Gannon University

KRISTINE LEGTERS, PT, DSc, NCS, Chairperson
CAROLYN GALLEHER, PT, MHS, Coordinator of Undergraduate Physical Therapy:
FACULTY: Julie Hartmann, PT, MEd, ACCE, Thomas Hudson, PT, MS, PCS, Jeannette Lee,
PT, Ph.D., Pamela Reynolds, PT, Ed.D., Donna Skelly, PT, MS, OCS

Physical Therapy is a health care profession that primarily focuses on the preservation, development, and restoration of optimal function. Physical therapists provide evaluative, rehabilitative, and preventive health care services designed to alleviate pain; prevent the onset and progression of impairment, functional limitation, disability resulting from injury, disease, or other causes; and restore, maintain and promote overall fitness, health and optimal quality of life. Physical therapists work with individuals of all ages who demonstrate movement dysfunction, or the potential for such dysfunction, of the neurological, musculoskeletal, integumentary, and cardiopulmonary systems.

Physical therapists practice in a hospital setting, or provide services in out-of-hospital settings through home health agencies, in nursing homes, in industrial settings, through public health agencies, in private physical therapy clinics, in public schools and in a variety of other nontraditional settings.

The job opportunities for physical therapists remain abundant, and according to the Occupation Outlook Handbook, are expected to continue to grow during the new milennium. Advances in medical technology continue to allow for the treatment of more severe disabilities. As a result, physical therapists will be needed to care for the aging baby boomers who face heart disease, strokes and arthritis, and to attend to the growing number of newborns who suffer severe birth defects.

Gannon's undergraduate Physical Therapy curriculum assists students in preparing themselves for acceptance into Gannon's Doctor of Physical Therapy program. Wtih the guidance of the physical therapy advisor, students select courses to fulfill prerequisites sepcific to the professional program, or programs, to which students wish to apply.

All entry-level physical therapy programs offer only graduate level (master's or doctorate degree) professional preparation. Because of this, students entering Gannon's undergraduate physical therapy program intending to apply to graduate level professional programs should select a major field of study. The choice of a major will depend upon the student's personal interest. Students may select any of the following majors available at Gannon: Biology, Business Administration, Chemistry, Mathematics, Nursing*, Psychology, Science, and Sport and Exercise Science. *May require summer courses.

Gannon University offers a doctoral degree program in physical therapy. The curriculum is seven years in length with a 4+3 model. Graduates must complete a Baccalaureate degree and 3 years of professional preparation. While enrollment in Gannon's undergraduate physical therapy program does not guarantee acceptance into the professional graduate program, 75 percent of the seats in each entering class at the graduate level are reserved for "qualified Gannon graduates."

Admission into the Undergraduate program:
The minimum requirements to be considered for acceptance to the undergraduate Physical Therapy program include:

• Overall high school GPA of 3.0 or higher.
  
• SAT score of 1010 or higher or ACT score of 21 or higher.
  
• Completion of college prep biology and chemistry with labs and three years of college prep mathematics.
  
  

• Maintain a minimum overall 3.0 GPA.
  
• Satisfied the prerequisite course and GPA requirements of 3.0 with no more than four credits of repeat course work, grades of D are not accepted.
• Successful completion of an undergraduate degree from Gannon University.
  
• Transferred to Gannon University and completed a minimum of 30 credits in the undergraduate physical therapy program and Gannon University.
  

• SAT total of 1050 or higher.
  
• GPA of 3.2 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
  
• Must maintain a GPA of 3.2 or higher in Gannon undergraduate courses.
  
• Must maintain a GPA of 3.2 or higher in prerequisite courses (with no repeated courses).
  
• Students will be given special consideration for graduate scholarship upon entrance to the graduate Physical Therapy program at Gannon.

3+3 Program Opportunity

Gannon also offers the opportunity to participate in a 3+3 program. This program has been designed for qualified students to earn an undergraduate Science Degree and a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree in six years rather than seven. Students who wish to apply must choose a Science major and meet the following criteria:

• SAT total of 1100 or higher.
  
• A high school GPA of 3.4 or better.
  
• Must maintain a GPA of 3.4 or higher in Gannon undergraduate courses.
  
• Must maintain a GPA of 3.4 or higher in prerequisite courses with no repeated courses.
  
• GPA will be reviewed at the end of each academic year.

Course Selection:

The following coursework meets the general requirements for most professional schools of physical therapy including Gannon's graduate program:

Undergraduate Physical Therapy Curriculum:

All students receiving a bachelor's degree from Gannon must complete the Core o Discovery requirements and the course requirements for thei field of study in addition to the courses listed above.

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Doctor of Physical Therapy 3+3 Program
This program has been designed for qualified students to earn an undergraduate Science Degree and a Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree at Gannon University in six years rather than seven. Under the early entry program, the students may receive a Bachelor's Degree with a specific major in science after three years of undergraduate work and the successful completion of the first year of full time study in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program. The student would receive their DPT Degree after successful completion of three years in the Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree at Gannon University. The curriculum in science allows for the completion of the Core of Discovery, 60 credit hours of studies in the sciences and mathematics, and the prerequisites for physical therapy in six semesters and one summer session.

Under the provisions of this program, students will matriculate at Gannon University fo ra minimum of a hundred and two (102) semester hours leading toward the Bachelor of Science-Science/Pre Physical Therapy tract. A guaranteed position in out 3+3 Doctor of Physical Therapy Program will be reserved for, at least, two freshmen if the following criteria are met: