Doctor of Physical Therapy

Gannon University's Doctor of Physical Therapy Program strives to be a leader in educating autonomous physical therapists who participate in integrative and collaborative practice to facilitate high-quality health and educational outcomes. We will be practitioners of choice in the community, recognized as experts in movement, function, and health. As leaders, we will embrace our social responsibility, promote humanistic care, and contribute to the profession's body of knowledge.

The Gannon University Physical Therapy Program at Ruskin embraces the current APTA vision statement, "Physical therapists will transform society by optimizing movement to improve the human experience."

The DPT program at Ruskin professes to:

• Provide physical therapy graduate education of the highest quality to develop generalist practitioners, while emphasizing faith, leadership, inclusiveness, and social responsibility.
• Prepare global citizens engaged in the community, who are service oriented and meet the needs of society.
• Engage in faculty community-based scholarship with the movement system at the core of all avenues of inquiry.

Gannon University is a Catholic, Diocesan University with 90 years of rich tradition in academic excellence. This success has presented the opportunity to develop a second community-based DPT program at our Ruskin, Florida campus. The Ruskin DPT curriculum begins in the summer semester. The curriculum includes four full-time clinical education experiences for a total of 40 weeks of clinical experience. Students are encouraged to travel for clinical education experiences. The curriculum includes 5 courses (Community Health Initiative I-V) that provide service-learning experiences with a network of community partners. Opportunities to work with students from other professions both on and off campus are abundant. Students are encouraged and supported to attend, participate and present projects at national and state conferences.

What Makes Us Different

• Leadership: Greater than 20 years of professional and academic experience
• Laboratory Size: 10:1 Student-to-teacher ratio provides opportunities to work closely with faculty and peers on campus and in the community
• Community Engagement: Students and faculty will embrace and strengthen the Ruskin, Florida community
• Diverse Clinical Experiences: Presents opportunities to travel throughout the nation
• Cutting Edge Technology: Students and faculty will utilize innovative equipment to develop highly-qualified clinicians
• Interprofessional Learning Opportunities: Promote collaboration amongst multiple disciplines and produce well-rounded leaders

• GGDPT 800 Gross Human Anatomy
• GGDPT 814 Evidence-based Practice I
• GGDPT 815 Essentials of Physical Therapy Practice
• GGDPT 806 Movement Physiology
• GGDPT 811 Professionalism and Business, Part
• GGDPT 816 Community Health Initiative I
• GGDPT 801 Clinical Medicine and Pharmacology I
• GGDPT 803 Neuroscience
• GGDPT 817 Movement Foundations
• GGDPT 821/823 Examination, Evaluation, & Intervention for Musculoskeletal Movement Dysfunction of the Lower Extremities and Lab
• GGDPT 828/829
• Examination, Evaluation, & Intervention for Musculoskeletal
• Movement Dysfunction of the Upper Extremities and Lab
• GGDPT 825/827 Examination, Evaluation, & Intervention for Musculoskeletal Movement Dysfunction of the Spine and Lab
• GGDPT 804 Motor Learning and Motor Control
• GGDPT 826 Community Health Initiative I
• GGDPT 832 Clinical Experience I
• GGDPT 847 Clinical Synthesis I
• GGDPT 831 Professionalism and Business, Part 2
• GGDPT 844 Evidence-Based Practice II - Analysis
• GGDPT 805 Growth and Development Across the Lifespan
• GGDPT 802 Clinical Medicine and Pharmacology II
• GGDPT 856 Community Health Initiative II
• GGDPT 820 Examination, Evaluation, & Intervention for Cardiovascular & Pulmonary Dysfunction
• GGDPT 843/845 Examination, Evaluation, & Intervention for Pediatric Neuromuscular Movement Dysfunction I and Lab
• GGDPT 853/855 Examination, Evaluation & Intervention for Adult Neuromuscular Movement Dysfunction and Lab
• GGDPT 862 Clinical Experience II
• GGDPT 866 Community Health Initiative IV
• GGDPT 851 Professionalism and Business, Part 3
• GGDPT 867 Clinical Synthesis II
• GGDPT 886 Community Health Initiative V
• GGDPT 873 Examination, Evaluation & Intervention for Integumentary & MultiSystem Movement Dysfunction and Lab
• GGDPT 875 Advanced Manual and Therapeutic Techniques
• GGDPT 881 Professional Development
• GGDPT 872 Clinical Experience III
• GGDPT 882 Clinical Experience IV
• GGDPT 887 Clinical Synthesis III

Student Learning Outcomes

• The program will provide a rich educational environment that produces graduates that can meet or exceed the demands of the current health care environment.
• Students and graduates will be reflective practitioners who utilize critical inquiry, the patient/client management model and evidence-based practice to make independent clinical decisions
• Students and graduates will provide services in the community that promote the health and quality of life of the community
• Students and graduates will advocate for individual patient/client needs as well as the profession.