies in relation to evidence-informed physical therapy practice.
8. Demonstrate legal and ethical behavior consistent with professional standards.
9. Demonstrate sensitivity to individual and cultural differences when engaged in physical therapy practice.
10. Demonstrate professional behavior.
The DPT Graduate:
Graduates of the Entry-Level Doctor of Physical Therapy program should be knowledgeable, self-assured, adaptable, reflective, and service oriented. Through critical thinking, and evidence-based practice, graduates render independent judgments concerning patient/client needs; promote the health of the client; and enhance the professional, contextual, and collaborative foundations for practice.
The graduate must master the breadth and depth of knowledge to address patient needs throughout the life span. These may be manifested as acute or chronic dysfunction of movement due to disorders of the musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiopulmonary, and integumentary systems. The graduate's focus should be to decrease the deleterious effects of health impairments, functional limitations, and disability.
The role of the physical therapist is expanding within a changing health care system. Graduates must be prepared for all responsibilities and privileges of autonomous practice and be the practitioner of choice for clients with a physical therapy diagnosis. Graduates will provide culturally sensitive care distinguished by trust, respect, and an appreciation for individual differences.
The graduate must also be adaptable and prepared to participate in a broad spectrum of activities from health promotion through comprehensive rehabilitation while being sensitive to market niches and needs that will arise in the health care community.
Compassion should be a driving force in the graduate's work. It is our desire that they follow the example of Christ. As He worked with those in need of physical healing, it states in Matthew 14:14: "He had compassion on them." Specifically, He felt their hurt.
Entry-level Doctor of Physical Therapy graduates have the requisite knowledge and skills to successfully pass the National Licensing Examination, be prepared for autonomous practice, and provide contemporary evidenced-based service throughout the continuum of care. They will be the practitioners of choice for clients with a physical therapy diagnosis and provide culturally sensitive care distinguished by trust, respect and an appreciation for spirituality in healthcare.
Conclusion:
The Andrews University School of Rehabilitation Sciences is committed to excellence in Christian healthcare education by training individuals to become physical therapists that provide evidenced-based service throughout the continuum of care.