Physical Therapy

Prospective students

The PT curriculum requires 34 months of study. Students spend two years taking courses at the Health Science Center in La Crosse before completing ten months of clinical internships. A Doctor of Physical Therapy will be awarded after the successful completion of the curriculum.

Grades below "C" earned in any required physical therapy course are unsatisfactory and cannot be used toward a degree in physical therapy. Students not meeting this requirement will be asked to withdraw from the program. In addition, all students in UWL graduate education must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.0.

Course timing is summarized in the PT Curriculum Grid. You can review the PT Course Descriptions as well.

All students complete five internships throughout the curriculum. The first internship, held during the student's first J-Term, is a two week experience to practice basic skills such as patient interviewing, muscle testing, documentation, etc. The second experience occurs at the end of the student's second summer semester and lasts four weeks. Emphasis is placed on rural/ primary care hospitals, home health, SNF, subacute settings. After completing two years of study in La Crosse the program concludes with three 12 week internships – inpatient rehab or acute care, outpatient general orthopedics and a niche setting of the student’s choice (rural medicine, pediatrics, sports, schools, research) which models the values characterized by autonomous practitioners.

Please be aware that a felony charge may affect your ability to obtain fieldwork placements and/or sit for the board examination.

Opened in 2000, the Health Science Center (HSC) serves as the home of the PT Program, the La Crosse Institute of Movement Science (LIMS), and the Exercise Program for Adults with Neurologic Disorders (EXPAND). The second floor provides lecture space for didactic courses while the third floor houses the program's clinical and lab space. Other UWL programs housed in the HSC include the Medical Dosimetry, Occupational Therapy, Physician Assistant , Nuclear Medicine Technology, and Radiation Therapy programs.

Virtual Tour

Take a web tour of the HSC as it relates to the Physical Therapy Program. The tour will take you through the following HSC facilities:

Directions

The HSC is located at 1300 Badger St. on the western edge of the UWL campus.

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Latest news

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Alum provides care for theater productions in the United Kingdom. Read more in the Campus Connection

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UWL PT students create programming for people with progressive neurological diseases in unique community program. To learn more please visit EXPAND Program Video

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The UW-La Crosse PT Program has been granted the maximum 10 years of accreditation. Read more in Campus News

To learn about current continuing education opportunities offered through the PT program please visit Continuing Education

PT students motivate elementary school staff, help fill a health need

Faculty member joins Parkinson’s Disease Foundation pilot program to help train future physical therapy leaders