Physical Therapy and Clinical Laboratory Science
College of Health and Social Sciences
Interim Dean: Alvin Alvarez
Physical Therapy Program
HSS 124
Phone: 415-338-2001
Fax: 415-338-0907
E-mail: gppt@sfsu.edu
Web Site: www.pt.sfsu.edu
Director: Linda Wanek - San Francisco State University
Director: Kimberly Topp - University of California, San Francisco
Graduate Coordinators: L. Wanek, K. Topp
Faculty:
Professors: Allen, Byl, Hallum, Noble, Radtka, Topp, Wanek
Associate Professors: Jaramillo, Lui, Rosi, Souza
Assistant Professor: Lee
Associate Clinical Professor: Pawlowsky
Assistant Clinical Professors (UCSF/SF State): DaPrato, Fitzsimmons, , Pitsch, Scheid, Smoot
Lecturers: Andrade, Carlisle, Holland, Hutto, Ide-Don, Leff, McCarthy, Scalise, Sokolski
Programs
D.P.T. (Doctor of Physical Therapy)
Clinical Laboratory Science Internship Program
SCI 202
Phone: 415-338-2332
Fax: 415-338-7747
Web Site: http://cls.sfsu.edu
Email: sfsucls@sfsu.edu
Program Director: Geraldine Albee
Faculty:
Lecturers: Albee, Kazarian, Kouyoumdjian, Nusrat, Low, Luong
Program
Graduate Certificate in Clinical Laboratory Science
Program
The Physical Therapy degree is offered jointly with the University of California, San Francisco.
Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program
Students planning to become a physical therapist apply to the Entry Level DPT Program. This is a three year program (36 months) including 34 weeks of full time clinical affiliations. The DPT Program is accredited by the APTA Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education. It has also been approved by the University of California, California State University, California Post-Secondary Education Committee (CPEC) and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).
This program is designed to prepare scholarly clinicians, educators, collaborative clinical researchers, administrative managers and community leaders. The program accepts 42 - 50 students and requires 36 months of study (including summers). The curriculum is built on a strong theoretical foundation in basic, medical and applied sciences. Critical thinking and clinical reasoning are woven into all aspects of the program and creative problem solving skills are developed to work with patients to mitigate disability, optimize function and maintain positive health.
Courses are held at San Francisco State University and the University of California, San Francisco campuses. Clinical clerkships occur at affiliated agencies throughout California and other states. Graduates are well prepared to pass the State Licensing Examination and are considered top applicants for positions in a variety of physical therapy venues.
Career Outlook
The career outlook for physical therapists is very good with graduates employed in acute and rehabilitation hospitals, private practice, outpatient clinics, schools, community agencies, and academic programs.
Entry Level Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)
Admission Requirements to Program
Fifty students are admitted to the DPT program each June. Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution and meet all general admissions requirements for graduate study at both San Francisco State University and the University of California, San Francisco. Although any undergraduate major is acceptable, for students in the initial stages of undergraduate preparation, a major in kinesiology or the biological sciences tends to be the most direct route into a physical therapy program. All applicants must have completed the program prerequisites before entry. Students taking combined anatomy/physiology courses must complete two semesters or three quarters of work. Applicants without a strong science background should take additional science courses to demonstrate an ability to succeed in science-based course work.
Required Basic Prerequisite Courses
| Title | Units |
|---|---|
| General Chemistry with laboratory (1 Year) No survey courses | 10 |
| General Physics with laboratory (1 Year) No survey courses | 8 |
| Human or Comparative Anatomy with laboratory | 3 |
| Human Physiology with laboratory | 4 |
| General Microbiology or Related Upper Division Biology course | 3 |
Social/Psychological Sciences
| Title | Units |
|---|---|
| Abnormal Psychology | 3 |
Applied Sciences
| Title | Units |
|---|---|
| Introduction to Statistics | 3 |
Highly Recommended Courses
| Title | Units |
|---|---|
| Biomedical Ethics | 3 |
| Organic Chemistry | 3 |
| Motor Learning or Motor Control | 3 |
| Developmental Psychology or Motor Development | 3 |
| Neurosciences/Neuroanatomy | 3 |
| Exercise Physiology | 3 |
| Structural or Anatomical Kinesiology | 3 |
To be eligible for admission consideration, students must meet the following criteria:
- Hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution.
- Meet the Graduate School requirements of the University of California and the California State University. More specifically, students must have an overall baccalaureate GPA of 3.0 or above.
- A 3.0 GPA or above in college course work in the basic sciences including the prerequisites specified above.
- Submit Graduate Record Examination scores. Scores must be no more than five years old. As of August 2011, scores must be at 50th percentile or higher; and a score of 4.5 in the writing (analytical) section are highly recommended. Scores are due by October 1 of the year the application is submitted.
- Be able to demonstrate understanding of the work and profession of physical therapy, gained through paid or volunteer experience (minimum of 150 hours) in a variety of settings under the supervision of a physical therapist.
- Supply three strong letters of recommendation regarding potential to complete the program and personal compatibility with physical therapy as a profession. At least one letter must be from a physical therapist.
Application Process
Students must submit two applications, which are submitted separately, but in parallel. Application materials consist of: 1) The Centralized Physical Therapy Application (PTCAS), and 2) The UCSF Supplemental Physical Therapy Application. Both applications are accessible at UCSF P.T. Website at https://graduate.ucsf.edu/application/apply/eldpt/ for application instructions. The deadline for both applications is OCTOBER 1 (midnight, PST) of the year prior to desired entry.
Following preliminary evaluation, a selection of applicants will be invited to interview. Following an interview and an assessment of writing skills, 50 students will be accepted for admission to the physical therapy program. Once accepted into the program, students will then complete an online application for admission to SF State.
Written English Proficiency Requirement
Level One: Students must meet the first level of proficiency in written English as a condition of admission to the physical therapy program. Students must complete the GRE analytical writing section prior to enrollment. Evaluation of writing skills are also based upon an essay written at the time of the applicant's scheduled interview.
Level Two: The second level of written English proficiency is demonstrated through course projects involving written manuscripts during years one and two of the program, and the culminating experience project during the student's final year in the program.
Advancement to Candidacy
Students are advanced to candidacy based on a Qualifying Assessment that consists of: 1) overall 3.0 GPA in academic coursework; 2) satisfactory performance on all practical exams in clinical coursework; 3) satisfactory performance in all clinical clerkships as judged by meeting all required milestones on the Clinical Performance Index; and, 4) score of 80% or better on each of three clinically based, board style examinations that evaluate critical thinking and problem solving.
Culminating Experience
Students research and write an in-depth evidence based review of a clinical problem following the criteria established in PT 209 and PT 910 courses. The manuscripts must be prepared in a publication-ready journal format as well as presented orally to an audience of faculty and peers.
Doctor of Physical Therapy Program Course Work
Courses shown with quarter-unit values are taken at the UCSF. Courses shown with semester-unit values are assigned to SF State. At SF State, courses numbering 700 or higher are graduate courses. At the UCSF, courses with numbers between 100 and 199 are at the upper division level; courses with numbers between 200 and 399 are graduate courses.
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Program
Basic and Applied Sciences
| Course | Title | S F State Semester Units | UCSF Quarter Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| PT 200 | Neuromusculoskeletal Anatomy | 6 | |
| PHYS 121 | Mammalian Physiology | 5 | |
| PHYS 122 | Mammalian Physiology | 3 | |
| ANAT 207 | Neuroscience | 5 | |
| KIN 746 | Clinical Exercise Physiology | 3 | |
| PT 706 | Structure, Function and Motion in Physical Therapy | 2 |
Medical Sciences
| Course | Title | S F State Semester Units | UCSF Quarter Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| PT 110 | Pathophysiology of Disease: Orthopedics | 2 | |
| PT 111 | Pathophysiology of Disease: Neurology | 3 | |
| PT 112 | Human Growth and Development Across the Life Span | 3 | |
| PT 210 | Radiology for Physical Therapy | 2 | |
| PT 211 | Pharmacology for Physical Therapy | 2 | |
| PT 700 | Multisystem Pathokinesiology | 3 | |
| PATH 135.01 | Pathology | 3 |
Applied Social Sciences
| Course | Title | S F State Semester Units | UCSF Quarter Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| PT 735 | Psychosocial Aspects in Rehabilitation Sciences | 3 | |
| PT 736 | Ecological and Organizational Issues of Rehabilitation | 3 | |
| PT 704 | Education, Health Promotion, Wellness & Prevention in Physical Therapy | 2 | |
| PT 705 | Administration and Organization in Physical Therapy | 2 |
Research/Teaching
| Course | Title | S F State Semester Units | UCSF Quarter Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| PT 251 | Research Design | 3.5 | |
| PT 183 | Biostatistics | 4.5 | |
| PT 419 | Research Seminar | 9 | |
| PT 899 or PT 206 |
Independent Study Independent Study |
2 |
3 |
Physical Therapy Sciences
| Course | Title | S F State Semester Units | UCSF Quarter Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| PT 201 | Physical Therapy Assessment | 3 | |
| PT 202 | Therapeutic Modalities | 2 | |
| PT 741 | Musculoskeletal Pathokinesiology I | 4 | |
| PT 742 | Musculoskeletal Pathokinesiology II | 4 | |
| PT 743 | Musculoskeletal Pathokinesiology III | 3 | |
| PT 710 | Neurological Pathokinesiology I | 4 | |
| PT 711 | Neurological Pathokinesiology II | 3 | |
| PT 213 | Neurological Pathokinesiology III | 2 | |
| PT 720 | Cardiopulmonary Pathokinesiology I | 2 |
Evidence Based Practice
| Course | Title | S F State Semester Units | UCSF Quarter Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| PT 209 | Evidence Based Practice | 3 | |
| PT 910 | Evidence Based Practice | 4 | |
| PT 208 | Professional Colloquium (Spring Symposium) |
1.5 | |
| PT 908 | Professional Colloquium | 1 |
Clinical Care
| Course | Title | S F State Semester Units | UCSF Quarter Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| PT 801 | Clinical Clerkship I | 6 | |
| PT 802 | Clinical Clerkship II | 6 | |
| PT 803 | Clinical Clerkship III | 6 | |
| PT 418 | Mentored Clinical Clerkship | 9 | |
| PT 920 | Case Reports | 5 | |
| PT 400 | Grand Rounds | 3 | |
| PT 207 | Medical Screening for Physical Therapists | 4.5 |
Total semester units: 122
Graduate Certificate in Clinical Laboratory Science
Advisors: Albee, Kazarian
Program Scope
The SF State Clinical Laboratory Science (CLS) Internship Certificate program provides students with the theoretical and practical skills necessary to work in hospitals, clinics, or biomedical research environments. The program prepares students at the post-baccalaureate level to take the national board examination for certification as Clinical Laboratory Scientists. In addition, the program is fully accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for clinical laboratory sciences (NAACLS) and meets the educational standards required for licensure as a CLS by the California State Department of Health, Laboratory Field Services (LFS). The program seeks to develop critical thinking skills for clinical and administrative decision making in the complex and ever-changing healthcare environment.
Career Outlook
Clinical laboratory scientists are employed in healthcare settings such as medical laboratories within large medical centers, community hospitals, public health, clinics and private industry. Excellent employment opportunities exist in research and development, medical informational technology, laboratory administration and education.
Admission to Program
Requirements are:
- Earned bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited university in related science major of microbiology, biology or equivalent. Students with international degrees should check the CLS website for more information (http://cls.sfsu.edu).
- Overall GPA of at least 3.0 or GPA of at least 3.0 in last 60 units (90 quarter) (3.0 GPA).
- A score of 4 or better on a proctored writing examination administered prior to admission or for international students, at least 80 on the internet-based TOEFL, or a 550 on the paper-based test with a Test of Written English (TWE) of at least 4.
- Science course preparation to include courses in hematology, immunology, medical microbiology, quantitative chemistry analysis, biochemistry, physics, and college-level mathematics.
- Eligibility for a trainee license from the State of California Department of Health, Laboratory Field Services.
- Completion of the application form, which includes three letters of reference.
- Proof of health insurance
- Background checks may be required.
Curriculum
The CLS program consists of (1) a 16-week semester of didactic and laboratory work and (2) a 40-week off-campus internship at affiliated clinical laboratory sites. Students enroll for 18 units for the pre-clinical semester. For the 40-week off-campus portion, students enroll in a combination of regular university sessions and special sessions through the College of Extended Learning.
First Semester
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CLS 701 | Clinical Chemistry and Urinalysis | 4 |
| CLS 706 | Contemporary Clinical Science Issues | 2 |
| CLS 731 | Clinical Hematology and Laboratory Applications | 4 |
| CLS 753 | Clinical Microbiology for the CLS Intern | 4 |
| CLS 790 | Clinical Serology & Immunohematology | 4 |
Total Units First Semester: 18
Subsequent 40 Weeks
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CLS 702 | Clinical Laboratory Internship I (4 units of CLS 702 taken twice) |
8 |
| CLS 705 | Clinical Laboratory Internship II (3 units of CLS 705 taken twice) |
6 |
| CLS 709 | Clinical Laboratory Internship III | 3 |
| CLS 707 | CLS Bridge to Clinical Practice | 3 |
Total Units Subsequent 40 Weeks: 20
Total Units for Entire Program: 38
English Proficiency Requirement
Level One: Students complete a proctored essay at the time of their application interview. If necessary, remediation will be fulfilled by successful completion of SCI 614 or equivalent course.
Level Two: Successful completion of written professional documents as required for a leadership role in professional environments.
